You know, I think that I used Copper Coat on the MLS-style head gaskets I installed on the old Subaru (might've been Cometic, can't recall), and it went another 100K leak free before I sold it. I will consider using that instead. Thanks.

Thanks for the kind words. I wish I had a 'before' pic of the timing cover. Some of those gouges in the fins were just incredible. I had to sand them down quite a ways and was worried it'd look funky with shorter fins, so was relieved at how it came out... but, man, my hands were tired from all that sanding!

 

Nice work, NM. Looking forward to seeing that bike together.

 

Thanks very much. Today will be lost to errands and cooking, and manana to some charity work. But I'm hoping to have the heads torn down and inspected this weekend.

As for seeing her up and running, I have joked about a cross-country tour sponsored by Loctite, but in all seriousness I would like to drive to northern CA, Oregon, work and funds permitting.

But daydreams aside, I do have a GoPro. So once I have the carb jetted properly I'll post some footage of a walk-around, exhaust note, and a ride out to El Cabezon, maybe an hour's drive out into Indian Country to the West. I need to figure out whether a chest mount would be better than a fixture bolted to, say, the triple tree (don't want a camera on my noggin'). There are a couple of threaded holes that (I think) originally mounted the headlight valance sheet metal on a '51 Pan, and which might work (1st pic). Alternatively, I could make up a little clamp that would grab the central slot (2nd pic), and which would give a view directly over the headlight...

 

I found a few pics:

Getting some holes in the rear fender fixed and showing the rear wheel:


Rear car tire mounted:


Motor rebuilt. S&S flywheels and cylinders. Now 93":


Tranny fully rebuild:


Sorensen Performance billet stage 4 heads:


The chamber of the heads:


Some reading this thought I was just a West Coast Dyna bro, lol.

Dave

 

Well, that's going to be a lot shinier than mine. Looking good!

What's the thinking on using a car tire on the rear end? How's the cornering vs. a motorcycle-specific tire?

Joel

 

I used a clamp I found on Amazon to mount a GoPro right to the bars. I have also mounted it to my crash bars, but that is a pretty strange perspective to watch for any length of time.

Man, those are some nice bits. Going to be a fun ride.

 

Ah, found it - thank you. Thirty bucks and removable with a thumb **** makes more sense than a(nother) half-day of fabrication! I'll get one.

 

Hey, I found a Youtube video of a road racer who used a double ball mount to affix the camera to the ring surrounding the gas filler on his pocket rocket. That gives a cool view through his bikini windshield, showing what's going on with the bars.

On my Hog, which uses an early '60s tank with standard speedo, the nut which holds down the chrome speedo surround (see pic) could be replaced with a stud or all thread to attach the lower ball mount, while holding down the surround. That would give a similar view through/over the drag bar, which might be a neat way to frame the field of view on a chopper. I'm gonna experiment a bit, to see if this would work as an alternative to the handlebar mount.

 

Just trying to get as much rubber on the road as possible. This chopper is not made for cornering. It will be just a bar hopper made for quick light to light runs.

Dave

 

Oh, got it. Sounds like a plan!

Joel