Through a dreary rainy winter day, the peeling paint and sway back roof, screaming for attention...
Kept thinking it reminded me of a picture I'd snagged from the web awhile back...
The shed where a mighty empire had it's genesis...
I'm sure everyone has heard the story about the contractor who had the HD shed bulldozed into oblivion during a yard clean-up, much to the consternation of the bosses. So, now it lives on in replica form and old photographs.
This weekend I need to assess the roof . My shed was built maybe 20 years after the Harley D shed, that was built just after the turn of the century. The roof on mine has some serious problems. As a friend of mine is fond of saying, 'Any hillbilly knows, the pitch of a roof, must exceed the sag...'. Unfortunately some city slicker must have thrown up this shed. The fix will probably involve jacking up the sagging portion and adding some column supports under the woefully undersized roof members. Of course this will involve clearing out enough space to accomplish this task, looks like a project that will spill over into a couple of weekends.
The weather is fantastic here. My sister posted some pics at Facebook of her family enjoying a weekend of cross-country skiing in another part of California. I'm jealous, but I might be doing the same up Northeast of here next weekend. Maybe at Chipmonk Ridge at Loon Lake.
Chipmonk Ridge a couple years ago.
Decided it's time to see about getting these two Hondas running and back on the road.
Was looking at some earlier posts of these guys, time for some work.
The SL 350 needs some serious cleaning and re-painting. I've decided to turn it into a short distance 'tourer' for the summer. First I've got to perform a 'get running' as we used to call it at the shop.
The 550 isn't in quite as bad shape, but needs attention to oil leaks, and paint. Both bikes need new rubber. Better drag them out and start making lists. I should probably go through the brakes and wheel bearings as well.
The 350 will be going through the most renovation. Plan on installing a bigger gas tank from a CB 500 twin. Pulling the 'clip-ons' off and installing bars more suitable for touring. Going to change the gearing to a CB 350 ratio. Might actually change over to a CB rear wheel to accomplish this, which will mean going to a wider chain and front sprocket. I have a small windscreen originally made for a Sportster I'll probably install. The SL 350 has smaller carbs than the CL and CB models. The intake ports are smaller as well to suit these carbs. I'm not positive, but the cam timing may be milder as well. I'll have to look at this when I tear down a couple of other 350 motor projects coming up. The whole idea with this bike is to build something that will be good for shorter camping trips up to the mountains and fishing, and that gets good gas mileage, as it looks like the greedy b***tards at the oil companies plan on jacking up prices, as usual for the summer.
I miss having a side car bike, so have been thinking about hitching one to the 550. That means I have to design a subframe for it. I've had side cars on CB and SL 350's, on a CB 450, but never a 550. Actually looking forward to this project. A friend of mine had one on his CB 750. It didn't have a subframe and eventually it broke part of the frame. The original owner had used the rear foot peg mount as a sidecar mounting point, and it put too much stress on the frame. We knew it was a possibility. Some day we will help him get his outfit going again. I've picked up a few spare 750 frames and we might swap his out and come up with a proper subframe as well. Other than the breakage problem his 750 was a joy to ride and handled great.
Time for breakfast and then get to work!!
Go and hook in mate, can't wait to see the results of both the de-sagging and the re-jigged Flying Wing . . . don't talk about what you guys are paying for guzzaline, it's $1.60+ per litre down here Laz . . . and that's on a good day.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe what gas gets in other parts of the world. Over here, when gas goes up it seems everything else follows suit except for paychecks...yep.. the rich keep getting richer, and the rest of us try to get by. Funny about 350 Hondas, I put a lot of miles on the road with Hondas of various sizes up to a 750. My 350's probably gave me the least grief. Somewhere I might still have a little sketch I did of one titled 'The Lonesome Tourer'. Back in the 70's I remember reading an article, probably in 'Cycle' magazine, about a brave Japanese man that drove a 350 round the world. So hear I am many years later, back on that page. I gotta check your friends collection out again.
ReplyDeleteGo go go go Gorilla :)
ReplyDeleteyeah, you go gorilla!
DeleteIf your building has an actual shed roof, and depending on its size, you should be able to use an engineered beam to span across the entire length and prevent the need for posts.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're going to be plenty busy.
That's a really good idea. The problem is, this thing is not only small, but the roof is extremely low. I would really like to put a conventional peaked roof on the sucker...but I'm only renting this place...and the local building inspections guys are a pain in the keister . But, I might go with a steel beam and try to forgo posts, or at the very least keep it down to one and paint it fluorescent pink. Yeah, gonna be busy. Also trying to figure how I'm going to get the lathe I bought two years ago in there and running. I have another spot across town....but I really want it all here where I hang my hat, for now.
DeleteHello ! Definitively you should open an instagram account. It's only photography and few comments (easier for me who doesn't have a good english) It's really a smooth way to share picture.
ReplyDeletewww.instagram.com/oliviabanana :)
Your English is plenty good, might be the rest of us don't possess good French (certainly in my case).I'll give it a shot, my cell-phone skills are growing.
ReplyDeleteI gave it the old college try,seem to have gotten stuck in some sort of fourth dimensional causality loop,loop, loop,loop, loop....
Delete