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I noticed the two bottom mount tabs weren't even, so I test fitted the oil tank to see which was right, and it is a tight fit between the frame and transmission. I think I'll suffer with installing the starter after the transmission, unless someone says that won't work.
Sanded it all with 320 paper, put rubber stoppers in the big holes, and gave it one light and two medium coats of primer before the rains came. Brought it inside to cure (wife's out of town, lol).
I'll let it cure a week before wet sanding and spraying black.
**does anyone make a good reproduction oil hose?**
I should have installed this before the transmission, but it still wasn't too bad getting the paint off for the ground wire.
While waiting, I stripped down the gas tank and two fenders. I got new decals from Rick's Decals, and they look very original. Because this bike has been repainted, I'm not sure the decals are in the right place, but I measured them anyway. They are a little off from each other, so I'll adjust to what seems right.
Neither one is level on the bike, so I'll adjust so they are, or maybe tilt slightly up to the front?
Anyone have an original paint 82 FXR that can check if they are level or not?
The two decals also aren't the same distance from the front. One is 6-5/8" and the other is 7-1/2" which I think looks better. Can someone check that too?
I also disassembled and cleaned the fenders. The wiring in the rear is a mess, so I'll have to re-do that. There is a mixture of clear wound sleeve and black pvc which I think is correct. Anyone know?
I'm going to prep and paint the tins while it's warm, and hopefully before it gets too humid.
You never know what you'll find under new paint. Any ideas on what it represents? Moon and Star on either side of some symbol.
Another victim of the crappy FXR side stand, my other one had a similar dent. A buddy of mine builds steel street rods, so is very good at working heavy gage sheet metal. He's going to pull the dent out with pins he welds to the tank and then heat and cool to get it nearly perfect.
One more question - is this vent blocked off by the factory or whoever painted the tank?
Worked on the dent with my buddy tonight and we're 90% there.
This gun welds steel pins to the dent. They have a small head like a finish nail.
Then he uses a slide hammer to pull on it. Here he's working on the little crease in the middle of the dent.
Here are the first batch of pins, he used them to get the dent 80% out in about 15 minutes!
After another hour or so, he got it 90% there. The pins were getting in the way of feeling the surface to find the low spots, so I'm going to grind them down. I also have to fill the hole where a pin pulled off.
I think it looks pretty good for a couple hours work, and when he's got some more time we'll get it to where it needs only a slight skim of bondo, if any.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
