Too Busy's R1 Project

[TooBusy]

I don''t have anything else lying around, but I do have a few buck left in the budget. There's a good local wrecking yard with reasonable prices, so a 22R / 5 speed is a easy possibility. Miata is always an option and the little Suzuki gets my interest.

The R1 is the easiest and fastest to complete option. I just don't have a lot of experience with bike stuff.

[robbovius]

I don''t have anything else lying around, but I do have a few buck left in the budget. There's a good local wrecking yard with reasonable prices, so a 22R / 5 speed is a easy possibility. Miata is always an option and the little Suzuki gets my interest.

The R1 is the easiest and fastest to complete option. I just don't have a lot of experience with bike stuff.

As someone who's got lots of motorcycle experience, trust me, bikes are just like cars, in a very fundamental sense. they all have the same systems that do the same things. yeah, the engines rev higher (generally) and there's no reverse, but there's really no mystery. it helps to be aware that bike engines ordinarily aren't optimized for oil sloshing sideways in the sump, (the way it does in cars), and the clutch engagement with a foot pedal can seem short-ish and sudden when applied with a foot pedal, but both of those issues are pretty easily managed - witness all the various D-sports racers that have used motorcycle powerplants over the last few decades.

if you find that the clutch seems a bit sudden and hard to manage, all you have to do is change the ratio of the pedal arm, to spread the engagement out more over the swing of the pedal arc. Or, do like I did, and re-purpose the motorbike hand lever. motorbikes usually have driveline dampers ( often as simple as rubber cushions in the back wheel, beetween the sprocket mount and the hub. the B-3 has the stock VS1400 damper in the back wheel). I notce that BECs quite often delete this feature, changing to the usual solid automotive driveline (which usually acheives driveline damping from softer engine and transmission mouinting) but to my mind, were I to build a BEC, I'd plan on adding a guibo, or other type of driveline damper to smooth things out.

check out CCrunner's VFR800 Honda 600 repower, He reported very good results in drveability and smoothnes when He added a Guibo between the Bike engine and the Miata rear end.

[TooBusy]

Spent some time in the garage the past couple of days.
Sunday
I wasn't happy with the fit and finish of the scuttle, so I pulled the aluminum off the scuttle frame. Out came the grinder and hammers/ dollys to do a little fine tuning to the shape of the frame. A couple of hours and I had it hammered to shape so the skin would be in contact with the supports.

Then it was time to work on the firewall shut panels. The vertical firewall was fine, so I left it alone. The horizontal shut panel was multiple pieces and I didn't much care for it. Instead of working with a cardboard template I busted out the tape measure, steel rule, square, and sharpie marker and went to work measuring and cutting to fit.
It took a few test fits, but success at the end of the day.

Yesterday I wanted a fresh clean dash board. The heavy gauge aluminum was just the ticket. First cut a rectangle piece 13x48. Drilled 3 holes to keep it in place with clecos during marking and fitting. Once held in place I went around the outside edge using my index finger as a spacer between the frame and the sharpie marker. (I've been using that technique for a long time, so don't bash me)
The horrible freight shears made short work of cutting to shape and a few strokes with a file smoothed a couple of rough spots.

Plastic hammer time for some shrinking and stretching to fit.

Pics coming later.

[TooBusy]

Only had a half day in the garage yesterday due to some family time commitments. Decided to spend my time doing sheet metal.

Started with the driver's side main body panel. Very carefully hang, mark, cut, trim, mark, cut, trim, bend, ... The first panel took about 2 or 2 1/2 hours or so to get comfortable with the dimensions, angles, and forming around the top rail.

r1.jpg

The passenger side panel only took about an hour.

both are rough fit and still need to be drilled for a few rivets.

[TooBusy]

a little more panel beating today









I rolled the bottom edges of the side panels with the rubber mallet, then spent the next couple of hours cutting and fitting the cover for the scuttle

Everything just temporary fitted with clecos

[GonzoRacer]

Ooooh!!! Shiny!!! I like shiny!!!

Body panels are looking good, Bro!

Happy 2014, too...

[TooBusy]

Thanks JD

I wrapped the top of the panel over the top and inside of the frame rails. I plan to have very few rivets on the outside of the panels. They'll get riveted to the inside of the top rails and the bottom of the bottom rails.

The scuttle skin will get a couple of rows of wide spaced rivets

going for as smooth as possible on the outside

[TooBusy]

Wifey Dearest is on the way to Horrible Fright to pick up a bead roller for me. Let the good times roll.

[JPS Europa]

Wifey Dearest is on the way to Horrible Fright to pick up a bead roller for me. Let the good times roll.

thats a good wife....mine never wants to set foot in there again.........EVER!!
Paul

[TooBusy]

A little more metal bashing today.
First order of business was to build a stand for the new Horrible Fright bead roller. I had a small wooden trebuchet built from 2x4's in the back yard that got re-purposed.

Cut the frame down to size and shortened the uprights. The trimmings off the uprights became the new spreaders. Then (for today) just clamp on the bead roller.

Spent a couple of hours just playing with it; making flanges, rolling beads, getting the cutting blades working properly, blah, blah blah.

THen decided it was time to make something. took some small bits left over from the side panels and started marking. 20 minutes later I had both side trim bits roughed out. Another 30 minutes and they are rounded over the cockpit frame.

Last thing today was to make a center section of the back panel. I decided to make the back panel in 3 pieces for 2 reasons. First, it's WAAAAY easier and second, If I screw something up or get banged up in the future, it's easy to replace.

Pics coming later, gotta go shower and take Wifey Dearest to the movies.

Tight Lines

[carguy123]

I had a small wooden trebuchet built from 2x4's in the back yard

Doesn't everybody?

[TooBusy]

More metal bashing today. Is it just me or are the back corners two SERIOUSLY fiddly bits?

[TooBusy]

one more pic

[TooBusy]

I had a small wooden trebuchet built from 2x4's in the back yard

Doesn't everybody?

If they don't, they should. The neighborhood kids enjoy playing catch with me.

[raceral]

Last thing today was to make a center section of the back panel. I decided to make the back panel in 3 pieces for 2 reasons. First, it's WAAAAY easier and second, If I screw something up or get banged up in the future, it's easy to replace.

Heeeeyyy, that was my excuse also.

Al