1946 Doodle Bug [Hiawatha...not the China Junk]
Rattle Can! But MRO Seymour is not your average rattle can from Ace Hardware. It is not, of course, on par with an automotive finish, however, MRO is so superior to the cheap stuff in retail stores that there's absolutely no comparison. Here is what it looks like partially assembled. If it was a true restoration I'd take more pains in the paint and etc....this is a driver.
Did some more plating today of various parts. Used what is called Copy-Cad. Sorta like zink plate and is not toxic like cadmium. Plating makes hand-made or repaired parts look like new production parts. I especially liked the way the original gas filler cap came out, these things are always found in rusted/tarnished condition. This one was no exception. Was worked to remove the worst dents and sanded and brushed [ya don't want to polish for this type of plate]. Time spent: Two hours preparing the parts and one hour getting the plate tank up to temperature and doing the plate.
Other than sewing a seat, all that's left is final assembly.
Other than sewing a seat, all that's left is final assembly.
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It does not need to be coated with anything. It is more durable than paint IF there are no 'low current density areas'. In other words places where the zink stuff has not plated inside recesses. That's not often a problem and if it is a specially formed anode near the pocket can be used. All I do is go over the part with fine steel wool and it looks factory. Even that hand work would be largely unnecessary if the directions in the book were followed. But I use about twice the amps so the outcome is a bit cloudy until the steel wool is used.
Again, a handmade part that has been plated with this cheap process suddenly looks like a production item. The tarnished cad plated hood latch on a 55 Olds looks like a NOS part in short order. I really like the copy-cad set up.
Again, a handmade part that has been plated with this cheap process suddenly looks like a production item. The tarnished cad plated hood latch on a 55 Olds looks like a NOS part in short order. I really like the copy-cad set up.
I talk up plating on this forum but I feel few are interested because, I'm thinking, they believe it's difficult or expensive or dangerous. Plating is an accessory thing after a guy has a vice, right angle grinder, work bench, compressor, drill motor, drill press, bench grinder, oxy./acet. torches, arc welder, and a small frig for the beer. I don't want to unnecessarily bore a bunch of people beyond what my usual posts are responsible for.
Everything is done except mounting the rear view mirror and sewing the seat. The old time bicycle mirror on top the seat board should look old enough and in keeping with the overall look of a Doodle Bug. The horn is a truck 'backing-up alarm'. One pic shows where the horn switch is reasonably hidden. Getting the side panels with their decals made it look a lot better.
Looking great Lon!
I have a couple questions, did you get the sticker set from Don, they look really great, I got my tank painted and mounted but with the sediment bowl at the tank I have to have the filler cap tilted a little forward of level so the bowl doesn't hit the frame.
Also I'm noticing that my aircleaner touches the cowl with the elbowed air cleaner holder, I put rubber washers under the engine when I mounted it even though I don't see them in the parts exploded diagram, did you mount your engine metal to metal and does your air cleaner touch?
I bought a hot dog muffler from Jack's Small Engines ($6.08) but it doesn't have the flex pipe, I'm going to braise some electrical flex there off the pipe that was on my bike when I got it.
I hope you have a video camera, I can't wait to see your bug running!
p.s. how did you get your throttle cable housing looking so good?
I have a couple questions, did you get the sticker set from Don, they look really great, I got my tank painted and mounted but with the sediment bowl at the tank I have to have the filler cap tilted a little forward of level so the bowl doesn't hit the frame.
Also I'm noticing that my aircleaner touches the cowl with the elbowed air cleaner holder, I put rubber washers under the engine when I mounted it even though I don't see them in the parts exploded diagram, did you mount your engine metal to metal and does your air cleaner touch?
I bought a hot dog muffler from Jack's Small Engines ($6.08) but it doesn't have the flex pipe, I'm going to braise some electrical flex there off the pipe that was on my bike when I got it.
I hope you have a video camera, I can't wait to see your bug running!
p.s. how did you get your throttle cable housing looking so good?
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Mark
Got the stickers from Don. Really nice and easy to apply. Bought a roll of white 'striping tape' to border the edges of the side panels. Now, even with its decals, it looks, to my jaundiced eye, to be too Plan Jane. Not sure if a 46 had that, as did later models, but it's gowna be applied anyway. I believe all the Supers had the stripes. The stuff I bought is 5/16" wide.
Is it true that your model had the sediment bowl attached to the tank? Mine, I was told by Don, goes on the carb.
The attached pic shows how much I cut off the top of the 90 degree filter adapter to make my air cleaner clear the side panel to eliminate the interference between the air cleaner and the side panel. Under the adapter it shows a spacer on the bolt, of approx. the same length as the piece removed, so that the original bolt would not have to be shortened. I attribute the interference, on my machine, to the fact I am using the wrong engine...but I've been wrong plenty of times. Could be the wrong adapter or the wrong air filter. Or, for that matter...the wrong length intake manifold! It's my experience that putting rubber or plastic under the engine does not change the vibration characteristics. So, I'm thinking, that removing them would mean that you will need to cut less off the elbow, or whatever. As the engine base has little [lateral] slots I moved my engine as far as possible to the left. That helped a little. Also very slightly tilted the elbow so the top of the air cleaner is a bit closer to the left. I suppose it would have been OK, on this non-restoration, to make a spacer that would be inserted between the manifold and the carb. to lower it, say, 3/8". But I didn't; resorted to the lesser evil, as I saw it at the time, of cutting approx. 3/8" off the discharge end of the elbow. Figured it was best to do other things, anything, than chop the air cleaner!
