500cc pushrod bike project

[oz]

Shame you aint going to make it this year I would have liked to see you there! What a fantastic Idea with the two engines though.

[JimL]

The good news, is that the engine is running strong (after some dumb wiring mistakes were fixed), and I've run the rear wheel up to 125 or so on the stand (about 9000 RPM / 5th gear, with this gearing).  The chain seems to run very smooth and true... in fact, we were all standing around trying to figure out why. 

It certainly wasn't what I expected.  My best guess is that there is so much chain running straight, that it tends to stay in line because of all the inertia (it looks kinda weird...running like a belt, not a chain).  I tried pulling hard rear brake, against 5th gear at almost full throttle...couldn't hold it, but the chain just kept humming along straight, both top and bottom runs?!

Anybody got a better guess? 

Baffled, JimL

[theazoldcrow]

   If it works,,,,,don't fix it!    Go fast, and go safe!   Crow

[JimL]

Test rode today....runs pretty good....but very hard to maneuver at low speed with only 15 degrees of steering and a very long wheel base (can't turn around in a large 4-way intersection!)  Going straight is a piece of cake; great steering response and tracking perfectly (thanks "BLUE"....I followed your directions for rake and trail, and it works).  Pretty exciting under power....I actually had a beer after the ride, just to calm the hands a little, ya' know (my 2nd beer this year, actually.)

Trying to finish the mold for the tail section....might get this bike to Speedweek.  Just "body work" and "paint work" left to do.  We'll see what happens over the next few days.  This one means something to me, as it's exactly 40 years from my first Bonneville, also on a 500cc class Honda (which was also an APS class bike.)

Regards, JimL

[oz]

Good on ya Jim hope to see ya there!!
Get a wriggle on its 4 and a bit days to go.

[JimL]

It's on Richard Reeds old sprint car trailer.....a friend is towing it out in the morning.  I'll be about 6 hours behind.

The first pic below is my "quickie" tailpiece mold.  Hot glue and foam-board, sprayed inside with Poly-Vinyl-Alcohol, then shot gel coat, and then hand layup.  Not great corners....big hurry...but fits perfect.  The pic from the right rear shows my clear Lexan knee shield, to keep from banging my knee on the fairing mount bar as I fold myself into position.  Numbers and all still to do....never have gone with a completely ready racer, somehow.  This bike is number 1581 (my 1969 Speedweek bike was 158, thanks Chuck K for getting me the appropriate number!)

Best wishes and safe travel to everyone.  It will be GREAT to see everyone again.

JimL

[JimL]

This can be the end of this thread, since the drive worked fine and the bike went well despite a hurt cylinder before the event (had a stuck thermostat and the rear cylinder firing late while trying to run the engine in the shop). 

I ran both runs short (shutting off at the 2 to get out of the way since it was misfiring).  The bike raised the record from 111 to 123, so I guess I'll fix the engine and try to do better next year.  My last past was 124.9 and still accelerating.

Thank you to all the comments and hints over the last year.  I believe this will be a fun racer in the years to come, and the engine certainly has a lot more power in it once I get good pistons, and fix the carb issues.  The mouths of the velocity stacks were drawing off each other at speed....my left knee got gas on it on both runs, and there was a little white cloud hanging there in front of the stacks...spooky!  It was another one of those "ran out of time deals" and I tried to get by with stock parts.

Big thanks to all the course workers, officials, staff, and inspectors....I had a wonderful time.  Here's a pic of Drew measuring my engine for the record.

Regards, JimL

[4-barrel Mike]

Wow!  Well done!   

[Peter Jack]

Congratulations JimL! It's great to see a project that we've been following end in success. Why not continue the thread showing how you solve the current problems and the further modifications you make to increase your speed. If you do I'm sure we'll continue to follow.

Pete

[wobblywalrus]

That"s a well deserved record obtained the hard way.  Good job.

[Nortonist 592]

Congratulations Jim!!    Stout runs.

[Rchop]

Congrats on the record Jim, hope to see you there next year 

[JimL]

thanks fellows....I'm looking forward to tearing down and seeing what I've got to work with.  I also have 674cc engines on hand, and would like a shot at the 750 record.  I'm going to rework the frame a little, for quicker engine swaps. 

I'll post a little after the project gets going again.  Right now it's time to pay the penalty for taking a couple days off!
Regards, JimL

[fredvance]

Congratulations Jim great job. Sorry we didnt run into each other on the salt.

  Fred

[Rchop]

  I also have 674cc engines on hand, and would like a shot at the 750 record.

Jim I have a set of 38mm Lectron carbs that were used to set the current APS-PG 750 record. Let me know when you start building your motor for the 750 class, I will let you borrow them.

Randy