Refresher fer the Wonder Shovel

OK so the Wonder Shovel has gone into the dungeon for a refresher. I am gonna make everything as perfect as possible. New paint fer the tins as I ruined the lacework on the right side tank. I am gonna check the motor out and replace any gaskets that are suspect. Rebuild and tune my CV. Finish my rear struts and sissybar. foot controls and other bits and bobs.  I have to go into werk early today so not much was done. Tomorrow will be building a stand fer the ass end so I can work on it. I am off three days in a row so I should get something accomplished. Later Weirdos!!

Stuck in a rut....or Haunted by the ghost of my father...

    I am not really sure how many people read this lil blog but sometimes it is therapeutic for me to write things out. My father passed away on June 12th of this year and his birthday is coming up August 15th. My plan is to have the Wonder Shovel back on the road by then and take it for a good long ride, as Bonz and I never really got to ride together. Now that his energy is all around, we ride together always but that is a different story.
    My original idea was to chronicle my work on the bike this month but work and booze have gotten in the way so far. I am gonna get the fender/sissy-bar straightened out today and will post pics as soon as my OL gets home, she has the digi cam. So this post is for me to get some things off my chest and out of my head.
     I am an only child and Bonz pretty much raised me alone. My mother and I have a solid relationship now but again another story for another time. To my father I was always 4 years old, always his lil knucklehead. In some ways that has hindered me. I think Rachael put it best when she said "you know when you're teaching a child to ride a bicycle and you finally let go of the bike and let them go on their own? I don't think Bonz ever really let go" So on the flip side of that coin, I am having a hard time letting go of him now.
     I have let family relationships hang in limbo because of my fear of confrontation and being emotionally drained. I haven't filed a death certificate or probated his will because I know then it is final. My father is dead and I don't really know how to fully be a man on my own. Thankfully I have a rad-ass OL that has been my rock throughout all of this but I know she has her doubts. She is concerned about me and sometimes feels left out because I internalize alot of things. That is something I need to work on. I am going to grief counseling starting this week.
     I think about Bonz everyday. I have almost called him a few times. I have wanted to hug him and wanted to ring his scrawny neck. If you ever met him, you know what I mean. I will always be my father's son, now I just have to figure out how to carry on without him.

 I didn't get to make this year's Round-up but I found this at Lovelady the other day for $1.48!! Score!

 Top mount tapped for 3/8"-16. I have inch and a half bolts right now but will change em to one inch soon.

 Old Honda seat that was cut and shaped long ago. Fits it perfect for me.

 OK I don't have a lathe or a mill or a Smithy so I have to figure out how to make shit work. Adapt and Overcome! Semper Fi!

 So here is what I came up with in a pinch to drill out the ID of these reducers I had that fit real good as spacers. Until I can get some real ones.
7/8" Impact socket, worn-out clamp, and my Home-made work area/spot/POS.

 It actually work fine. It only needed a smidge taken off.

 Tanks back on, new fuel hoses in a few spots, got her up on the sidewalk and the battery died. FUCK!!

 Ol girl is charging right now, so time to check all bolts. As I found the kicker was loose after trying to fire her off the 2nd time.

I am gonna drink about a gallon of water as I do inspection and if the rain holds off I will take her for a spin.


                                             Fried Chicken and Gasoline!!!!!!

Here is what I am doing to the 67 FLH Shovelhead I inherited from Bonz. Just cosmetic changes( no blinkers, shortened 2 piece bars, mids instead of floorboards, tank swap, blah,blah,blah) More updates later today.
 Here are the pics from yesterday.


Here are the bars pretty much finished. cut about one and a quarter inches off the grip ends and about 3 inches off the clamp ends. Both the outside clamp pieces were broken. Bonz did the clutch side a while back, I did the brake yesterday from a wire wrap piece off a Honda.

 Whipped up some pegs from the old floorboard mount, left-over twisted square stock, and old Honda pegs.

 

This is a tip I made from an old after-market muffler. Just cut out the baffle at the seams. Then clean and weld, grind and file. I like the lil missile tip!

 

Fried Chicken and Gasoline!!

Finally!!

Today should be the last of the cleaning/organizing. I had shit strewn e'ery which way. Tools, nuts and bolts, random electrical parts.
This is an old Gillette display case that was here when we moved in. Now it holds nuts,bolts,washers,hose clamps,etc.
This was the toolbox my Dad took with us when we went to rod runs growing up. I got it when I got my first car and will be with me until I have a lil gearhead to give it to.
Bonz is my Dad's nickname. Has been since 18 or 19 year old. He really likes to sign shite,write on stuff.
Just down to organizing sockets. but I am a hungry bear and Ramen is calling.
The only window. at least Ginger is the view.
View from the back,both sides.
Grandma's Room.
Door.
the xt350 enduro project and what will be the OL's trike.
OK about to go back and finish up.
Later I am gonna lay-out the battery box fer Gozer.

Numero zwie!

I cut the wood yesterday. Old scrap boards left by the PO of the house.
Taking the beer cans to the scrap yard netted $8!
I used that to buy the brackets and screws so I am technically still at $0 for this.
One side finished.
the other was a lil different as I forgot about the pipe in the way. A lil trim job and she fits.
It looks waaayy crooked in this pic but it really isn't that bad.

All that pipe up in them guts! I know I am a returd.

Progress!
If anyone needs a tire, lemme know what size and I'll check to see if I have it.
Need to move Kaiser's scoot back a bit.
Well gotta go bust suds fer a while. More tomorrow!
Bonz's 32 and my scoot

Cleaning/Rearranging Part uno

I have become complacent and lazy with my shop set-up, so time to change it up. Trying to do everything at little to no cost.
First off is making a space to work on (i.e.,drill,grind,etc)without a vise.
Recycled weight machine pieces+table that was holding all the scrap metal+1 piece of said scrap+a couple of 7018s=this thing.
It's not the best ever but it was built not bought.
Added another table frame lying around to hold this big ass cabinet Bonz gave me.

Some shit I made with scrap from an old job.

Today is shelves for exhaust, round stock and whatever else.

Stay tuned for the next installment.......