Hi from the UK - INDIAN Board Tracker tribute, my first build

[fasteddy]

Sue had retired when she and Silverbear met and volunteered at an animal shelter. She had adopted 8 cats some with various health problems like Stan the Leaker who had been stepped on by a cow as a young cat and lost part of his tail and bladder control.

She also has 2 dogs that had been rescued from a hoarder and so called breeder that were never socialized when they were young. One is a Cairn Terrier and the other is a Yorkshire Terrier.

They purchased the property where we used to do the summer bike building camp from Silverbear's sister in law and brother. Just 17 miles from home so they can travel back and forth as they like.

They've added a large screened in porch where the animals can communicate with nature safely.

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

My next to last dog was Gremlin a Yorkie. He was Mum's dog. Mum made a bad intersection connection. First thing my sister said was, "you get the dog". Gremmie was up in age, but his spunk never failed him.
Silver Bear and Sue are commendable for giving care to animals in need.

 

[PeteMcP]

Magnificent trio of mogg... - I mean Persians - Mags. When I need cat grooming tips, you're obviously the go-to man!
I'm already learning how to groom Mischa's fury 'knickerbockers' on her hind legs (another Ragdoll trait) after discovering a small hidden 'nugget' her previous owners had been less than scrupulous about cleaning up.
_______

Tom, never kept domesticated ducks, but for several years running at our previous house in Netherton, we did our best to adopt a cute family of Mallards who inhabited the stream that ran through our garden. There was never any sign of the drake - who must have skeedaddled soon as he'd played his part - but the Mallard mum and what we always presumed was her sister, turned up on schedule twice each year with her brood of between 10-12 ducklings. Mum duck and her sis were always a little stand-offish, but soon as we threw down some feed, the ducklings would swin over to us and flock round. Jen and I continued to feed and photograph them over the course of a couple of weeks but it was always heart-breaking to watch the brood dwindle on an almost daily basis due to predation. Our location and the Netherton burn made for an idyllic setting, but fierce predators such as herons, polecats and owls regularly took their toll on the brood and some years poor mum duck ended up with nothing to show for her endeavours. Most years one or two duckings survived to fledge - which Jen and I regarded as a success. Probably the norm.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Great photo Pete!
Likely Mum's assistant was a daughter from an earlier clutch.

 

[PeteMcP]

Girder forks dismantled and currently undergoing re-bushing and repainting. There was a little too much slop in the lower fork pins for my liking, so lengths of 13/32" brass tube have been used to pack the holes in the fork's cast crossmembers. The steel pins are now a snug fit through the brass tubes, eliminating any tendency for the forks to 'wobble'.
Fork legs repainted in satin black and, following the advice from fellow forumites, suitably pin-striped in silver. I'll give the black a few more days to fully cure, then give the fork legs a few coats of clear gloss lacquer.

 

[PeteMcP]

Girder forks now painted, pin-striped, clear lacquered and reassembled. Exceptionally happy with how they look.
Been held up waiting five weeks for an alloy rear brake pedal to arrive from an eBay seller in China. Gave up in the end and they refunded me, after which I bought a chromed steel pedal from a UK seller. First Oriental purchase I've had any delivery issue with.
Turned my attention to painting the tank. Came up with a few options and finally decided on this green and bare alloy scheme, using the same green paint I sprayed the engine cases.
Sourced the vintage ACE decals from a reasonably local guy. Opted for these after I used so many Skyteam ACE donor components on this latest build, including the 125cc engine.
Just need to let the green harden for few more days then I'll add some gentle 'patina' shading round the rivets and tank bands before sealing everything under a few coats of clear.

 

[indian22]

Splendid work Pete and has me wanting to work on my torpedo tank which I've all the required metal components completed and laying about for a couple of years or more. I really like the paint and rivets contrasted with beautiful bare metal.

Rick C.

 

[fasteddy]

Fantastic!

Steve.

 

[curtisfox]

AWESOME!..........Curt

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

Beautiful!!

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Ain't nobody but you can turn a simple motorbike into such a tasteful work of art Pete.
Chopper builders might take lessons from you.
Balanced composition is a unique quality which you have exemplified again.
So how does your gas cap vent Pete?

Tom

 

[PeteMcP]

Thanks Tom. I see plenty other works of art on this and other forums.
This is the same cnc'd aluminium filler neck and cap I used previously on my Gnome et Rhone bike's scratch-built alloy tank. To vent the gas cap on that build I drilled a 1mm dia. hole in the centre of the cap and installed a circular sponge gasket under the cap to prevent fuel splash. I'll do the same on this build's filler cap.

 

[PeteMcP]

Oops! Missing girder forks photo from yesterday's post.

 

[curtisfox]

AWESOME! Going to be such a nice build can almost see it all now, with the past pictures, can't wait.............Curt

 

[Nightster]

Wow, tank is awesome!!!

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

In a Dickensian, Twistian manner. “Please, sir, I want some more,... pictures.”
Tom

 

[PeteMcP]

Rear brake pull rod arrived in today's mail, so now the bike has a working footbrake. Just need to fit some kind of bracket to the frame's bottom bracket to which I can attach the brake pedal's return spring.
Also going with a side-mount license plate with my preferred type of Vincent-style stop/tail lamp, albeit with the lamp's shell repainted brass colour. Reflector - which is a legal requirement for the MSVA test - now fitted to saddle's underframe.
Dadcat's little helper always has to try and have her face in the frame when I'm taking pics...

 

[indian22]

Looking great Pete. I like foot lever brake, nice touch.

 

[PeteMcP]

Well looky what popped onto my radar on UK eBay today. Kinda reminds me of those cool little vintage Ducati Cucciolos. This is a new one on me. It's a 33cc, 3-speed Japanese factory-made Fuki Planning - and jokey name aside, it looks a well made machine from the land of the rising sun. Offered for sale by a classic motor dealer here in the UK, this has got to be the only one to hit these shores. It's mega rarity value appeals to me, but with bids starting at 900 UK pounds sterling, I'll pass - even for something that has just spent its life as a garage ornament. For that price, there are plenty things I'd want to change for a more board-tracker appearance - starting with the the bars and saddle. And a set of springer forks with a Sturmey Archer front drum brake would really suit too.

For anyone with a spare minute, there's a full Fuki Planning website defo worth checking out. There's quite the range of different models. Downside is the motors are factory restricted to 20kph/12mph to comply with Japanese laws. Pretty sure that unrestricting them wouldn't be beyond the scope of anyone familiar with spanners.

 

[curtisfox]

KOOL! Pete, looks basically a Shwinn cantilever frame with modified down tube, one could fit a moped motor in it, would still have pedals, easy do, with a little time……Curt