Excalibur ‘09

[curtisfox]

Being honest is being kind.
I am with you Mr.B's build is my all time faverate. Let us watch and learn as you go. LOVE the home brew bike just like your Harry awesome..........Curt

 

[Mr.B.]

Thanks again,

Actually I have been posting about it- “Robert Thumper” over in the DIY section. http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=37029

After today I’ll soon have some new updates to post- Working on a in frame tank among other things...

-Kirk

 

[harry76]

Yeah i forgot about Robert Thumper for a minute, i thought maybe you were tackling another build. Now you will have a beautiful vintage bike in the Excelsior, and you will have a fast ride with the Robert Thumper should you need to go a little faster. You will have it all.

 

[harry76]

Being honest is being kind.
I am with you Mr.B's build is my all time faverate. Let us watch and learn as you go. LOVE the home brew bike just like your Harry awesome..........Curt

Curtis i agree with you agreeing with me LOL

Thanks for the comments regarding my bike, but my bike isnt even in the same ball park as this bike as far as detail and producing an authentic looking bike. This bike could easily be mistaken for a bike that had been pulled from a barn and dusted off.

This is also my all time favourite bike and i cant speak highly enough of it. I just wish i had it sitting in my manroom.

 

[curtisfox]

I forgot also Golden years comes brain dead and all the good things. ..........Curt

 

[Mr.B.]

I have been working my bikes again lately and now have the Excalibur’s broken frame repaired, repainted & properly distressed.

I decided to install a compression release and found this nifty old petcock in a box of old gaslight parts.

I will attempt to make it work although the threaded end is buggered up a bit... If not I have a modern pop up chainsaw CR valve as a back up.

I have some other some changes and improvements planned and will post more pics about that soon.

I’m in a hurry to get them done now as there is the nearby Vintage Torque Fest show this weekend (starts tomorrow, yikes).

http://www.dubuque365.com/ArticleDetailsPage/tabid/65/ArticleID/418/Vintage-Torque-Fest-2012.aspx

************************************************************
??????? Question for the more mechanical types than I ???????????????

Since I have the head off and a brand new set of gaskets should I take the time to lap the valves????

Considerations:

A- The engine was running good before the frame issue.
B- It hasn’t been done since I’ve had the engine.
C- I don’t much time to do it before the show.
D- I’ve never done this before. (btw: Tips and suggestions are greatly welcomed!)
E- I don’t have spring compressor tool, or compound- More down time to hunt them up.
F- I haven’t put the gas tank back on yet (complicated to do) so there’s currently lots ‘O room to work on the top end.

So, just how important is this to a old engine that is otherwise running good?

What say you Motorheads?

Thanks!

-Kirk

 

[curtisfox]

My opinion is if the old gasket is good putit back together for the show and then do the work after. You need to take the springs off to lap because you need to clearance the stems after unless they have ajustable lifters. Older engines were 8 thow on the intake and 10 thow. on exaust. A little suction cup ( off a dart with a 1/2" dowel for a handle ) and grinding compound,spin the velves until even all the way around.
Welcome back to the bike and good luck on the show..........Curt

 

[Mr.B.]

Thanks for the advise!

I talked to a friend who will loan me a valve lifter, but he works until 6:30 today-

Looks like I will just do this some other time...

I found it is covered in my old Wisconsin engine manual with pictures & gap specs.

-Kirk

 

[rustycase]

Precisely as CurtisFox has said !

If it runs well, let it be.
Never do engine work right before a show!

...it's NOT a race...
Well, you didn't mention that there was to be a race...

.........
Afterwards, the old flattie valve spring compressors are cheap enough, a small can of 2 grit clover compound and a swizzle stick are all that's needed.
Well, perhaps a bit of carborundum paper to take a bit off the end of the valve to re-adjust the valve lash with a feeler gage...

If taken apart now, you might discover a valve or seat has become furrowed, or valve guide has become worn excessively.
Difficult to get parts or have machine work done on short notice...

