Generator issues and the joy of the three brush 32E

Ouch, its easy to forget.
Last year when on my way to the Fucker Chopper fest in Sweden I got a generator issue. The commutator on the armature had got a burned spot, was like two segments had suffered from overheating.
Solved the charging issue then by grinding carefully with some sandpaper.
Well, the other night there was no more charging, and when removing the generator I found the armature had become real worse on the same spot, ouch, was to much to be saved by re-cutting.
Had to install a spare armature I had received from Perry, the Canadian 32E generator expert.
I did also get a chance to use my generator testing gear (made this during the winter), cool to see it all working in the lathe prior to installing on the bike.

Bessie, some more bling.

Its getting closer to the riding season, better get Bessie`s make up done.

Got her oils changed, a dressed up 48 Pan is by no means as easy to work with as a J or a 45" (750), I admit to have become tempered at times.
Got the front bumper mounted, finally, think she looks good with that front bumper and dont regret.

Did also redo a V-Twin finned aluminum oil filter housing to become a sleeve for the original sheet metal canister, looks cool and dont leak any oil.

Now its only to tighten the primary chain and we are ready to hit the roads, maybe we meet?

Front bumper for Bessie

Last trip offshore I spent a while in the lathe to turn some stainless fasteners with some old Buco jewels added to them. Those fasteners were made to fit a not yet made front bumper for Bessie, a bumper that at this time still only was to be found in my imagination. The picture in my imagination was initiated  by all them great pictures in the Japanese book "The Originals" that I got a while ago from Taxi.

OK, time to start bending some tubing, whow was this a pain in the ass, all them bends and both sides had to be equal too, not to forget pipe centers had to have a fixed distance to match Bessies front mudguard, arghhh!

I didnt get this one done in my first try, neither second, nor third but I finally did.

More bling for Bessie

Sometimes I get amazed by my own projects. What I`m trying to say is I am stretching the limit in what stupid parts I spend time making.
Why so?
Just because, I guess.

I have since long had a bunch of them great looking old glass spots, used by Buco and other leather work suppliers back in the days. I once purchased them from my fellow Roadweasel member easy-Russ who for sure is worth a story in himself (I am going to save that for later).
Those old ones have a really nice and deep color, they dont look as them modern  "fake"  ones for sale on e-bay.
Anyway, I made four stainless steel fasteners for Bessie, hope she will enjoy them.

A little present for Bessie

OK I`m at work, sleeping during the day and trying to get some work done during night.
This night I got carried away from the normal routine, I started making a little present for my Pan girl Bessie.

Working on a piece of metal with files is like meditation to me, to see metal getting removed and a part taking shape.
No wonder I do collect all sorts of files at home.

It is mental hygiene, filing that is!

0.8 mm stainless steel sheet metal makes a nice little bling-bling for Bessie

Rear mudflap for Bessie

The last few days prior to our departure for the castle run was hectic, to say the least.
In the evening the day before I was to strap on my luggage on o`l Bessie I realized I hadn`t yet made a mudflap for her rear! This had been on my plan for a long time, but when there is no time, and yeah you know.
OK, no time to loose.
I had been looking for stainless leather trim letters, as those once sold by Harley, Buco and more (to personalize a kidney belt with your name and such) on e-bay for quite a while, no success so far.
So what to do to get stainless letters, uhhm?

The laptop was the first tool required and of course Word. Then I found the correct style letters, wrote BESSIE in the biggest size available, printed and scanned the print to increase the letters to the desired 1" height.
Used glue stick (or whatever at hand) to ensure the letters stuck to a stainless steel plate of ,5 mm thickness (and do not forget to add two tabs to each letter, they will come handy when its time to stick them to the flap).
Then I drilled holes as close to the letters and as many as I dared, opened the pouch where my Nicholson needle files are kept.
And then I started to file, a lot of filing and better be steady on your hand!
Just 4-5 hours later I had 6 letters, BESSIE.
Made the mudflap template, ran off to the local saddle maker to get him to roll out a piece of 1/4" thick leather of the best quality, cut according to template. Ran back home and found some old Buco dots and jewels (from Easy Russ they are), carefully cut holes for the lot, mounted and bent the tabs and voila I had put a lot of personality to the o`l Pan when finished at ten past 3 in the morning.

How long was Abraham in Paradise?

Not much blogging lately, need to make a brief update on what is going on in the AMcN world.

Bessie was pulled out of the workshop last Wednesday to get her first ride, sun shined and spirit was high. Rode down the road for a mile, Iieeeiikk-klunk!!!!!!
She stopped, no wonder, the old girl suffered from one bent original oversize inlet valve as my vendor who did lap the inlet valve guides did not measure the correct play!

