Started painting my Rupp Roadster 2.
- Thread starter GustoGuy
- Start date
Had a couple of days to work on the bike. I work all weekend and then I have a few days next week off and I will try to put it togather. My front fork inserts are a bit on the rusty side. Even with cleaning they still tend to rust so I may buy some new ones since this will be my masterpiece. It's just a bike but 48 years of rust really takes its toll. If I going to do it I May's as well do it right.
shiny
shiny
I seen Blackwidowmotorsports sells new front fork inserts for $32.00 a piece. Both the brake side and the non brake side. When I was disassembling my bike there was quite a bit of rust and some pitting of the chrome fork inserts especially under the area where it goes into the fork. I cleaned it up and sanded it with 400 grit then up to 1000 grit and while it was better it still forming a coating of rust out in the garage which is out of the elements. After 48 years of who knows what kind of storage the original fork inserts while still structurally sound are pretty pitted up and rusty. I could replace them with brand new clean never rusted ones whith a coating of wax will slide up and down way better. Total cost $64.00 plus two new spring retaining pins at $2.50 a piece. A rusty one on ebay woul probably cost as much if not more. It would look like brand new too and be smooth with no rust shiny chrome and with a coating of fresh wax before assembling would work much better and not rust for years especially if taken good care of with excellent storage and some maintenance.
Here is a picture of what 48 years of rust does and how it pitted up the fork inserts. Even though I used 400 grit then 1000 grit sandpaper the chrome is gone meaning no rust protection plus there is still some minor pitting from the rust that is deep enough so it won't fully sand out with out doing some serious grinding. I can buy new fork inserts which are smooth shiny chrome and with a good coat of polymer liquid car wax polish every year or so they will remain nice and shiny and slippery so they will not bind up.
I mounted the engine and it fits fine but the Chikuni carburetor sticks out right where you legs will be when riding. I seen that forum member Ole4 made an intake manifold that routes the carburetor closer to the body of the bike which is out of the way. I may need to do that since I can see the carburetor sticking out being a problem. The Robertson torque tubes muffler fits perfectly and will work great with the Predator 212cc engine. I could remove the manifold and cut it in 1/2 then use epoxy to glue a curved section of PVC metal tubing painted black to pull it into the body of the bike. Line it up perfectly then mount the carburetor perfectly level when both tires are on the ground.
Well I came up with a solution to the carburetor sticking out. Here is a link to a website on how to do it. I don't have a TIG welder and buying one is definitely not worth it for such a simple problem. Plus my snowmobiles have flexible clamp style carburetor boots and a radiator hose which is shown in the correct size is chemically stable enough for gasoline.
https://affordablegokarts.com/pages/diy-curved-manifold
As to the chain guard I will use my angle grinder to remove some material and use the original not even close to perfect and a bit dented and a bit rusty and use it. Plus new chrome replacement replication chain guards can be bought at Blackwidowmotorsports if I ever want to put on a HS40 Tecumseh.
https://affordablegokarts.com/pages/diy-curved-manifold
As to the chain guard I will use my angle grinder to remove some material and use the original not even close to perfect and a bit dented and a bit rusty and use it. Plus new chrome replacement replication chain guards can be bought at Blackwidowmotorsports if I ever want to put on a HS40 Tecumseh.
Springs came out of the old rusty fork inserts easily. Although the springs look great for being 48 years old I will still rub them down well with grease to prevent any further corrosion as well as lubricating them before installing them in the new inserts. I am making a curved intake manifold for my bike that will pull the carburetor into the body of the bike so it will not be in the way like it currently is. I am glad that I ordered new fork inserts since the old ones look like crap compared to the new ones. The hose fits pretty tightly on the manifold parts and I am going to the hardware store to find some thin section of metal pipe to be glued on with metal epoxy as well as shaped with the angle grinder to provide a strong manifold which will not collapse or allow the carburetor to bonce around when ridiing the bike.
Rather than using a rubber hose to mount the carburetor which will eventually deteriorate and possibly bounce around. I decided to use metal plumbing parts to and JB weld epoxy to fashion a 45 degree bend curved intake manifold. I will use sandpaper to put some tooth on the attachment areas and I will glue it together with JB Weld which can withstand 550 degrees Fahrenheit and has a tensile strength of 5020 psi.
