Mudhoney and Texas

Stolen from chopcult.com/youtube.com:



OK, so back in the late '80s and early '90s, when I had my first two bikes ('84 Softail and '80 XLH), I was SUPER into Mudhoney. This video brought back a lot of memories, even though I was stuck in LA. (Still am. Dammit.) Thanks, BlackSix31.

Not So Exciting...

So yesterday was pretty cool. Actually, the whole weekend was pretty cool. Today, we had stuff to do at work, and I'll have more to do tomorrow. Caught me totally off guard. This is pretty cool. Time friggin' FLIES when I'm busy. Tuesday is actually my Wednesday anyway, so I'm almost done with my work week, anyway.

Just now I took a quick ride to the bank to deposit my paycheck, and then to the 7-11 to buy cigarettes. My bike JUST clicked over to 19,000 miles. It had 16,012 when I bought it. Stoked!!! Minor troubles: it's smoking a bit. Could be the oil that I used before the Primer Nationals, or it could the valve seals. Not sure which. Also, the clutch is squeaking a bit when I let off the throttle. I'll try adjusting the clutch, and if that doesn't work, I guess I'll get new clutch plates.

Minor update, 8:59 PM: After doing a little research, it's probably not my clutch. It looks (sounds) like it's the final drive belt. Could have loosened up over the past 3000 or so miles. The manual says that it should be adjusted every 2500 miles. It's due...

Filthy Lucre

No real idea how much I rode today, but I know that I have almost 700 miles more on my bike since I wrote last.

Today I met up with Dan and Dave at Dan's shop in Ventura. We booked up into Santa Paula, and then through Ojai before heading back into Ventura. We got back into Camarillo where I gassed up and Dan went home, and then Dave and I split for PCH. Dave rode as far as Mulholland Drive, and split for home. I Continued down PCH toward Santa Monica, and stopped at a turnout to have a couple of cigarettes.

Once I got into Malibu, traffic was pretty backed up. I white lined until I found the problem. The cops had PCH blocked off South of Kana Dume road. I rode up Kanan Dume about 150 feet or so, and pulled over for about a half hour to wait for traffic to die down.

It didn't really die down much, but I was getting kind of restless. I took off up Kanan Dume, and hit even MORE traffic for about the last 5 miles before the 101 freeway. I white lined after a couple of other folks on bikes passed me up.

Got on the 101, and it was totally smooth sailing the rest of the ride, to the tune of 65-85 all the way home.

The one drag about today was that I couldn't keep my mind off the fact that tomorrow I have to go back to work. Generally, I love my job, but it's been really slow lately. Nothing worse that trying to look busy when I don't have anything to do...

Anyway, overall, it was a great day!! I have rediscovered an old passion, and can't wait to put more miles on...

For what it's worth, the title of this 'blog entry doesn't really have much to do with the post itself. Just sounded good at the time.

Restless

Just restless lately. I know why. So all I've been doing is riding. Damn near 2300 miles so far...

Just Because

Lately and Onward

Primer Nationals this weekend.

I've been riding my bike even more since I got my proper license. At night, on the freeway, everywhere. It's been bliss. damn near 1500 miles since I bought it. That was in July. Even more miles to come...

Absolute Beginners

Unmitigated Persuasion

I spent the last week or so on the salt at Bonneville. No, I didn't take a camera with me, but there are PLENTY of folks that did. Finding pix of Speed Week '09 shouldn't be difficult.

WHAT. A. BLAST.

I'm for sure going back next year, and I think I might have figured out what to do with my Sportster project.

If anyone reading this (ha!!) has never been to Bonneville, you have to go. Consider it a holy pilgrimage.

This past Friday was a long one. I rode my bike up to Jai and Joe's place in Northridge, where we removed and rattle canned the tins from my bike. MUCH BETTER NOW. There was a DicE party at the Bigfoot Lodge in Los Feliz, so a couple of us went. Something like 200 bikes showed up. It, too, was a blast. Afterwards, we rode over to Bob's in Burbank, and then blasted around the freeways for a while.

Yesterday, I went and saw down, The Melvins, and Weedeater at the Wiltern. Probably one of the best shows I've ever seen, with the Melvins and down at the top of their game. Can't wait until next time.

Anyway, back to work tomorrow...

The Next Day

I rode to work on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (I made a "special appearance" on Thursday). Friday I just rode over to Bartels' to see Axle. Today, I rode over to Victory Studios where my friend Dave was getting tattoo work done by Dan Collins. That was fun!! (FWIW, Dan told me that he has some really killer points covers in the works.)

