the Hunley, or pidjones needed a project - '78 frame with '75 engine

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Spent a long weekend in Charleston, S.C. reuniting with old shipmates from the Von Steuben SSBN632 that I served on for ten patrols back in the 70's. Back piddlin' on the Hunley again (BTW, I revisited the H.L. Hunley museum while in North Charleston - everyone should if they get a chance). While waiting for a GL1100 fuel pump from eBay (the phenolic valves in mine are swollen and not trusted), I decided to pull the swing arm/rear drive apart. You may remember that I found an INTERNAL retaining ring on the U-joint EXTERNAL spines to the engine. At least the bozo that worked on this before was consistent.
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AND, I found that they had removed the grease seal from the coupling area, so all of the grease (a LOT!) that they pumped in the Zerk just filled up the swing arm. I was lucky to find a used seal on eBay - on its way!
 
The rear drive has so far ended up more of a nightmare. I finally got the grease and road grime off of it, bought a used rear grease seal (there was none in it, and it HAS the Zerk), made a pivot thrust bushing (it was missing one) out of brass (I didn't have any phenolic). Prepped the swing arm for primer. Thinking I'll paint the pumpkin the same color. That will be on hold due to the weather, however. I'll rough assemble and mask it today. I discovered much more slack in the U-joint than I'd like, but doesn't seem like there are any missing needles. I might just live with it for now and watch for a low priced one on eBay or at a breaker.
 
Thanks, all! I have a salvage yard about 36 miles South of me that I'll call tomorrow. Have a search started on eBay to alert me with a reasonable priced one. I don't plan on touring with this girl (still have my '06 with only 110k miles on her), but want her in decent shape. Not all that hard to pull off now that I've done it once, and it will probably be months before I'm ready to mount the swing arm, anyway. So, there is plenty of time.
 
Ended up getting a great deal on a propeller shaft on eBay (vendor took it out of a swing arm he had listed). Swing arm is reassembled with a healthy dollop of Honda Pro Moly 60 on the coupler splines. On to the wheels!
 
I wrapped the swingarm/rear drive assembly and stored it away for now. Rolled out the rear wheel and commenced to clean the grease build-up out of the drive side. STP Engine Cleaner doing a pretty good job. Dow Bathroom Cleaner to get the engine cleaner off. Switched to brake side and removed the disk (pretty badly scored - I'll mic it and consider a replacement). Started cleaning that side.

The plan on the wheels is to clean and prep for paint with the old, hard tires mounted. After priming them, I'll air them back up and use for initial assembly. If alll is looking good then, I'll take them back off and buy new tires to have mounted (thinking Duro HF918's), then touch up the primer and paint after the new tires are mounted.
 
Been knocking out little things lately. Seat mounting tabs cleaned, drilled, and painted. Masking stripped off the frame. Cleaned the wheels (took DAYS!) and masked them for painting. Front now has etching primer ans wheel paint on it. Rear is masked and ready for when the humidity falls again. I'm rattle-caning them with Duplicolor paint. The wheels will set for months before being handled again, so they shouldbe pretty cured. The final coats will be Bronze, but for now I'm leaving them black until new tires are mounted. About ready to mount the frame to the motor (sounds backwards, doesn't it?) in a few days. Sure is nice to be going through boxes and pulling things OUT!
 
This thing came with a pretty nice pair of chrome (78-79) mufflers that are in better shape than most that I see. I'm taking them over to Pistol Pete next week to see if he is interested in them, and if not I'll offer them here before I eBay them.
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This gets infuriating at times. The front motor mount bolt has been replaced with a 10mm instead of the original 12mm. I guess it was changed out to add the engine guards (that I'll probably re-mount). So, I've ordered some 10mmx12mm SS tubing to shim the bolts out to the holes in the engine and frame. Meanwhile, I've cleaned and primed the upper torque rods and prepared the side covers for primer (they will need primed, sanded, primed, sanded etc. to smooth some scratches out). Cleaning nuts, bolts, washers with wire wheel on the drill press as I go. Tried some Evapo-rust on a few, but not really satisfied with the results on these Honda plated bolts. Bought some new chrome bolts and washers to mount the rear upper motor mounts to the frame. Figure next week the frame will go on the engine. Them it is suppose to warm up and dry up and I can (fingers crossed) do some color painting. Meanwhile, snow and freezing forecast for tonight.
 
