Trail Horse GTO RestoMod...
- Thread starter Yellowhand
- Start date
- Tags horse restomod... trail
Thanks guys...the tab is gone now...I'll put the kill switch somewhere else. That bracket was overkill...
The below-pictured bracket, which looks like a tail light mount is gone now also...replaced by a piece of tubing to strengthen the frame and act as a grab handle so the seat won't get pulled off when lifting the bike.
The fender tabs on the front fork will also be removed...
The below-pictured bracket, which looks like a tail light mount is gone now also...replaced by a piece of tubing to strengthen the frame and act as a grab handle so the seat won't get pulled off when lifting the bike.
The fender tabs on the front fork will also be removed...
The front fender tabs were removed and smoothed...
This bike has several drill dimples in various places...someone used it for a worktop to drill holes in other things...
I've been MIGing and sanding as I find them...
Also, several extra holes were filled and sanded...the lower fork legs had mounting holes for the shocks used on the GTO 1500 model...
This bike has several drill dimples in various places...someone used it for a worktop to drill holes in other things...
I've been MIGing and sanding as I find them...
Also, several extra holes were filled and sanded...the lower fork legs had mounting holes for the shocks used on the GTO 1500 model...
A Trail Horse 1500 ad showing the front shocks bolted to the forks...
I think empty holes look bad, so I fill them...
Upper fork leg shock mount holes...the springs ride inside the tubing, so I can't get any weld inside the ID when I close the hole...
A piece of bronze rod clamped inside acts as a plug during welding, and drops loose when done...
I think empty holes look bad, so I fill them...
Upper fork leg shock mount holes...the springs ride inside the tubing, so I can't get any weld inside the ID when I close the hole...
A piece of bronze rod clamped inside acts as a plug during welding, and drops loose when done...
The engine mounting plate had a chunk missing where someone drilled metal away for chain clearance...
The opening was squared up and beveled with an angle grinder and a piece of same-thickness steel was welded in place...
Grinding and sanding blended it to almost unnoticeable...
Last pic is from the underside of the plate...
The opening was squared up and beveled with an angle grinder and a piece of same-thickness steel was welded in place...
Grinding and sanding blended it to almost unnoticeable...
Last pic is from the underside of the plate...
One of the biggest challenges to rebuilding a 40 year old bike is fixing corroded and broken parts...
Nearly every nut, bolt and metal part is rusty, bent or cracked...
The rear axle on this bike was bent so badly that I had to drive it out of the wheel with a hammer...
Last pic is the wheels, after blasting...new knobbies, tubes, bearings and locknuts...that's not silver paint...it's raw glass-blasted aluminum.
Nearly every nut, bolt and metal part is rusty, bent or cracked...
The rear axle on this bike was bent so badly that I had to drive it out of the wheel with a hammer...
Last pic is the wheels, after blasting...new knobbies, tubes, bearings and locknuts...that's not silver paint...it's raw glass-blasted aluminum.
I spent a few minutes sanding off sharp corners and edges...
The frame is done except for a seat mount tab I'll need to add after I find a seat...
The 4" brake band will be added later during mock up...
I'm trying to decide between hand brake or foot brake...
...and color...I'm leaning toward metallic orange right now.
The frame is done except for a seat mount tab I'll need to add after I find a seat...
The 4" brake band will be added later during mock up...
I'm trying to decide between hand brake or foot brake...
...and color...I'm leaning toward metallic orange right now.
Both fork legs were bent backward, and the left handlebar was bent backward and inward...
I use a torch to heat the tubing to very soft and several framing squares of different sizes to measure for straightness as I gently pull the tubing into place...
The fork lays flat and measures square now...
One of the springs was also slightly unwound and crooked, but was straightened and tightened also...
I use a torch to heat the tubing to very soft and several framing squares of different sizes to measure for straightness as I gently pull the tubing into place...
The fork lays flat and measures square now...
One of the springs was also slightly unwound and crooked, but was straightened and tightened also...
A strong case for inaccurate restoration...
The rear brake band mounting plate is probably the worst piece of engineering I've ever seen...
The bracket hits the frame...the locating pin misses the center of the hub by half it's width...the cable hole is off by about 90 degrees...and the cable guide is an inch too high...
It'll have to be remade...the factory setup would bind so badly that it probably wouldn't function at all.
The rear brake band mounting plate is probably the worst piece of engineering I've ever seen...
The bracket hits the frame...the locating pin misses the center of the hub by half it's width...the cable hole is off by about 90 degrees...and the cable guide is an inch too high...
It'll have to be remade...the factory setup would bind so badly that it probably wouldn't function at all.
midwestx lets me raid the cutoff bins in his shop and I usually find lots of stainless material and some really high quality aluminum in several diameters...
I think these little button washers made from scrap look good in several places on a minibike, especially when combined with a chrome button head screw...
I think these little button washers made from scrap look good in several places on a minibike, especially when combined with a chrome button head screw...