Tuesday was kind of exciting because I lost my shift peg on the way to work. I was on Fairfax right at the weird Olympic and San Vicente intersection, and I went to upshift. Nothing there. I turned around and found my peg and the bolt in the middle of the street. Luckily, there was very little traffic.

I put the peg in my pocket, and used the bolt to shift. I had to tighten it up at every single stoplight or stop sign for the rest of my trip. Anyway, when I got to work I grabbed an allen wrench and the nearest bottle of Loc-Tite. All better now.

The last time that happened to me was in 1992, on my Sportster. I was on Robertson Boulevard, and it was about 10:00 at night...

Yeah, Fuck It

I didn't get NEARLY enough time on my bike this weekend, so I rode it to work today on surface streets, and obviously home again. It was a total blast!!!

It took me about the same amount of time to get to work this morning as it usually does, and about an hour or so this afternoon to get home. I'm going to do it again tomorrow. As I've stated previously, I have no idea why I waited so long to get another bike, or for that matter, why the hell I got up to my neck in project cars. I should have just gotten another bike after I got my panel truck and my '31, and should have sold the Chevelle a LONG damn time ago.

Whatevs. Live and learn. NEVER without a bike again, I swear.

Yep, Two Posts in One Day!!

My bike originally came with a sort of air suspension in the front end, which was really nothing more than a couple of air lines and a Schrader valve added to add or remove air pressure. There's a reason Harley stopped doing this. It worked OK enough, but wasn't great.

Anyway, the previous owner removed the air lines and plugged the fittings in the fork caps with stock Harley plugs made expressly for this purpose. Unfortunately, someone overtightened them at some point, and the right fork tube has been leaking, especially after hard riding. Had to be fixed.

Today, I got new plugs and some fork oil. Fixed it myself. No big deal. I also cleaned my bike. Yep, washed it, polished the paint and chrome, and used some of the stuff they sell at the Harley dealer on the engine for detail. Jeez, I should just go and join my local HOG chapter. (That's sarcasm, folks.)

The Big Nothing

Yep, A Couple More Pictures

This is Jack happy because he just bought his FXR:



And this is Jack's back while riding his FXR home:



Words cannot completely express how I felt that day, but the first photo pretty much says it all.

*********

Weirdness: So, I get a text message from one of my neighbors yesterday morning at about 7:30 saying that there's some sketchy dude checking out my house and my bike. (!!!!!) I go to my front window, and sure enough, there's some dirtbag sitting on the curb across the street from my house, just staring at my pad. WTF? I text my neighbor back, and tell him to keep watching because I'm going to get dressed.

As I'm getting my boots on, I get another text from the same neighbor telling me that the guy is jerking off!! Really, WTF?!?!?!?!?!? I call the cops. While we're waiting for the cops to show up, a couple of other neighbors drive or bike down the street, so the guy quits whacking it. THEN the cops showed up. Dammit!! Anyway, they ushered him off, and as far as I know, he hasn't been back.

I mean, it was pretty obvious that the guy had some serious mental stability issues, but jeez. How crazy do you have to be to decide to crack one off in the middle of a nice street on a warm Sunday morning, while staring at a '62 Comet and a '91 Harley?

"What's the problem, officer? No, it's just such a nice morning, and there's this beautiful bike and car, and I have a fresh cup of coffee..."

All humor aside, I couldn't help but feel a little bad for the guy. He really needed help, and that's exactly why I wasn't stomping him when the coppers got there.

If You Want Blood

So, pretty much all I've been doing is riding my bike since Friday. I rode up to Joe and Jai's place in Northridge, yesterday I rode out to the Old Crow Speed Shop in Burbank to visit Lucky, and today I just rode over to Bartels' HD to see Axel, but he wasn't there. (Jerk.)

My hands and face are sunburned, my legs are sore, and I couldn't care less. I have no real idea why I waited so long to get another bike!!!

150 trouble free miles so far. She coughed on me once or twice, but that's it. I didn't have that kind of luck with my '84 Softail back in 1990 when that Softail was only six years old. This one's 18, and runs fucking great. I can die happy.

On another note, I went and saw Joan Jett last Thursday at the OC Fair. She was AWESOME!!! She sounds great, she looks amazing, and we had a great time.

Something On My Side

So, I just had to do a little digging. I found out some interesting and, dare I say, useful, information about my new (to me) bike.

Obviously, we know that she's a 1991 Harley Davidson FXR. What I didn't know is that she's a Lowrider Special Edition, and has the EM code, so technically, she's a convertible. (I believe that this meant she was available with a "touring" package; windshield, hard saddle bags, etc. She was also meant to haul ass when she was stripped of all that crap.)