Damned, F#¤%&/k and more. I pushed Bessie home by my own force, all the way. Did I get sweaty? You bet, anger give a lot of strength.

As the oversize inlet valves are obsolete (almost, one vendor makes them still, but I dont trust the quality) I called Charlie Karling in Sweden for help. He made me a new based on a shovelhead valve. Now I`m just begging the postal system will bring it too my door eventually!

In the mean time I have been playing with Peggy`s sportster, making a rear rack and a front mudguard, by the way I made a rear rack for Bessie too. They look great when made in seamless stainless tubing.

Got a pair of tail gunners, repop ones from e-bay. As they where not the ones made by Panhead Paul at Greenwoods antique motorcycle restoration who is the one that once made the die cast lamps as well as the bezels, lenses and bulb sockets offered on e-bay, his bezels didnt fit.
OK, action time as I now had to make tools to press a couple of bezels in stainless. They turned out looking great when all polished and fitted.
Its really cool to see how a piece of stainless can be restructured by adding some tons of pressure, be sure you add some animal grease to the tools before starting, you will find out why if not so:-)

Have there been any riding yet?

Hardly so, the winter seems to never let go this year. Used a couple of days lately moving a bunch of snow away to speed up the melting process around my home.
OK, I have had a couple of great rides on my "not so dirty nine", still loads of snow along the roads even if the roads are now clear.

Henderson, I`m still waiting for the revised magneto to arrive. Bobber, still not quite ready yet neither!

Those who claim one motorcycle is enough, I consider the theory might be correct!

Pics to illustrate those words will follow shortly.

Folks, happy spring to all, ride as if your bike (s) is stolen!

Panhead oh Panhead

 Peggy`s sportster

 Bessie got a luggage rack for this summer events

 Tailgunner bezels

 On the road again

She`s ALIVE, she`s ALIVE!

Bessie is done, born again, she is a runner not a heap of parts.
What a relief, started easily even if carb was just roughly set, oil pressure OK and charging 100%.
Ol Bessies engine hums and puffs soft and gently, not as a rattle, a coke box filled with nuts and bolts getting a roundabout in the centrifuge.

WHY is there still half a meter snow outside, I am ready for spring, summer or whatever as long as I can ride ol Bessie around and learn her to know.

For those who bothered to come by this blog and follow this build, thanks a lot for your patience, those who commented along the way, many many thanks.
For those other blog owners who inspired me with their creativity, thanks a lot!!

Hopefully we meet during summer.

Soooo close now!!

Another late (night) update from my Panhead project that have been pushed hard forward for a week or so now.

Finally I got every small part to be parkerized done, replaced the footboard rubber mats by a pair of aluminum De-Luxe mats that I got from Mr. e-bay.

Had to take a couple of deep breaths before I drilled holes in my original oil tank to mount one of them nifty little sight gauges, a very cool accessory from back in the days.

Had to fight some to get a proper fit on an oilfilter arrangement, according to the literature a 48 didnt have a mounting bracket on the oil filter, I rather want it stable than shaking.

When time was there to get clutch and front primary sprocket mounted, SURPRISE SURPRISE!
Whoever made the front sprocket did it on a blue Monday morning, no way would I dare to use that sprocket. Its cone did not fit the Jim`s shaft, not even close to.
I got another that did fit from W&W in south Germany, delivered on my door 25 hours after calling them, OK not for free, I was in a state of "be damned" and didnt worry to much on cost.

Getting the primary completed was great, I could step on the kicker pedal, not to start still but anyhow a great Win!

Now I just need to get my rear chain from Regina fitted. I do recommend the Regina Grand Prix, what a chain, just the looks off it tells quality. Rather have a chain three times more expensive than to have to replace the rear sprocket.

Oh I am sooo close to get the old girl off the bench now!!!

Chemical warfare

Got up early this morning and due to updating this blog I am going far to late back to the bin.
Started my day driving off to borrow a sand blasting cabinet, today loaded with glass powder (my cabinet is temporary down for maintenance).
Tommy is running a industrial paint shop and he is kind enough to give me access to his equipment when needed.

Got all the final parts from Bessie in need of a parkerizing coat blasted at Tommys place, had to sort them in two boxes depending on which side of the bike they belonged to to maintain control.

On my way home I had to pop by another great and helpful guy running a tig welding bussiness to "borrow" a stainless steel pipe. I needed to make a "long rod" modification to my Mark II parkerizing fryer.

Tig welded a plate to one end of the pipe and made it such that it could be preheated in the workshop stove before being placed in the fryer and filled with parkerizing gore. I kept it standing in the fryer filled with fluid at correct temp, this to maintain temp on the liquid inside the pipe, worked out well and brake and clutch rods got their colors.

Good night, tomorrow is another day in paradise!!