ok so stick with me on this one... so i started this build in 2008... then life happened and it got pushed to the back of the line... then the shop expanded and we have been building bikes, sleds, quads, you name it... well now it is finally the 350's time... it is insane how much has changed since the start of this project so alot of this will be a catch up, and then of course to re-do what i had done before. Now with Tim around and his unreal ability to work with metal and mad man welding skills the bike will finally have the life it started out for so many years ago...
first lets get updated from the past

I rode this bike in college... here is when i got home from school


tear down started


first tank i knee dented




then... about here is where we come in and need to start to redo... i changed the upper rails






then a buddy stretched the swing arm for me




FAST FORWARD TO THE START OF THIS WEEK

Tim and i pulled her from under the covers in the back and decided to build and sell the bike... so here we go



stripped down


made an adjustable bar to figure out ride height and trail so we could move the shock mounts on the swing arm


installed the knobby front tire on a 21 rim... i thought i got a XL250 rim however i got a KL250 rim so this will not work... the XL rim works perfect for the center hub of a 15mm axle, where as the KL has a 12mm... so ill have some spokes cut and i can lace the 21 hoop to the stock 350 hub... i think it will look much cleaner to have it all match front and rear hubs anyway... the back will get a vintage ribbed tire
for mock up a temp axle was made up to work


now we tried to figure out what tank... bear in mind we want to powder everything so the bondo on the knee dent tank would not really work so well and we would have to bust out the guns and shoot it if we went this way...






while that was noodled on... shaved the ears




then we decided on a tank... Tim sectioned the frame... this will all later be welded in and re enforced... rather than re tunneling the tank we are going to mod the back bone

 

also the stock mounts kind of sucked so those where redone




and with that we have a profile






and here she sat last night as we stared at it trying to plan our next step

 

Nice project so far.

 

spent some time doing the small things today like cleaning up the frame... next we will jig it and redo the back section of the frame



tank mount is no more




center stand supports

 

well the awesome fun of building a vintage bike strikes again... just when i get a new swing arm on the way... found the 2nd issue... the trees are done on this bike... done... the back up set that i have is different, but the fork tubes are destroyed on the back up set... soooooo looking for a new set of trees now... after the upper tree is all shaved and looking clean now we may not be able to use the upper either...

smooth shaved upper




few shots of the lower tree




but now on to some cool stuff!
time to fill in the area for the frame that was cut out to allow for the new tank to work







then Timmy welded up the seam and smoooooothed out the back bone






next to address the tank sitting so high on the back bone the seam that these fames have needed to be removed... this was done in sections filling in the area with weld till it was completed and smooth






then some small things... found the seat pan kit i had stashed away... ditching the bee hive springs and going to 3.5 Torsion Springs instead


trying to keep the vintage look i did find a HUGE old school speedo that we'll tear down and restore




then last i am going to convert this old brass bell into a tail light for the bike

 

Looks like fun

 

well yesterday i had some "dad" stuff to do with the wife... Tim was in the shop and got some more done on the frame... it is coming along nicely so far!!!

no need to keep the crash bar mount




then since we are going to be running the smaller tank alot more of the frame will show... and the metal work is UGLY... so to clean it up, alot of the areas where filled

Before:


Durring:




after:




then the seams needed to be addressed as we can not have big gaps in the frame, that will look horrible under the powder

before:


after:




then the rear swingarm/exhaust hanger was up next... now this is not completed yet... but is all tacked in... we are still not 100% how the exhaust is going to be made and if we will need a support back there or not... so it is a work in progress still but here is where that sits








what was cut off


here she sits

 

smoothed out the frame and began to finish buttoning up the area that is left on the frame







then started to smooooooth out the frame







pic of how the tank fits (yes the petcocks are being moved)





then we moved on to head light



mount welded in







and an old set of vintage risers i found in my dads basement... these will really clean up the top of the trees!