De-rusted battery box, shelter frame, front hanger and primed, painted, clear coated. Cleaned off tank and painted/clear coated. Re-rusted front fender and brace and primed. Painted inside of brace. Made up the neutral switch wire and soldered high-current gold-plated contacts on the alternator wires. Drained the oil and removed the filter. Tomorrow the wife is supposed to help me put the frame on the engine.

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[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=201968#p201968:2p21zdz5 said:
pidjones » Thu Apr 12, 2018 10:04 pm[/url]":2p21zdz5]
De-rusted battery box, shelter frame, front hanger and primed, painted, clear coated. Cleaned off tank and painted/clear coated. Re-rusted front fender and brace and primed. Painted inside of brace. Made up the neutral switch wire and soldered high-current gold-plated contacts on the alternator wires. Drained the oil and removed the filter. Tomorrow the wife is supposed to help me put the frame on the engine.

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Sweet! You have a great wife!
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=201968#p201968:17dcamdk said:
pidjones » Yesterday, 10:04 pm[/url]"]De-rusted battery box, shelter frame, front hanger and primed, painted, clear coated. Cleaned off tank and painted/clear coated. Re-rusted front fender and brace and primed. Painted inside of brace. Made up the neutral switch wire and soldered high-current gold-plated contacts on the alternator wires. Drained the oil and removed the filter. Tomorrow the wife is supposed to help me put the frame on the engine.

Then buy her a beer.
 
wedoo2":2pavle93 said:
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=201968#p201968:2pavle93 said:
pidjones » Yesterday, 10:04 pm[/url]":2pavle93]De-rusted battery box, shelter frame, front hanger and primed, painted, clear coated. Cleaned off tank and painted/clear coated. Re-rusted front fender and brace and primed. Painted inside of brace. Made up the neutral switch wire and soldered high-current gold-plated contacts on the alternator wires. Drained the oil and removed the filter. Tomorrow the wife is supposed to help me put the frame on the engine.

Then buy her a beer.
Better! Taking her to lunch @ The Chow Hall. On the GL1800.
 
I think that all of the parts needing painting other than those that will get dark green (side panels, shelter sides, fenders) have finally been de-rusted, cleaned, primed (etching primer) and painted (most clear coated also). The front fender has been sanded and primed. The side covers have been sanded, primed, sanded, sanding primed, sanded, primed and ready for color. Only the rear fender and shelter sides need preped for color. The saddle is at the upholsterer getting the vinyl sewn. I cut the rear fender down today and just need to pound some bumps in it for mounting before sanding down the chrome and then priming it.

But the big news for today is..... The frame is now back on the engine!!!!! Quite a milestone for me. The wife helped jockey the frame with me and I took her out to lunch to thank her (we rode the GL1800 and rode over Norris Dam on the way home).
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Mounted the radiator and pressure tested - not good. After trial-and-error, decided leak was on the radiator itself. Pulled it back off and took the cardboard that I had taped over the coils off. Pressed up and it was obviously from a small hole on the edge of a tube. Luckily, it was at just the right spot to be able to easily solder. Back on and holding pressure well. Next, I have to dimple the rear finder on each side for mounting bolts, sand off the chrome, and prime it. I found that the upper and lower radiator guard mounts need painted, as well as the radiator guard screen. Will these parts never end? Anyway, that is all prepped for paint. Now to beat on the fender!
 

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Gas tank in, radiator back out to touch up the paint on the sides. Pounded some nifty dimples in the rear fender (cut off ~7") for mounting. Sanded chrome off the fender and added etching primer. Mounted the battery box. Right when it starts to feel like I'm getting somewhere, I open the wiring storage crate and feel like I've just started!
 

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