Johnny Cash Special - Suzonda 2smoker

[NoRiders]

Bit more done today....made a start on the lower rear engine mount tabs. The twin tabs will be welded to a steel tube sleeving the footpeg and brake lever mounting spindle that passes through the frame.
They'll need finishing, but fit snug.
So pleased to make use of my new pillar drill to drill 10-12-14mm holes.



Cant upload an image as file is too large....later.

[NoRiders]

Found some time after dinner to sort through some of my stash, looking for a braided brake line long enough to reach the front caliper.....and....viola!!

Found one of the screw to union type, off a pair of Brembos I won't be using, and it fits perfectly.

Just threw the caliper together as I fitted the union. Needs cleaning and painting, then it'll bolt straight on.



I think I've got an idea for a fork brace and guard mount.....more anon

[NoRiders]

My son mentioned to me that I never show the workings or method of some of my shed engineering efforts.....he's persuaded me to show the process of making a simple engine mount...so here goes.

I could see that I needed a U bracket with two tabs (ears) to reach the forward lower engine mounts from the lower factory frame mounting points on the cradle. So, rather like the factory, I devised a length of threaded bar, a steel tube sleeve and that I'd use steel box section to form the U....keeping it simple but strong I hope.

Steel 50x100x3mm box section bought off ebay and chopped to the width I needed using an angle grinder an 1mm cutting disc (my go to tool)...



A quick go on my bench belt sander ( the best £20 I've spent) saw the burrs knocked off it..



My idea was to have the steel sleeve run through the lower U to maintain strength in the U and fix it in position between the cradle rails.....so holes were bored using my birthday gift of a hobby pillar drill and step drill bits.





..and, no I hadn't forgotten one...:) ...just needed to measure off the first hole to get it positioned correctly.



So, with a bit of fettling, I ended up with this.....ready to weld.



...and this is it in position (ignore the broken case mount, the GT engine is sound).....I think I'll brace the centre across the tabs when I weld it.



I'll be trimming the sleeve to add a washer to each end before buttoning it up.

This is my metalworking basic tool kit....shed engineering :)



Sorry, if this is telling you how to suck eggs, but it is saves for posterity and may be useful to other novice builders. :)

[85RZwade]

Good to see the details of your progress, and hats off to your son for the encouragement. You're right about the belt sander, they're more handy than you'd think.
Welding time, make some smoke!

[NoRiders]

Good to see the details of your progress, and hats off to your son for the encouragement. You're right about the belt sander, they're more handy than you'd think.
Welding time, make some smoke!

Thanx Wade.

I fancied painting today....



Not brilliant, but not bad.

[NoRiders]

The conundrum that was the rear brake master cylinder, type, style, position and operation has finally come together. Lots n lots of thunking and I drummed up this cobbled together hotch potch of parts...



I spotted this reverse crank operation and it instantly gave me the option that I was trying to find.



The reverse m/c allowed me to mount it upright and the crank operation still connects to the brake pedal. The alloy mount is where I got a bit creative....right in the way was the original 400/4 rear brake pivot shaft tube, butchering it out would've been just that, so to avoid cutting it, I employed it as the principle m/c mounts point.

I used some M10 threading and sleeved this out with regular nuts and a reversed flanged nyloc that sits in the tube snug, with 15mm of threading showing, enough to hold the 3mm alloy mount and take a flanged nyloc. The other end is a simple nut/spring washer to hold it all.

To avoid the bracket turning on the single bolt I've used a long M6 m/c mounting bolt which sits on the rear footpeg subframe.

It looks a bit messy at the moment, the footpeg extender frame will be painted out and I have in mind a guard of some sort for the brake mechanism but once everything is painted and tidied it'll hopefully look a bit better.....we'll see.

[NoRiders]

Update: I paid the linkage and fittings some attention....getting there ;)



Plus added a heel protector...to burnish or to satin black?...hmmm?

[NoRiders]

A day of detailing:

I routed the braided flexi I had kicking around, from the m/c up and over to the swingarm guide tags and caliper, as the banjo was flat I had to offset how it sat by going between the torque arm and wheel...not happy with that.



Happily, my job lot of braided lines I got for the Honda produced a suitable hose with a slightly angled banjo...this allowed it to sit where I wanted it and for it to pass between the shock and torque arm...much better.



I then set about sorting the front braided line.....again, a line that came with a pair of Brembo calipers suited perfectly...and as I was attaching it to the master cylinder I had to smarten that up a touch. I used the same method as on the Honda, burnished the reservoir cap, fitted it back with buttonhead allens, satin blacked the body and fitted with stainless allenheads...clean, simple...not too fussy or blingy.





Clutch lever came out OK too



I'll be using grey Renthal grips which should set it all off nicely I reckon. I'll fit a single mirror.

I've ordered f/r pads...so once fitted I just night give them a bleed :)

[NoRiders]

Sometimes, it's the little wins......



dealer wanted £6+ for a locking tab...bugger that, I don't mind spending when it matters, but a piece of thin metal...nah! I knocked this up in 15 mins....it'll do :)

Carry on....

[NoRiders]

Had a good day yesterday and got on with stuff...