So, she's an FXRS-SP Lowrider Special Edition that was built at the York, Pennsylvania plant as a California Special (I'm assuming that's the "Special Edition"). Neat!! I'm looking for a manual and factory photos for reference...

Oh, and I got my motorcycle learner's permit today, so I'm legal to ride during daylight hours on the streets. No riding to work just yet, I guess.

Lifer

Here she is, in all of her ugly paint glory, sitting in my driveway:





After Summer is over, I'll paint the tins basic gloss black. In the next few weeks, I'll swap the bars for something a little more aggressive. Eventually, I'll add a two-into-one pipe, I'll rake the neck MAYBE five degrees, and I'll add a 21" front wheel and an 18" rear. She's already a rocket sled, and in about a year or so, she'll look like one, too.

Super extra special thanks go out to my brothers Joe T Creep, Jai Creep, and Axle Creep, and to Gene and Ron at Bartel's Harley Davidson. Without the support and encouragement of my brothers and girlfriend, I wouldn't have gotten off of my ass long enough to actually make it happen, and without the help of Ron and Gene, it certainly wouldn't have happened as fast as it did.

Here Comes Sickness

And not in the good sense. After taking a month or so off of my 'blog, and after doing some serious soul searching, I've decided to sell off a couple of my projects and a few of the guns in my rather extensive collection. I really want that FXR.

As far as sickness is concerned, I'm just getting over a nasty chest cold. Blech. Started on Wednesday at work, and by yesterday, I simply could not breathe easily.

Anyway, I'm selling my '52 Ford Customline Tudor sedan project, and my '70 Chevelle project. If you're interested or curious at all, hit me up here, or on the Jockey Journal under the user name Creepy Jack. No, they aren't super cheap, but are worth my asking prices by simple virtue of the sum of their parts.

Oh yeah, my friend Dave is selling his sweet '59 XLH, and pretty reasonably priced, too. You can see a photo of it in this 'blog somewhere.

Making Tools At Work

Vito told me that the nut on a CNC tool holder was stuck, and asked how we could get it off. The wrench that was used to tighten it kept slipping off, and we're out of Acetylene, so we came up with this:



The reason I welded the plate on the top of this shop-made wrench (the plate is shown on the bottom of the wrench in this crappy cell phone photo) is because the "jaws" of the wrench kept separating when we tried to use it. So, a little reinforcement was necessary. Nothing a piece of scrap, a vertical bandsaw, a TIG, an Argentinian/Italian/American, and knucklehead couldn't fix. Neat!!

Stupid FXR!!

I'm working on Adam and Suzy's Comet AGAIN!!! Dammit...

Also, had to go to the local Harley dealer on Saturday with a friend, and found this stupid FXR. No, I didn't buy it. But I REALLY, REALLY want to. Anyone want to lend me about $5,000?



Yes, the paint is stupid. But paint is cheap. At least it is when you buy it in rattle cans.

I've wanted an FXR for years, and couldn't believe how cheap this '91 model was, from a dealer no less. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since. Hell, I dreamed about it last night. Stupid FXR!! I'll probably lose a hand at work tomorrow thinking about it.

And no, I won't tell you which dealer.

And...

Some more bars I built. One inch tube, twelve inches tall, and I have no idea how wide. :)

Dave's bike; bars I built. Kinda neat, huh?

Strike That!! Reverse It!!

Forgot to mention that "no more bike stuff" means no more welding or machining for the time being on those cases. I will, however, start assembling the rolling chassis.

What it comes down to is that it will be an easy way to make some progress without sacrificing time on my commitments. Quite a few one to two hour jobs here and there, and I'll have something that I can sit on and make engine noises.

I Promised You a Miracle

So, this is what less than $600 will get you these days:



(Click on photo to see the whole mess)The black frame came from Dave, and was SERIOUSLY dirt cheap. (Take that, all you folks that give me crap for sitting in front of my computer at 4:00 AM instead of sleeping!!) The blasted frame came from Rene via Scott, and was the best price of all: FREE. (FWIW, the Sporty that Rene built was all the inspiration that I needed to get the cases and stuff that I'm working on now.) The bare metal chopped King Sportster tank came from my friend Jimi (it was in "new" condition when I bought it from him in December). The black Wassell came from Irish Rich (thanks again, homie!!), and the red/silver Hap Jones came from Dave in Sacto. I guess I have some decisions to make over the next few months. (Oh yeah, those are aluminum small block Chevy heads that will go on the engine that's going to go back in my Chevelle. Whatevs.)

The miracle is that my housekeeper doesn't mind all that bike stuff in the barroom of the house.

