Perhaps I should just write all of this down and wait til I finish to start posting. Nothing like laying everything bare for the public eye to put the pressure on a man, but that’s okay it’s under control and everything’s gonna be alright. Before I started the teardown I just had to hear it run one more time, click here to have a listen for yourself. At the end it started to act like a runaway but settled back down a second or so after I let off the throttle, definitely a sign that it is running a bit lean. All the necessary bits to fix that are already en-route to my secret workshop as we speak.

Let’s get started

The seat just hit the scrap pile, notice that in a pinch you can substitute bandage tape & scotch tape for electrical tape, zip ties, & proper brackets.

I’m digging the old rhinestones glued to the rear fender aren’t you?

Here was the ingenious repair repair to the broken carb boot. McGyver would be proud. I must confess that if I were broke and/or stuck in the middle of nowhere I would do something like this to get home. New carb insulators inbound as I type this.

Hey it runs just like this.

And there were a large number of auxiliary fuses embedded all through the tape, of course all of them except for one had been bypassed….

This one has got me feeling more like a motor archeologist than a mechanic. Speaking of which if any of my readers can identify the object in the next two pictures would you please be so kind as to let me know. Thank you in advance for for being such fantastic and intelligent people.

if you know what it is please tell me

I was able to get the fender off without needing a tetanus shot.

a real rat bike fender

Looking a little bit cleaner…

The original shock mounts were used for the fender struts and the side mount license plate holder.

Fortunately the frame modifications all appear to be well done by someone that had a clue about welding. Can’t say the same about the decades of accumulated stuff that got put on it afterwards.

At least this is safer than no cotter pin at all.

I did a little more but will show you later as the UPS man just dropped off my new riding suit & I want to go try it on!

Peace Y’all