Collision repairs

[glenfiddich]

Looks great Pete!
Have you ordered the decals yet? Anything new?
OM

Same decals but with Tulliver added to the memorial. Our graphic designer retired but was kind enough to gift us her files

 

[glenfiddich]

Big step forward today!



Pannier in place to make sure the tub had sufficient clearance to remove it, entire rig lifted onto jack stands so I’d have room to drill the mounting holes, rubber bumpers taped into place. Ready to see how the tub fits



After about two hours of trying various mounting locations the tub was weighted so it wouldn’t shift and four 3/8” holes were drilled from underneath through the fiberglass. As each hole came through, a long bolt was slid into place so nothing would shift



This was one of those times when just looking at the rig coming together made my heart soar with thoughts of adventures yet to come! All long distance riders can relate



Overhead view showing the Rotopax fuel and water mounts on the rear bulkhead. Tomorrow new bolts will make the mount secure, then wiring for the brake, tail, and marker lights will be run.

 

[glenfiddich]

Wiring is not much fun. I’m getting pretty good at soldering in good lighting with proper ergonomics, but spending hours bent over trying to make decent connections with my head inside a cramped, poorly lit trunk quickly becomes an ordeal.


Brake and side marker lights installed, I began sorting through the chaos of wires in the trunk making connections



The front marker connections were made and the harness neatly tacked under the rim of the tub safe from accidental snagging by dog claws. I powered up the bike and the light failed to work. Crap! I was so anxious to finish the job I’d failed to check parts being reused. The marker was removed and I discovered the heads of the screws used to access the bulb were completely stripped out! Got them out with a combination of a screwdriver, small vice grips, and vulgarities. Then learned the bulb was an oddball not available locally. An online search disclosed that it was a size commonly used in Honda and Suzuki motorcycles. I’ll check dealers tomorrow when I visit the Big City.

I had always found it odd that the front marker doubled as a turn signal but the rear marker had no signal. So off came the rear marker for closer inspection with magnifying glasses. Turns out that just like the front marker, the rear had three wires. The third wire had been cut off flush with the socket! Ugh! So the socket was disassembled, a six inch pigtail soldered onto the stub, and the socket reassembled.

Both marker assemblies were showing their age so I didn’t reinstall them yet. While in Burlington tomorrow I’ll check a few stores to see if I can find a matching set of LED side marker turn signal lights. The thought of not having to deal with burnt out bulbs has a lot of appeal



Sometimes you need to just sit down and stare at the nearly finished rig. That always makes me feel better!

 

[akbeemer]

Wiring is not much fun. I’m getting pretty good at soldering in good lighting with proper ergonomics, but spending hours bent over trying to make decent connections with my head inside a cramped, poorly lit trunk quickly becomes an ordeal.
View attachment 97422

Brake and side marker lights installed, I began sorting through the chaos of wires in the trunk making connections

View attachment 97423

The front marker connections were made and the harness neatly tacked under the rim of the tub safe from accidental snagging by dog claws. I powered up the bike and the light failed to work. Crap! I was so anxious to finish the job I’d failed to check parts being reused. The marker was removed and I discovered the heads of the screws used to access the bulb were completely stripped out! Got them out with a combination of a screwdriver, small vice grips, and vulgarities. Then learned the bulb was an oddball not available locally. An online search disclosed that it was a size commonly used in Honda and Suzuki motorcycles. I’ll check dealers tomorrow when I visit the Big City.

I had always found it odd that the front marker doubled as a turn signal but the rear marker had no signal. So off came the rear marker for closer inspection with magnifying glasses. Turns out that just like the front marker, the rear had three wires. The third wire had been cut off flush with the socket! Ugh! So the socket was disassembled, a six inch pigtail soldered onto the stub, and the socket reassembled.

Both marker assemblies were showing their age so I didn’t reinstall them yet. While in Burlington tomorrow I’ll check a few stores to see if I can find a matching set of LED side marker turn signal lights. The thought of not having to deal with burnt out bulbs has a lot of appeal

View attachment 97424

Sometimes you need to just sit down and stare at the nearly finished rig. That always makes me feel better!

Even better when done with a glass of fine spirits in one's hand. You have good reason to feel proud.

 

[98lee]

Amazing!!!

 

[glenfiddich]

Interior coated in bedliner, clamshell installed, lift arm replaced, marker lights rebuilt and reinstalled. Still need to polish out windshield scratches and install it, then figure out the wiring nightmare.

When manufactured the wiring harness appears to have used up odds and ends. There are four wires coming from the bike. The blue wire changes to black, then brown, then black with a white stripe, then red. And that’s just one of four; it makes tracing circuits tough! I would like to put this behind me but for sanity need to strip them all out and rewire using consistent colors and gauges.

 

[Omega Man]

You mentioned soldering connections in an earlier post. I have learned that it’s not necessary and not recommended for a primary connection.