In other news, I got my beater '64 Skylark running like a top again, and my homeboy Adam is bringing his girlfriend's '62 Comet back over so we can pull the engine out again. It's still making some odd noises (I'm baffled), and we're also going to install a hydraulic cam and lifters, as well as a new torque converter if I can find one. So no more bike stuff for a couple of weeks, probably.

Ummm...

It's been a little while since I've updated, so here it is. Nothing really new or great to say, other than I now have two Sportster frames, so I guess I'll be building another Sportster after this one is done, and my girlfriend's Triumph is done. This, of course, is in addition to the '31 Ford coupe that I still have to build, the '52 Ford Tudor that I still have to build, the '56 Ford F100 that I still have to build, the '64 Skylark that I still have to build, and the '70 Chevelle that I still have to build. I'm going to be busy until I'm dead.

More and More Nothing

So, I've been working on a bunch of stuff for everyone else. No new updates on my bike, other than I have a bunch of parts headed my way.

Just Mucking About

I woke up on Thursday morning with a God awful pain in my lower back. I hadn't done anything super strenuous, but it feels like I'd been dragging engine blocks around my garage for two days straight. No idea what the deal is. Still hurts, and if I walk too long, or stand up too long, my back really lets me know about it.

Anyway, enough of my whining. I received a set of NOS cylinders last week, so I just had to mock them up on the cases:



Kind of exciting!! I have a few things to get done over the next couple of weeks, but I should be able to get back on this engine before too long.

Aside from continuing with the case repairs, I also have to braze one broken fin back onto the rear head, get valves and springs, gaskets, seals, pushrods and covers, oil pump, etc. Still a long way to go...

Yesterday

My boss flipped me the bird. How awesome is that?

All of This and Nothing

Removal

I rough machined the backside of the generator mount on my Sportster cases today:

Before (post welds):



Finding the center of the hole, to be concentric with the center of the spindle on my milling machine:



Using my boring head as a surfacing tool:



And all done for now:



I'll probably finish the rest by hand. I only wanted to remove the majority of the excess weld bead, not get it totally flat and smooth. I accomplished exactly what I meant to. Why didn't I know how to do this stuff years ago?

No REAL Progress

But I did cut down that plate a little. I'm planning to make a smaller plate out of the remnant of the larger plate with which I'll be able to machine the back side of the generator mount by bolting it to the cam cover surface of the cam side case. (How's that for a run on sentence?) When I finish it, I'm sure I'll take some photos and post them here.

Repairs

This is what I was writing about yesterday. I'm repairing a set of Sportster engine cases, mostly because I didn't think that I could afford to send them off to have them fixed (though I never got any quotes; understandably, everyone needs to see them first), and partly because I'm a glutton for punishment and don't have NEARLY enough projects already.

Anyway, the cases had a bunch of attempts at repair done by someone long before I ever got hold of them. I started by removing as much of the crappy welds as possible:





And then TIG welded this portion (generator mount). To do this, I used the engine's cam cover to hold the broken generator mount on the case while I welded it on the back side. Then I removed the cover, and welded the rest after the initial welds cooled:







Machining the welds provided an interesting set of problems. First, I bought a big piece of aluminum plate, and then drilled and counterbored holes in it that match the holes in the engine case halves. (This way I can set the engine cases on my mill's table and can clamp the plate rather than the cases.) Next, I set the plate/case up on my Bridgeport, and used a boring head to remove the welds on the ID of the generator mount:



While I had the case half on my mill, I also removed the idler gear bushing. It was worn out and stuck in it's bore, so I used the boring head to remove it as well. I was pretty chicken shit about it, so I only took .005"-.010" at a pass, and it took FOREVER. (I actually did that first, because by the time I got everything set up, I still had to dial it all in, and doing that on the bushing was way easier than on the lumpy, welded ID of the generator mount. Centering the spindle over the bushing took about a minute; centering the spindle over the generator mount took about 20 minutes total.)



FWIW, this isn't voodoo or black magic or anything. I just couldn't find much information on repairing engine cases (lot's of photos, but not much actual information), so I decided to give it a shot myself, and document it as I go.

Anyway, more as I progress.

Yeah, There's Some Stuff.

If anyone reading this at all is interested in motorcycles, specifically Harley-Davidsons, stay tuned. I'm too tired from working on this thing all damn day, so I'll try to remember to post some stuff when I get up, after I've had some coffee, but before I troll the eBay. A teaser:



God, I wish my garage was as neat as that photo implies.

Oh yeah, if anyone was ever at all interested in Siouxsie and the Banshees, have a look on youtube.com for a video of "Spellbound" live on Later with Jools Holland. She looks fucking amazing. Time has been a good friend to her...

I Don't Get It

What's all this about? Where are the cool folks?