Chrome Headlight

The black headlight was not unattractive, it just didn't go with a chrome front end. I gave it to my brother-in-law for his blacked out springer...it should be perfect for that one.

The mounting hole had been drilled out by the previous owner (gee, thanks), so I needed to drill, tap and install a heli-coil just so that I could put the stock bracket back in for the Chrome headlight. No, I didn't have it... and yes, I had to re-wire the headlight back to the stock connector. The funny thing is that with that black headlight bracket installed by the previous owner, there was no way to mount the front shock back in due to the limited space at the top shock mount now being occupied by the aftermarket headlight mount.

I'll post a pic of the chrome headlight in my next post, with the story of the replacement of the hideous turn signals. Stay tuned.

'91 Springer Softail FXSTS

 
The shop is packed full, hardly any room to work... so just add another one to the mix, right? I picked up a '91 Springer Softail FXSTS which needed a little love. This model is the same as my old pal George had back when I first started riding (after I got married). It was my favorite with that chrome springer front end, and my son-in-law and his father each have one too. It was a good deal, so I couldn't pass it up.

It came with a ton of extra stock/aftermarket parts, just in case I didn't like the seat of LAF pipes. The most obvious first fix was the need of a new front shock for the Springer (it had been removed and was no longer any good), so I ordered a new one from HD. The previous owner started to "black-out" some chrome, so that also had to be corrected. Luckily there were a few Chrome parts in the boxes, including a chrome headlight... but how to install it would be a job.

New Tank Decals

Nancy bought me some new tank decals for Christmas, and I love the new look. I know that originally these would have had a factory emblem, but I am just not a fan of the look. I do like the later years, but since the factory mounts were cut off and at this time I am not feeling up to pulling the tanks and welding the mounts back on... I am going with a decal that I like. I think these are similar to the JD decals from the earlier 20's.

WLA Clutch Repair

I took the entire clutch apart, removed all the oil from everywhere, and then installed new seals, clutch disc, and new fingers. Everything seems to be adjusted enough to take it for a spin when it warms up outside, then I just need to put the primary cover back on when I am done.

WLA Clutch

The clutch was slipping a little again on the WLA the last time I took it for a ride, and it was still leaking from the transmission... a lot. I was pretty sure the culprit was the clutch push rod seal leaking into the primary case and covering the clutch with gear oil, and when I took it apart I found out I was right. I should buy a lottery ticket.

 I bought a new seal, the clutch hub socket and new clutch plates from Retrocycle. They were very nice, and gave me a tour of their shop when I wen to pick up the parts. Unfortunately I accidentally broke a hub finger, so they also had to get me one of those so that I can replace that and get my clutch back together. I need some warmer weather and motivation first.

A little PDR

Along with the scratches, there were a few minor dings and dents that needed attention on the Camaro. Since my pal Michael moved to Florida, I had to buy my self a PRD tool kit (paintless dent removal) and figure out how to do it. I had watched Michael work his magic on the Sky, and there is definitely a skill required to this, so I figured I better start learning.

I would say I got my dents about 90% out, as I mostly just wanted to to do the glue-pulls and not hammer out the dents. I am happy overall, and can always go back and try again.

Camaro scratches

Another little issue on the Camaro was the scratches and dings, but I new all about them when I first looked at the car. It was only 4 degrees out that day, so I quickly made a mental note, and then negotiated with the salesperson about the cost of the repairs while sitting in the heated seats.

The passenger mirror had some crazy scratches inside and outside, almost as if a bungee cord hook was on the mirror. The passenger splash guards also had some road-rash, so along with a little mark on the nose, they all got a quick touch-up.

Camaro Engine Cover

 The cover for the LS3 on my Camaro was a bit rough to say the least. It looks like every time they did an oil change, they just threw it on the pavement. I took a few minutes to sand it down and respray it, and now she looks as good as new.

Camaro Interior

 One of the nicest things about the inferno orange interior is the beautiful orange color accents. The door ambient lighting is one of my favorite parts of night driving.