Should you solder wires on boat?
If you're still wondering if soldering is better, remember that American Boat & Yacht Council Standards exclude solder as the sole means of electrical connection for wire terminations. If you're the belt-and-suspenders sort, you can solder after crimping. However, when using high-quality materials, it's not necessary.Mar 22, 2013

A well crimped connector, preferably with the heat shrink glue in the ends, will work just fine and perhaps save you some time.
The theory is the soldered connection becomes solid and inflexible making it prone to fracture especially when the soldered connector is on anything prone to a pounding.
Looking good Pete,
Gary

 

[glenfiddich]

You mentioned soldering connections in an earlier post. I have learned that it’s not necessary and not recommended for a primary connection.

Should you solder wires on boat?
If you're still wondering if soldering is better, remember that American Boat & Yacht Council Standards exclude solder as the sole means of electrical connection for wire terminations. If you're the belt-and-suspenders sort, you can solder after crimping. However, when using high-quality materials, it's not necessary.Mar 22, 2013

A well crimped connector, preferably with the heat shrink glue in the ends, will work just fine and perhaps save you some time.
The theory is the soldered connection becomes solid and inflexible making it prone to fracture especially when the soldered connector is on anything prone to a pounding.
Looking good Pete,
Gary

I prefer Posi-Links as in order to change bulbs in my marker lights the assembly has to be removed from the tub. Removing the Posi-Link lets me pull the thin wire ends through a small hole in the fiberglass. If I could find an aesthetically pleasing LED marker/turn signal that would be a moot point as bulbs would not need replacement.

The sections I solder are those that don’t work with Posi-Locks, like where one wire branches into two. The single wire fits fine, but the pair are too big for that kind of connector. So I do a Western Union join then wrap the third wire around it and solder in place. But I’ll check their website to see if they’ve developed a new connector that fits the bill. Other types of connectors are impressively robust, but the ends don't slip through fiberglass without drilling large holes.

Still hoping to find an LED turn/marker light with a chrome bezel that doesn't look like something stolen off a cattle trailer

 

[mikegalbicka]

The sections I solder are those that don’t work with Posi-Locks, like where one wire branches into two. The single wire fits fine, but the pair are too big for that kind of connector. So I do a Western Union join then wrap the third wire around it and solder in place. But I’ll check their website to see if they’ve developed a new connector that fits the bill.

Perhaps https://www.posi-products.com/positwist.html

 

[EUGENE]

Perhaps https://www.posi-products.com/positwist.html

A yes here, for posi-products. Western union splice . I have not heard that in a LONG TIME. I do remember how to do that splice.
It is important to use the correct gauge wire.

 

[glenfiddich]

The sidecar rebuild is essentially done! I found some LED marker lights/turn signals that have a more modern look. I’ll give it some time to decide whether or not to install them; the ordeal of rebuilding and rewiring the original set it still fresh in my mind. Other than that, letting the paint cure so the decals can be applied is about all that’s left besides dialing in the toe-in and lean after a few test drives




The scratches and canine nose art came out of the windshield very easily. I used Presta Ultra Fine compound followed by their polish for a nearly new look. Nothing can take the stone chips out but I’m very pleased with the result



Installing the ragtop went smoothly, but it’s all faded and tired looking. I wonder if it can be re-dyed





These are the LEDs I’m thinking of using for marker lights



And there it is on its own three wheels almost ready for Glenlivet’s next adventure!

 

[mikegalbicka]

Great job. Let's hope this one lasts longer than the last one!

 

[glenfiddich]

Great job. Let's hope this one lasts longer than the last one!

Four years and 36,000 miles till the kamikaze hit us, and she came out worse than us!

 

[mikegalbicka]

Four years and 36,000 miles till the kamikaze hit us, and she came out worse than us!

This thread is a little over four months in the making. Did you track the man hours spent in this restoration?

 

[glenfiddich]

This thread is a little over four months in the making. Did you track the man hours spent in this restoration?

Just shy of 200 hours, but split between my repairs/mods and helping rebuild a 1961 Allis-Chalmers forklift.

The job kept me cheerfully busy over our long winter

 

[riderr1150gsadv]

Just shy of 200 hours, but split between my repairs/mods and helping rebuild a 1961 Allis-Chalmers forklift.

The job kept me cheerfully busy over our long winter

Imagine the cost if a shop had to do that and it wouldn’t be as good as your work… Looking very very nice indeed!

 

[kinterridge]

I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread on your rebuild, the quality and attention to detail, as Henry Gariepy wrote: "It's the details, the little things that are important. Never substitute expedience for excellence." You've epitomized that to me.

 

[k1200lt00]

Pete You sure did a great job redoing the sidecar. I ended up changing my marker lights to these. They from a BMW car. They are white as for the marker light and they turn amber for the signal. I like them because the white light stands out better than the amber.

 

[glenfiddich]

I couldn’t stand the wait and the thought of having to pull them off again to replace a bulb! New marker lights and turn signals installed. I like the look and they certainly enhance visibility from that side.

 

[Omega Man]

Maybe some eyebrows/lashes around that eye 👁?
OM