Thanks Mud, sounds like just what I am looking for.

Joe - Thanks for the input. I'll probably just polish and go with that. That's kinda the point. I don't want it too shiny. I like the look of the polished aluminum because of that. I've seen some old airplanes where the aluminum was polished to an almost mirror like finish, and some that have that nice weathered look. That's what I like about it. It's a nice classic look and you can either polish or not polish to get the desired effect.

 

Great job stripping and polishing up the aluminum pieces Mud! There's Youtube videos that explain the process extremely well for getting stuff to shine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp-aL7ega5o

Here's a few pieces from the Sportster project, badly oxidized and scratched from the previous owner trying to polish them:
Before:








After:

 

what a transformation,looks great,btw,what was the P.O using to polish with,a screwdriver ?

 

Watching the two part video gives a good idea how much work this is.

And that's using professional equipment.

I did inner and outer primary, cam cover, clutch cover,
transmission top cover, rocker covers, lifter covers, etc.

Adds up to a buncha work.

Start on a small piece and make sure you are up to it.

mud

.

 

.
Building a tank lift is a simple procedure.

Below, that is a one and three quarter inch block of wood
supporting the tank while I proceed.

With this type of lift, (tBone style), your can't go much lower,
maybe down to one and a half.
.

.
Below, I started the fabrication with a length of one inch by eighth flat stock.
I will trim it down to three quarters wide.

Also shown here is a three inch long piece of
drawn over mandrel tubing, half inch OD, 5/16 ID.

The flat stock has been hammered into shape in the vise,
2 and seven eighth inch inside (roughly).
.

.
Here below, I've fit, welded, and painted, and it is ready to install.
.

.
I bend the tank bungs down slightly so the crossover line doesn't rub on the frame.
I use a long handle 5/16 box end wrench.
If you do this, do it very carefully.
Sometimes the paint will crack here, sometimes it doesn't.
.

.
Below illustrates the clearance, and the unblemished paint.
.

.
Last picture shows the finished product
on a brisk South Texas 65F December afternoon.
Long sleeves for the test ride.
.

.

 

just yesterday I was thinking I was gona have to do a search on a tank lift for the Sprint-Bob project thanks to Joe for suggesting it over in the custom forum. no need to search now, good ''how to'' Mud.

 

I went to polished a while back because I like that look better than perfect chrome. I haven't washed my bike much the last few months (much less polished it), but the polished parts have held up well. I actually wanted them to dull a bit from where they started, buy they are just about as bright as ever. I didn't polish the stock parts like mud did but bought some take-offs from an older SG. A couple were in pretty rough shape (not as bad as the Sportster parts above), but a buffing wheel on a drill and some elbow grease will get the parts as nice as you want.

 

Be interested in seeing what you did. Link is dead.... I HATE OIL Drips from the AC.

To compensate for the times when I get oil drips from the air cleaner, for what ever reason, I built a "catch tank" into my stock air cleaner housing with a drain **** on it. The breather lines from the heads go to catch tank first, then to K and N AC. ALL oil mist is seperated in tank via a small stainless steel screen between the inlet and outlet tubes and nothing comes out of the air cleaner onto motor / leg. You wouldn't believe the nasty oil and water gunk that drains from the tank. Cost me nothing, using stuff laying around the garage, just nerveous about trashing the stock parts if I failed miserably. Will try to get some pics when I set bike up for winter.

 

if youre doing your tank lift you may want to check out fitting a quick release valve,great if your removing tank for maintenance ect valve shuts of when unclipped,fairly cheap & if you by a spare fit one end to another section of pipe & you can drain down your tank real easy making for a easy lift off them tanks are heavy when full. ride safe lee

 

I like it!!! Where do buy these valves?

Dave