 

2011 Camaro

As I mentioned previously, I traded in the Saturn Sky for a lightly used 2011 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS. I had been looking for quite some time for this particular one, and it needed to have the following options:

• Inferno Orange metallic with inferno orange interior.
• LS3 V8 engine with 6 speed manual transmission and factory Hurst shifter.
• SS and RS option package.

I never seemed to be able to find this, and it literally took 8 years until I discovered this one online at a Dodge dealership on a used trade-in. The car had only 29k miles, so to me it was like brand new. My Sky had over 170k miles, and she was starting to show her age.

The Camaro had a few upgrades already like a cold air intake and complete stainless headers/exhaust by Kooks. It really sounds great, and with about 475 hp it goes great too. I upgraded the DRLs with color matched LEDs and installed the harness to allow them to function all the time. I might add a spoiler on the front this spring too.

Sneak Peek - New Turn Signals

I have installed new sequential LED turn signals on the Buell, replacing to old "lollipop" turn signals that came stock with the bike. With the new LED headlight, it makes the bike look 20 years newer.. at least I think so.

Buell M2 Cyclone New Seat

I've documented a previous Buell M2 Cyclone rear seat conversion, but this time I took a different approach. I re-shaped a stock seat and created my own custom fiberglass rear seat cowl. I could not be happier with the results!

Harley WLA Rear Brake

A while back, I was getting a bad squealing sound from the rear drum brake of the 1942 Harley Davidson WLA, so here was the repair...

Photobucket...ughh

Ok, I should really get back to this blogging thing again. I have been wallowing in the aftermath of the Photobucket disaster that pretty much crapped out all of my photos on my blogs. I was able to download and save all my files from their site, but that took a while, and now I'll need to figure out where to go from here.

I have been busy with work and family, and working on my 2011 Camaro which I traded in the Saturn Sky for, and the '42 Harley, and the 2000 Buell M2 Cyclone (another custom orange one!). I've also been helping some friends out with their paint and body repairs, some of it is OK, some of it is really nice work if I do say so myself. I even was on Twitch for a while, and made a couple of videos. Looks like I have plenty to blog about, I just need to get to it.

Ammunition

Starting a 1942 Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson WLA

My Stingray at Mecum!

I got a message from my friend Johnny that our old 1964 Corvette Stingray was sold on December 2, 2016 at the Kansas City Mecum auction for $65,000! It now is running an LS3/525 HP engine and C5 Corvette wheels, but otherwise it looks almost the same as when I built it. I did notice a new set of headlights and grill which looks pretty good. I'm trying to get the video from Mecum so that I can see it going across the block...

Saturn Sky

What do you get when the weather starts to turn cold? A convertible of course! We saw this little gem, and I've always liked this body style, so now I'm driving a 2008 Saturn Sky to work every day.

I needed to fix a few things, and she does have some high mileage, but oh what fun it is to drive! So far, I have rewired the reverse light, fabricated a replacement panel for the broken cup holder, fixed the glove box and adjusted the front fender so it stops hitting the passenger door when you open it. The previous owner was a smoker, but a week of cleaning and air fresheners has really helped with the smell. I have ordered two new wheels, as one of them is bent (although I can't feel it) and another has some curb rash. They should arrive in a few days. My plan is to enjoy the little roadster, probably fix up the little dings and dents, and maybe paint it this spring. Who knows, if the power train ever gives up, you never know if a LS might find its way under the hood.

Buell and Prelude

It's been sooooo long since I last blogged, I could not even remember my password to log into my site. Let's see, where do we start. Last June, I wanted to see if I could still ride, so I picked up another Buell. She was a 1996 Buell S1 Lightning with the 1203 cc Harley engine, clip-ons and custom rear sets. I had some summer fun, but I simply could not get past the wreck of 2012. I had few more close calls with a some of NJ's worst drivers again, and then called it quits.

As time would have it, Zach was also ready to let his 1991 S-10 Blazer go, and to move on to something newer and more reliable. We decided to sell both the Buell and Blazer, and pool the funds together to get him a Honda. The guy who bought the Buell (Rich from Miami) was also selling his late mother's 1998 Honda Prelude, so we were able to make a sweet deal. Zach's new ride has a whopping 58k miles, and the interior is like brand new! I'll have to post some pics of it when we get a chance.