engine build - slowly but surely

[Dick Eastman]

Dick,
Superb engineering skills. Your bike is going to be fantastic. Keep the photos coming please.
Gordon

Thank you - more on the way.

[Dick Eastman]

Looks like a 348 back there. Very cool.

You are correct [and giving your age away!]; it is a 1961 348. My first car was a '61 Impala Super Sport, bought in "68. Found out years later that Chevy made 311 SS's w/348, and 142 w/409. The 348 was Chevy's first big block, used from "58 thru "61 in cars, and in trucks thru '65. I think I posted pics of this engine in here somewhere.

[Dick Eastman]

I got the seat mounts welded onto the frame, using 1/4 x 1" hot roll; added some M6 holes for possible mounting points, as I have other things going in under the seat. I machined up some 1/2 x 1" alum. that mounts to the frame on the bottom, and accepts the seat on the top, using flat head screws. I put the seat on the mill to balance and establish center line, and drilled and counter sunk for six #10 flat head S/S allen screws, the hole pattern established by the alum. bars mounted to the frame. I put "two ton" epoxy on the bars, then screwed the seat to them, let cure over night. The seat can now be removed from the frame by removing the six M6 button head screws [S/S].
I wanted to stiffen the sub-frame, in addition to the welded seat mounts, so I turned up two plugs, which snugly fit into the frame tubes where I had cut off the clevis's for the original seat mnts. On the end of these plugs, I made a protrusion .374" diameter by .190" long, with an M6 hole. I welded the plugs on, and then measured across to get a measurement center to center. The alum. stiffener got .375" holes to this spread, and I made it thicker than the protrusions, to bolt down.I then made a pair of S/S washers the same dia. as the frame tube, counter bored them for an M6. This stiffener may serve as a mounting point for a tail light , not sure yet, but the Holes are 10mm, so I can come off of it, if needed.

[Dick Eastman]

Some more pics. I cut off approx. 5" from the front of the seat - wasn't sure how much, just had to sit over it and also look at G Mans track bike. I'm not sure how old the seat is, but heard approx. '70's era. The fiber glass is much thicker than some new after market seats today. I'll have to put snaps on it and get it covered. The molding work is quite nice, very symmetrical.

[border0_3]

Some serious mods here. Beautiful work Dick.
Wish I could weld like you.
Keep up the good work, great to see.
Richard

[Dick Eastman]

Some serious mods here. Beautiful work Dick.
Wish I could weld like you.
Keep up the good work, great to see.
Richard

Thanks, Richard, will have some more pics.

[Dick Eastman]

Having trouble trying to post photos - when I click "add attachments", I get a pop-up that says "no post mode specified". Photos are down-sized, as I have always done, loading photos, as always. ????

Thanks,
Dick