Enjoy the show, then consider doing improvements.
rc

 

[Mr.B.]

I worked as a guide at a historic house tour this Sunday for a annual festival...

For the ride to my assigned house I wore some antique swag...

A couple of highlights:

Some fellow on a big new Harley offered to trade straight up for my “Excelsior” Ha, he lost interest when I explained it was homemade from a bicycle- And named Excalibur.

I got waves & smiles from both some poor young woman on her way to jail and the state policeman driving her in a cop car labeled prisoner transfer...

Fun day!

-Kirk

 

[silverbear]

How cool is that, eh!
SB

 

[Lurker]

Thats great Mr.B. My favorite part about owning/building these bikes is when someone actually thinks its the real deal. In my book that is the greatest complement a builder can receive.

I'm glad you were able to get it back on the road after the frame broke. You can't even tell anything happened to it. You did fantastic repair job.

 

[Mr.B.]

I did take a few pics during the repairs and really need to update my blog, but fortunately I’ve been very busy with paying work & weekend activities lately.

I installed that old brass valve just before the Torque Fest show- Even though it allows a massive amount of relief (insert loud WHOOSH sound here) it’s still just too hard pedal start on the stand, and the knob gets way too hot to touch in about 5 seconds... Photo’s soon!

I may add some linkage to help with the heat problem and also add some additional fiddle factor.

BTW, Torque Fest was a blast! Bicycle Bill and I were able to ride our bikes around the grounds, meet a lot of friendly & interesting people!

It was my first real exposure to the Rat Rod movement, I really like the creativity, the vehicles, people & music-

I am truly smitten.

There was so much to see and it was happening so fast that I quit taking photos pretty early on.

Here’s the few I did take including a couple of good shots of Bicycle Bill’s nifty little 2 speed Briggs build...

http://imgur.com/a/hOWb8#0

-Kirk

 

[curtisfox]

Realy AWESOME stuff THANKS Bicycle Bill have a post on his build would like to see some more detail on it? YOUR BIKE IS LOOKING AWESOME...........Curt

 

[Mr.B.]

I was planning on checking out the National Motorcycle Museum’s vintage rally & swap meet tomorrow in Anamosa Iowa.

http://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/event-calendar/2012-vintage-rally/

Their connection to J & P cycles lead to to a little searching and I found a J & P You Tube channel with a video from the recent Torque Fest.

Ha! There’s one second of Excalibur running starting at 0:04...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtYhrdoTjMM&list=UUc0KPctILg6USaDJS6tcJgg&index=2&feature=plcp

I’m taking my camera.

-Kirk

btw: Curt, Bicycle Bill isn't a member of any of the forums... And yes I have ask him.

 

[charliechaindrive.]

That's awesome! And I know it's been said about a baker's dozen of times on each page, but great work! I've got the same wisconsin sitting out in an old ford escort in the bone yard, that might need a home soon!

 

[Cycoracer8]

Yup, great job. I can see why one would think it was the real deal.

 

[Mr.B.]

The show was a real bust, I didn't take any photos-

I should of went Saturday- Oh well, Next year!

-Kirk

 

[harry76]

BUMP!!!! Man i love this bike. So many little unique pieces that make me coming back again and again. Best bike on this site handsdown.

One of my favourite little custom touch is the gorgeous headbadge you made.

I found a big piece of lead at work, enough to build 100 headbadges, that got me thinking about trying to make one. I doubt i could do one up to your standards, but id like to try.

Im just wondering if you could go into a little more detail of how you did it? How did you melt the lead? Ive seen many techniques on youtube.

Also how did you make the plaster original? Is it carved from one solid piece or did you make layers i.e make the "E" seperate to the underlay? Do you make the original and then bake, or bake then remove material?

And finally is the silicone the sort in a tube or something more specialised? And is it hard to make the silicone mould without bubbles, or does it all settle down easily?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[curtisfox]

ME TOO LOVE THIS BIKE Harry this poped up today and I had to go back and read the hole thing all over again and refresh my mind again................Curt

AWESOME Mr.B