Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

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IRISH
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Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

I'm going to re-build my original build log - Please Don't Post in here until it's done. Thanks, Craig

This thread will be mostly pictures to begin with. I believe the old saying is true about a picture being worth a thousand words.

This is a bike I built a few years ago using the original "Chopper Builders Handbook" by Gary W.

I am missing some pictures that were in the original log, but hopefully they still exist somewhere and can be retrieved eventually.

Keep in mind that this bike was built by me in 2005 - 2006 in my garage. The only tools used were a tubing bender, Lincholn 155 MIG welder, a drill press, grinders and hand tools. I am not a machinist. I am a mechanic. I don't even have a lathe. I did not purchase any plans or blueprints, I only followed the article on the Chopper Builders Handbook. I'm not tooting my own horn just making the point that if I can do this anybody with some mechanical skills can do it.
Last edited by IRISH on Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
IRISH
Lurker
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

The JD Squared tubing bender with 1.125" die for the frame tube. I also purchased a 1.0" die set.
tubing bender 1.jpg
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tubing bender 2.jpg
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This shows the pointer for the degree scale made from wire
tubing bender 3.JPG
tubing bender 3.JPG (31.11 KiB) Viewed 6724 times
tubing bender 4.JPG
tubing bender 4.JPG (33.25 KiB) Viewed 6724 times
User avatar
IRISH
Lurker
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

These are pictures of the frame jig I put together first. When I got the angle I wanted on the neck (35 degrees) I welded the tube on to the upright so it's not adjustable like some the fancy jigs. The bike when finished ended up with 38 degrees of rake.
jig3.jpg
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The smaller tube is 1" which fits into the short piece of 1.125" that welded to the upright. There is a tapered bearing still stuck on the tube.
jig1.jpg
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jig8.jpg
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The center part of the jig. I used the angle iron clamped to the cross pieces to hold the outside of the tubes and the fish-mouthed tubes to hold them apart at the correct distance.
jig2.jpg
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jig11.jpg
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I attached some spacers (.125 x .5 strap) to raise the cross braces up to the proper position.
jig6.jpg
jig6.jpg (61.22 KiB) Viewed 6694 times
User avatar
IRISH
Lurker
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

The rear axle plate locating fixture.
jig12.jpg
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jig11.jpg
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The tubing is 1" to hold the axle.
jig5.jpg
jig5.jpg (64.43 KiB) Viewed 6694 times
User avatar
IRISH
Lurker
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

This frame was built by following the directions as written in the Chopper Builders Handbook by Gary which is here: http://chopperhandbook.com/oldschool1.htm

I started by cutting the seat tube cross member which is 1 x 2 rectangular tube and seat tube which I cut at one end at a 17 deg. angle. The seat tube was then welded in the center of the cross member. This is the first part of the frame to go together.
frame7.jpg
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I'm missing some pictures, but you can see the seat tube attached to the seat tube cross member (x-member). The trans is bolted in here.
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I'm showing the seat tube here, but this is obviously later in the construction. I was checking the sprocket alignment.

This shows the lower tubes after I bent them and the rear seat stays and top tube in the jig.
frame1a.jpg
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I had tacked the seat stays to the top tube and the seat tube to the top tube at this point. The picture below shows this part of the frame later, after I had finished welding.
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This picture shows the frame lower tubes clamped in the jig and the seat post X-member tacked. You can also see where I had to add an 1.5 inches to the right side because I bent it wrong and it came out short. I debated about whether to bend another piece, but decided to cut it and add a piece in. This worked out good because it allowed me to rotate the rear leg and get it perfectly square with the axle plates. The repair was done properly with a tube inside and it was drilled and welded.
frame5.jpg
frame5.jpg (62.17 KiB) Viewed 6691 times
User avatar
IRISH
Lurker
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

I cut some axle plates out of 3/8" hot rolled. I roughed the axle slots in and then had my father cut them in his milling machine. I bolted them together and shaped them so they came out matching. I also made them with a tab for a sissy bar to bolt to.
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frame4.jpg
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I cut slots in the four tubes and fitted the axle plates and got everything squared up and plumb with the ground and the table. I should add that the jig was leveled as was the table before starting.
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This shows the lower tubes where they come together and intersect the top tube at the front of the frame where the steering tube will eventually be attached. This part took a lot of grinding and filing and re-checking until it was square. It was essential to hang a plumb bob from the top tube so I could get the lower tubes at the same angle side-to-side to the top tube. You can see the yellow string attached to the top tube. I did not have a very good camera at the time so the pictures are not as clear as they could be.
frame1.jpg
frame1.jpg (70.81 KiB) Viewed 6689 times
User avatar
IRISH
Lurker
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

At this point I pulled the frame out of the jig and installed the rear wheel and tire and cut some spacers and centered it in the frame. You can see that the top tube was left long and has not been cut off yet. I wanted to do a mock-up so I could get the rake angle that I wanted and was correct for the amount of stretch this frame has which is 4 inches up and 2 out from a stock 1948 FL or EL frame.
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Rear wheel/tire centered. This is a Sportster rear wheel with a 150/80-16 Avon Venom tire mounted.
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frame8.jpg
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frame6.jpg
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User avatar
IRISH
Lurker
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