The oil reservoir tank arrived, looks excellent quality and good value too (£26 ebay)...the dimensions were the closest I could find with the largest capacity for the given space, namely the redundant 400/4 factory airfilter box. I planned on keeping as much of the structure as possible, stil need to house a battery and the electrics mount to bespoke brackets on the leftside....so careful slicing was in order.

So I had to shoehorn in the tank......by slicing down the sides of the airbox and removing a piece from the battery side (I can use a thinner battery, 60mm rather than 75-80mm) I could retain the tank mounting flanges...





My careful measurements worked out....the level sight gauge just fitted through the oval air flow outlet ;)

Quite a big slice out of the side, but need's must as they say.



Anyhow, a bit of cutting n shutting later and it fitted snugly and in position looks like it'll work. Just a shame not much of the tank will be seen.



Here's the sight gauge which can bee easily viewed from 'outside'....that'll work.



I'll need to figure out a way of reconnecting the airbox sides to retain some strength, thinking about making 90* angled slip on corner clips, so I can release the tank if I have to. No sense permanently boxing it in by welding....hmmm?



Just need to bore an access hole for the lower oil feed and sort a breather as well as plug the outlets I'll not be using.

I had a think about the seat unit and how I'd mount it. Access to the oil tank is crucial and I had thought to fix the unit to the subframe with a slide off seat pad and access hole in the fibreglass for top ups.
However, in the mocking up, I thought the entire seat unit could be lift off, which would retain strength and structure and be just as easy for access.

I'd saved the seat subframe 'bridge' off the CBX project and pressed it into service here as the centre mount. Two timber strips, glassed in eventually, will form the front side support and raise, to align with the lower fuel tank edge, the unit to the correct angle.



The rear support is just that, a support rather than a mount.



I made this out of a bath tub support 'foot', massaged into shape and bolted to the stock bridge, it'll act as a rear unit support and cushioned with a rubber T to aid lateral seat position.

I'll explore the options on using an over centre latch on both side of the centre bridge, so clip on clip off would be possible. I'll locate the bridge on rubber feet and some form of locator so it doesn't shift sideways while in use. MOre to follow...

With the seat unit at the height it will finally be, I could mock the rear light unit/reg plate position. I'll form a x bracket from the subframe ends which will also hold the indicators. I might even form a cover plate/tunnel from light unit to bridge to cover and fill in the void. The angle of the plate mount will be altered so the plate becomes a splash guard, it's too upright at the moment, needs a few degrees more.



The eagle eyed among you might have spotted the factory inner rear guard in place, I plan to use this to minimise spray and keep shit away from the carb intakes.



I couldn't resist proppoing the headlight shroud in place to see the overall look....me likey :)

Thanks for checking in.

[economan]

I Christen your build the  " Johnny Cash Special "  ( one piece at a time ) 

I also likey, good job and thanks for sharing.

[NoRiders]

I Christen your build the  " Johnny Cash Special "  ( one piece at a time ) 

I also likey, good job and thanks for sharing.

Haha...it certainly feels like that.....bits n pieces & parts from all over the state...:)

I keep switching from one area/system to another as they're all related and the effect of adding/working on one part has a direct affect on another....and so it goes...round n round.

[NoRiders]

Playing around with ideas about how to secure the mount on the seat unit and came up with a shoe arrangement that the feet of the bridge can sit in, there's a backstop and along with a pair of over-centre latches (on order) I should have a quick release secure seat unit that'll remove in seconds.



I used for the shoes cuts off an ex drawer runner I kept in my scrap bin. They'll look OK when painted and are largely hidden, they'll do.

I plan on fitting two ¬ shaped location lugs along the front side edge which will also prevent sideways movement.

Thanks for checking in...

[NoRiders]

Bit of a set back on the numberplate mount....I don't like it!!

Mounted the light unit in a semi-tucked position, so reasonably good vision from most angles. But, the plate is ugly and awkward hung like that.....not sure, but think it might be better lower down??





Black plate...



Am I being a dick?....maybe a smaller plate, the smallest I can get away with.....not even sure of the bright yellow (UK regs state this is the colour combo, with black lettering) and size does matter from a legal standpoint and a visual one too.

Got to take a step back and rethink this....

In other news, a rather nifty device turned up....a pressure operated rear brake light switch....



much neater than a cumbersome mechanical switch and associated paraphinalia, I like it...hope the Chinesium in it works?

[NoRiders]

One step forward and two steps back......number plate position is vexing me...not entirely happy with any of the options, but once the mock plate was trimmed and positioned exactly, excess mount metal disguised and trying to envisage it painted up....I think I've finally found a position I can love with.



If I introduce a slight curve to the plate that may help too.

Toying with a black background white digit reg plate, not strictly UK legal, but not out of place and I've had zero trouble on the Honda, save for MOT time,, and this won't require one...ir I choose too, I'll get a yellow/black plate just for the pass.

I've abandoned the over centre latch idea I had to securing the seat unit and will employ a single Dzus fastener to engage with the bridge support under the rear end.....not a smooth finish but Dzus look cool, so I'm OK with that. Twist n turn version ordered.

Also ordered the fibreglass kit to bond in the timber spacers along with h/d 42mm exhaust clamps as I have an idea how to manage an extension to the Microns.....more anon.