Bought a muffler from Don but can't use it because of the non-stock battery box that was necessary to mount behind the engine. I'm going to get some flex pipe and route the exhaust out the back...somehow.
Regarding the throttle cable. I bought a new one. Don makes them! After comparing it to the original I can attest it's a perfect reproduction in every way.
Got the stickers from Don. Really nice and easy to apply. Bought a roll of white 'striping tape' to border the edges of the side panels. Now, even with its decals, it looks, to my jaundiced eye, to be too Plan Jane. Not sure if a 46 had that, as did later models, but it's gowna be applied anyway. I believe all the Supers had the stripes. The stuff I bought is 5/16" wide.
Is it true that your model had the sediment bowl attached to the tank? Mine, I was told by Don, goes on the carb.
The attached pic shows how much I cut off the top of the 90 degree filter adapter to make my air cleaner clear the side panel to eliminate the interference between the air cleaner and the side panel. Under the adapter it shows a spacer on the bolt, of approx. the same length as the piece removed, so that the original bolt would not have to be shortened. I attribute the interference, on my machine, to the fact I am using the wrong engine...but I've been wrong plenty of times. Could be the wrong adapter or the wrong air filter. Or, for that matter...the wrong length intake manifold! It's my experience that putting rubber or plastic under the engine does not change the vibration characteristics. So, I'm thinking, that removing them would mean that you will need to cut less off the elbow, or whatever. As the engine base has little [lateral] slots I moved my engine as far as possible to the left. That helped a little. Also very slightly tilted the elbow so the top of the air cleaner is a bit closer to the left. I suppose it would have been OK, on this non-restoration, to make a spacer that would be inserted between the manifold and the carb. to lower it, say, 3/8". But I didn't; resorted to the lesser evil, as I saw it at the time, of cutting approx. 3/8" off the discharge end of the elbow. Figured it was best to do other things, anything, than chop the air cleaner!
Bought a muffler from Don but can't use it because of the non-stock battery box that was necessary to mount behind the engine. I'm going to get some flex pipe and route the exhaust out the back...somehow.
Regarding the throttle cable. I bought a new one. Don makes them! After comparing it to the original I can attest it's a perfect reproduction in every way.
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Yes, the Supers had the bowl on the tank, one of the quirks of the 'E'. I have heard since that the side skirts were added last and actually bent to the frame, on the frame during production, starting at the center mount screw! I was also told that they all rubbed the air filter and belt pulley from the factory and were not a neat and pretty sight originally, more like some color slapped on the sides and all warped!
I could believe that as there were no spacers behind originally and mine gets all out of shape when tightened between the rear frame cross braces.
I have never seen a Bug without the pin stripe around the edge of the side panels, looking at mine it was a hasty masking job
I could believe that as there were no spacers behind originally and mine gets all out of shape when tightened between the rear frame cross braces.
I have never seen a Bug without the pin stripe around the edge of the side panels, looking at mine it was a hasty masking job
The side tin HAD to be a last minute add-on..I'm thinking. The throttle and brake stuff required a lot of special dies and tooling. The actual design of those parts was, how do I put this?, well, 'misguided' might be a generous word. The pressed foot board, front fender, and a few other things, such as the cast and machined jack shaft assy., shows a great amount of money was spent to produce the first one. [But still insured that the production cost was to perpetually be higher than it should have been due to unneeded complication and a high number of expensive to make parts]. But the well thought out stuff stopped with those items and the frame. The side skirts are an obvious add on, in my mind. The generators were war surplus! On the plus side, the Doodle Bug logo on them 'afterthought' side panels was a wondrous leap of genius!
To keep the side panels from going out of shape I made a few 1/2" OD X #7 ID aluminum spacers. Stock oe not-stock; I couldn't bring myself to crush down with the screws and deform the metal.
To keep the side panels from going out of shape I made a few 1/2" OD X #7 ID aluminum spacers. Stock oe not-stock; I couldn't bring myself to crush down with the screws and deform the metal.
Today the mirror was mounted. Had to make a bracket to fit the handle bar because the mirror was acquired without that item. Made it out of a hunk of aluminum. Hacked it out and slotted the 7/8" bore so it can be clamped tight. The stupid mirror had a 1/4" shaft but the limp wrested manufacturer threaded it 7mm X 1.0mm! Japan will probably never stop reacting to the second world war. We won again...I have metric taps. The second pic shows the bracket after being sanded and polished. The last pic shows it mounted. That mirror, in my opinion, is as Happy and Whimsical as the rest of the bike. Have every reason to believe that there never was a Doodle Bug that came with a mirror, but it'll save trouble when I get pulled over.
Dave. Your Doodle Bug was a high point restoration. My effort is to make it look like yours, Not sure how successful that will be. You say it 'took a lot out of you' to build yours. I can imagine that it did. As I don't necessarily need to insist on originality of every little thing, and that includes proper paint color, because the engine and drive system are hopelessly wrong, it's easy for me to take the easy [and cheap] road on a lot of things. Thanks for the kind words. Can you post some pics, with comments, on this thread so folks will know what the real thing looks like?