When I figured out the rake angle I wanted on the frame - 35 degrees from 90 - I put the frame back in the jig and located the steering tube (neck) on the jig and decided to weld the steering tube fixture to the jig to hold it in place. I had a straight piece of thick wall tubing for the neck which I cut to length and then squared up in a lathe. I installed a set of bearing cups in the neck and I installed a tapered bearing on the neck fixture of the jig. I then slid another tapered bearing down into the top cup to securely hold the neck in place. I then cut and coped the top tube and fitted it carefully to the neck. The I welded the neck to the top tube and lower tubes which is shown in the pictures below.
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I then needed to figure out what length forks I needed. I am missing the photos of how I measured for that. It turned out that I needed 6 inch over tubes for the 39mm Narrow Glide (Sportster/FX) front end that I had. I found a set and you see them mounted in the photos.
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Next I'll show the engine and transmission mounts finished, I am missing some crucial photos that were in my original build log. The method I used to locate the mounts was: I bolted an S&S bare engine case and a 4-speed transmission case together using and inner primary housing. I also bolted a 4-speed trans mounting plate to the transmission case. I also bolted the rear engine mount to the the engine case and the front trans mount to the trans plate. I had cut those out of the same 3/8" material that I cut the rear axle plates from. The inner primary and trans were both 1970 FL Shovelhead type and the engine case was an Evo, which is basically the same dimensions as a Shovelhead case. With this unit all bolted together I located it in the frame and then fabricated the front engine mount out of 1 inch square bar. I also drilled and threaded some 3/4" round bar for the rear trans mounts and drilled the trans mount x-member to 3/4" on the top side and 3/8" on the bottom side so they would drop into the x-member. I bolted those to the rear of the trans plate and bolted the front mount onto the front of the engine case and squared and centered the whole unit in the frame front to rear and side to side. Then I welded the mounts to the frame in several points so they would not move. I then removed the engine and transmission cases and trans plate and finished welding the mounts in.
Engine Trans Mounts 1.JPG
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Engine Trans Mounts 2.JPG
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Engine Trans Mounts 3.JPG
Engine Trans Mounts 3.JPG (32.19 KiB) Viewed 6688 times
I also cut and fabricated the forward control mounts for the left and right sides and welded them to the ends of the front engine mount.
User avatar
IRISH
Lurker
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

These two pictures show the frame mocked up with the original length front end, which you can see is way too low. I was also experimenting with tall 20" ape hanger handle bars that I bent up out of 1" chro-moly tubing.
frame9.jpg
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frame10.jpg
frame10.jpg (69.08 KiB) Viewed 6687 times
User avatar
IRISH
Lurker
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

I bent up a sissy bar with 5/8" bar stock and fitted the Exile Cycles rear fender. I like their fenders because they make them in pretty much any radius.
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I will bob that fender later and take the sissy bar to the chrome shop for polishing and plating.
User avatar
IRISH
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Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

After measuring for the forks i bought some 6 inch longer tubes for the 39mm front end. I bolted it together and rolled it outside for a look. I was good to get it to this stage and starting to look like a motorcycle.
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Bike Jan 06 2.jpg
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Bike Jan 06 3.jpg
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Bike Jan 06 4.jpg
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I also built some 1 1/8" drag bars and bolted up some forward controls.
User avatar
IRISH
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Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

These photos show the frame neck gussets that I cut from 1/8" cold rolled plate.
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And the complete frame before final welding.
Re-exposure of MVC-887S.JPG
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Re-exposure of MVC-885S.JPG
Re-exposure of MVC-885S.JPG (54.61 KiB) Viewed 6659 times
User avatar
IRISH
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Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

My friend Bob who gave me the wheel from his '97 Sportster when he changed them out for some different ones, also gave me the fuel tank from the same bike when he changed that out for a larger unit. I love this style Sporty tank, it's my favorite one of them all. With this one I went with the Frisco look. I cut the tunnel out and welded a flat bottom in. I then relocated the filler cap more forward. I would later use this same type tank, although with the tunnel left in.
frisco1.JPG
frisco1.JPG (34.17 KiB) Viewed 6657 times
I cut the mounting tabs off the tank and welded them to the top tube so i could use the original rubber biscuits.
frisco2.JPG
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frisco3.JPG
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Those are the handle bars I built but never used. I ground on the welds too much where I put them together and it would have been too much to polish them for chrome - it couldn't really be done according to the chrome man. They could be painted or powder painted. I still have them.
frisco4.JPG
frisco4.JPG (32.63 KiB) Viewed 6657 times
User avatar
IRISH
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Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

I built the seat mounts and got the brakes installed.
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View from the saddle.
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Also bought an oil tank and mocked up to get a look.
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I sold my beloved El Camino and bought a Harley Evolution crate motor. 1340cc V-Twin! Bolted it in for a look.
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Also got the oil tank mounted.
User avatar
IRISH
Lurker
Posts: 87
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:31 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Hi All,
My name is Craig Irish. I live in Northern California. I've been a member for a long time but I am re registering because the board is new. I have a project build thread on this board call Irish's Old School Chopper Project. I'm glad the board is still going and I very much appreciate Dan keeping it going. Thanks Dan!
Craig

Re: Irish's CBH Old School Chopper Project

Post by IRISH »

I built up a 1970 4-Speed ratchet top transmission from eBay and new parts and also bought a used Primo 3" belt drive. I planned to run it open so I also used the inner plate that connects the engine and trans cases and aligns them. I experimented with a few different clutches and linkage and finally got it right. I installed a Ram Jett kit which is essential to keep the clutch housing from floating toward the outside when released and dragging. That is especially scary when you are running a suicide (foot) clutch lever with jockey shift, which was using.
Ram Jett Install
The clutch
The clutch
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washer and nut to keep the springs and plate together - easier
washer and nut to keep the springs and plate together - easier
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remove it
remove it
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read the instructions!
read the instructions!
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remove the discs
remove the discs
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get the original tin plate and conical springs out of there - they suck!
get the original tin plate and conical springs out of there - they suck!
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