What a concept - A Girl Bringing Back Her 1966 Super Hawk

sarals · Post by **sarals** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 12:59 pm

jensey wrote:Hi,

I always explain my wife that a dishwasher cleans itself, for some reason that explanation doesn't work.

Jensen

It doesn't work for me, either, Jensen! I can't explain why, but it's "just one of those things". One of those "female" things!

sarals · Post by **sarals** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 5:43 pm

I discovered some photos of the Old Girl taken back when I purchased her in 1971 and then in 1982 when I was back to NY for a visit (I brought her home to California in 1986).

I'm still trying to understand why so many of these bikes had their front fenders cropped by their original owners! As you can see, mine came cropped. I had a friend move the center bracket for me so that the fender at least covered the top of the front wheel. It still looks pretty extreme, though.

G-Man · Post by **G-Man** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 2:59 am

Nice pics, but I think that my latest acquisition gets the prize for shortest fender / craziest handlebar combo......

Sure looks chilly in those photos.

G

sarals · Post by **sarals** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 11:34 am

G-man, it does look a little strange!

sarals · Post by **sarals** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:38 am

After more than week away from the project, I was FINALLY able to devote a little time to the Old Girl yesterday. Because my time was limited, I picked a small project - the petcock. I was able to get the copper tube out of the body, and I cleaned out the orifice next to the hole where the tube goes. There is still a fair amount of dried out crap in the all those little passages which will likely turn to not dried out crap when gas starts flowing through them, dirtying the carburetors. So, back into the carb cleaner can it went (that stuff just reeks so...). I'll pull it out today and get the pipe cleaner going again on it.

In the process of fooling with the petcock body, I dropped one of the two screws that hold the selector valve to the body. Dammit. I didn't feel like crawling around on the floor to find it yesterday, but I'll have to do it at some point.

I ordered a good looking CB77 transmission, complete, last week. The 14mm bushing and shift pawl looked pristine, and all the gears and dogs looked to have minimal wear. I haven't seen my transmission yet, but LM assures me it will look it's mileage!

I still need to buy a cam chain, seal kit and O ring kit (thinking out loud).

I'm still debating on what to do about the frame. It's really not that bad. There is some surface rust on the cross member and main members under the seat area, and I've read that Por 15 is a good solution for that. I'm leaning towards the sandblasting/stripping solution, but I've not tipped over just yet!

I do have to strip the used tank I bought recently. It's red - and poorly done at that - and it needs to become black. It has a small ding that has to be filled, too. The inside is clean, clean, clean. That was a bonus!

Later this week I will move the engine to the workbench (after I clean the bench up - what a mess on that thing) and start opening it up. Next week I can take the head, cam cover, cam chain tensioner, and footpeg perches to the machinist for a bead blast session. When they come back I'll wrap them up in plastic and box them so they stay clean until I can get to them.

The frame. Hmmm. Well, I do need to strip all the parts off of it, anyway. After that I'll decide what to do.

In the past week I've read again Scott Pargett's excellent account of his '62 restoration (you do magnificent work, Scott), and Lee's writings on bringing his old Superhawk back to life. I particularly liked the "then and now" photos of him on the bike in front of the church! I wish I could do that with my bike.

I do need to visit Charlie's Place in San Francisco sometime!

Okay, back at it!

LOUD MOUSE · Post by **LOUD MOUSE** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 10:42 am

Most front fenders were cut back after it was damaged by a collision with something. (ran into something)
Even in the 60's that fender cost over $100.00 used so many were cut short to save $$$$. ...........lm

sarals wrote:I discovered some photos of the Old Girl taken back when I purchased her in 1971 and then in 1982 when I was back to NY for a visit (I brought her home to California in 1986).

I'm still trying to understand why so many of these bikes had their front fenders cropped by their original owners! As you can see, mine came cropped. I had a friend move the center bracket for me so that the fender at least covered the top of the front wheel. It still looks pretty extreme, though.

sarals · Post by **sarals** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:46 pm

LOUD MOUSE wrote:Most front fenders were cut back after it was damaged by a collision with something. (ran into something)
Even in the 60's that fender cost over $100.00 used so many were cut short to save $$$$. ...........lm

sarals wrote:I discovered some photos of the Old Girl taken back when I purchased her in 1971 and then in 1982 when I was back to NY for a visit (I brought her home to California in 1986).

I'm still trying to understand why so many of these bikes had their front fenders cropped by their original owners! As you can see, mine came cropped. I had a friend move the center bracket for me so that the fender at least covered the top of the front wheel. It still looks pretty extreme, though.

Wow, that was/is a pricey part, LM! Mine was originally cut exactly at the fork mount bracket, and it looked horrible. It still looks pretty funky, certainly not "original". I plan to ask one of the sheet metal guys where I work if he can fabricate an affordable extension and weld (or braze) it to the front of my existing fender. I've thought, too, if I could find a another cut fender, I could have the two welded together to make a "proper" front fender.