Cafer8cergirl

We Are Moving!

Officeheads — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:53:55 +0000

Cafer8cergirl’s blog has moved to

www.becks-garage.com.

No more posts will be made to this URL.

Please visit www.becks-garage.com to watch the progress on the Scat!

Motor Out!

Officeheads — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:21:10 +0000

Someone suggested I not to take this bike apart because I could lose interest and then all I would have is a bucket full of parts. I replied, “NO WAY!!” Well, my interested remains high but my business started to boom and I’m sad to report that I have not worked on the Scat Since September 12th! I solemnly swear that I will not let the winter pass without spending hours in my garage putting this back together. I need and I want to ride this bike when the tulips start to bloom!

On September 12th, with the assistance of a veteran restorer, I removed the one remaining screw with an impact driver, which allowed me to lift the motor out of the frame. Again :: thanks Joe B for the Kroil!
It looks to be in very good condition, so I will not be sending it out to be rebuilt. Comments?
I also purchased a Dremel. Something I’ve wanted for some time.
I worked in my garage until 3a, rockin’ to AC/DC and Boston with my Dremel in my hand!
I’m not sure my neighbors appreciated me that night. And I’m happy for the old and new friends who stopped by to chat.



To my fellow wrenchers who enjoyed the grease under my fingernails, I was more than thrilled to receive a gift of size SMALL gloves!


Look! I have the original Grasshopper tires! They are in good condition, too!


The chome is popping off. Looks like I’ll have to have them re-chromed. Any comments?

Another gift :: This highly coveted McMaster catalogue. Nice!
3:00a. Carnage for a good day’s work.

Davenport

Officeheads — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:55:29 +0000

I busted my girls out of school last Friday for a road trip to attend the 39th Annual AMCA Fall National antique motorcycle show and swap meet at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in Davenport IA. My buddies Diamond Jim and Joe Block said I would find all of my Scat parts at this event.

I went to a motorcycle swat meet in Sandwich, IL, but that was before I owned a motorcycle; before I wrenched. So, I consider this my first swap meet and SHIT! It was fantastic! At first I didn’t know what I was doing. I found a speedomotor :: but how did I know if it would fit? Where is the part number? Then I thought I found a break lever! Yikes, outside of Beck’s Garage and looking at thousands of rusty parts, everything looked the same! While my girls passed the time by counting how many men had beards, I asked a vendor how I would know to find my Scat parts. His sage advise :: ASK! Walk up to a vendor and ask if they have lightweight parts! So I asked him for practice and he said no. The next vendor, Fat Bob, said no and pointed me to Isle A to find a guy (with a beard) named Chink (who I never found). Slowly but surely we made our way through the meet seeing the COOLEST old bikes :: a ton of Indians, BSAs, Whizzers, bicycles! WOW! I was pointing out to my girls the beauty in these wonderful prizes but they only shrugged their shoulders and pointed out the rust. My love :: a bike you can see through. So, right now I’m loving the 1908 Indian Twin. Wow! Could I even imagine having something like that in my garage some day!? Well, you never know.

I struck gold when I met Leroy of Lange’s Hummer out of Washington state. I bought only two parts from him, but learned a lot including the names of folks who can (1) rebuild my engine and (2) rebuild my speedomoter.

Next, I found a fully restored and running scat but better yet, the owner, Clayton Olsen, was so kind to let me and my girls ride around the grounds on his Honda Passport and Scooter. This was the first time my girls have been on two wheels! Two minutes before they were hot and complaining and wanted to leave :: now they begged to stay at the meet so they could ride for hours! I managed to pry them away, but did return again on Saturday when Clayton was just as generous! When I get home I will upload photos of my girls zipping around. It was a beautiful site!! I met a few other guys on Saturday :: Mo and Bob :: but was dissappointed to see everyone breaking down or already gone. I’m so glad I arrived for Friday because Saturday was pretty much a bust.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the entertainment :: other than the people watching :: The flat track races on Friday night. My girls stayed back at the hotel to play while mom did some playing of her own! The smell and the sound and the excitment! It reminded me of another thing on my bucket list :: RACING! althought the bigger bikes were fun to watch because they are faster, my favorite were the…um…I’m gonna get this wrong! The really old bikes that you have to push to start. The wood track bikes? Help me here please! I love to see the old bikes RUN!

I’m looking forward to returning to my garage where I will tackle my frozen screw issue with a propane torch (Stephen, I will visit you only if I fail at the heat attempt). For now, it’s time to wake the girls to travel back home.

Subborn Screw

Officeheads — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:29:04 +0000

I will be done taking everything off the frame once the terribly stuck screw is removed.

I am bathing it in Kroil and trying it from time to time, but it is starting to strip. I’m trying to be very careful.

Any suggestions?

Unidentified Photo

Officeheads — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:24:51 +0000

This photo was taken after I removed the kick stand. My notes and my memory claim that was the last thing I did, yet here is this photo and I remember removing it. I’m sure I’ll figure it out!

Side Stand

Officeheads — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:30:22 +0000

Parts Manual page 31

Drive free the interior metal peg (#2) by hitting a screw driver with a hammer. Remove the stand (9) by pulling it out of the hole. Remove the washer (#4) and spring (10).
Remove screw (3) and lock washer (#5) with a flat head screw driver to remove the ramp (#14) which so happens to be broken.

Rear Fork Springs (Part 2)

Officeheads — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:25:47 +0000

AFTER rear fork is removed.
Remove bolts (9) and pull springs from frame.

Rear Fork

Officeheads — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:19:19 +0000

Parts Manual page 28

Remove left and right rear fork arm plug (#16). My buddy Steve helped me to loosen these buggers. Drove the support staff (#17) by hitting a long screw driver with a hammer.
Remove rear fork (#15). Large washers (#6) go in-between the frame and the rear fork to eliminate sliding back and forth.

Wire Harness Notes

Officeheads — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:18:55 +0000

The wire harness is not that complicated, and all wires originate from four wires coming from the magnito
The insulated wires that go to the stop light run along the frame under the engine.
Insulated yellow and red wires are run through the welded clamp in the frame.
the insulated wires that attach to the stop swich to under the rear break foot lever post.

Front Forks

Officeheads — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:18:17 +0000

Parts Manual page 27 || Service Manual page 2F-27

Remove outer fork tube (#27) with adjustable wrench.
Using a large flat head screw driver, pry open the gap in the tripple tree, and slide the forks down and out.
Removed Fork Stem Nut (#10) with a large adjustable wrench. I tapped the fork stem with a rubber mallet when the lower ball bearings fell to the ground.. I continued to tap the fork stem bracket from the steering head until the stem and bracket fell to the ground with the rest of the bearings.
Removed upper frame head (#13), upper bearing guard (#14) and stem cone to see 23 ball bearings (#15). Removed them with a magnetic stick. Pulled the fork sliders (#28/#29) and springs (#33) out of the fork tubes (#25). Removed boot clamps (#31 and #32) with flat head screw driver, pulled rubber boot (#30) off of the out fork tube (#25).
PAGE 51 :: removed speedometer cable clip (#14) from the right fork slider tube with 13MM rachet.