27 JD Restoration

[Steve Swan]

So, i am fitting together the chassis. all the parts are going together with only a minimum of adjustments.

however, i do not seem able to mount the horn properly. when i have the left side bolted to it's bracket i have at least 1" of gap on the right. because i cannot seem to fit the horn, i am led to believe:
1. i am assembling things wrong,
2. missing parts, or
3. the reproduction parts are not made to spec.

i would appreciate your help. thanks in advance.20160122_211102.jpg

[Steve Swan]

Excellent build Steve. I just read the whole thread. Thanks for sharing. I love the paint can story.

Kevin

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Thanks,Kevin. i regularly follow your PP thread, i enjoy it alot.

Yes, i remember that paint can since i was 6 years old and my Dad telling me about his Harley Davidson. it sat on a shelf in his garage for decades until he died 1991.

[Shaky Jake]

Excellent build Steve. I just read the whole thread. Thanks for sharing. I love the paint can story.

Kevin

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[Steve Swan]

Really is inspiring to see the engine in the frame...... ! i will appreciate comments if i am missing something or not doing something correctly.
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[Steve Swan]

Today, i got to spend some time with the JD.

First i fit the LH case to the frame. When the case was bolted at rear lug, i had about a .030" gap between front frame/case lugs. A very minimal amount of filing was required to relieve rust pitting on frame lugs and around the circumference of the holes in aluminum case lugs lugs. Front and rear the case lugs seat exactly flat against the frame lugs. 20160119_122103.jpg20160119_115113.jpg20160119_131707.jpg

Next, installed cylinders. Top mounts are all Competition Distributing parts. The eccentric washers and inside of the forked area of the cylinder brackets were not smooth, the washers would not fit inside the bracket, so i polished them enough to create a slip fit. also the brackets were very slightly too wide to fit cleanly in the channel of the top frame lug, so i polished the edges to get a firm but sliding fit. 20160119_140153.jpg20160119_140211.jpg

[Steve Swan]

They did get a good match, but they darn well should have considering the sample you gave them

Tim, our local automotive Painter's Supply paint man is known in the region for having a good eye and experience matching paint. he is always pretty stoic when you talk to him, but paint is his passion. it was really great when i brought in that can of paint, he knew immediately it was pine based and said, "it can't be good." i told him my dad would never have opened the can, unless he had a use for the paint, which of course he would not have and my Dad, being a depression era working adult, would never "waste" the paint as well as the can was a link to his carefree youth. Tim literally grabbed the can out of my hands, said, "We'll see, i'll shake it up." He came back about 10" later with a "chip" from the can, SMILING BROADLY and said, "Matching this one is on me!"

enclosed is a pic of back side of can, before i got 27JD11090, over the decades i would look at, hold this can shake the can..... probably 15 years ago, it sprang a leak at the seam, leaking a delightful sticky smelly turpentine smell. VERY CONCERNING because i KNEW SOMEDAY, i would have a JD and would need that paint. So, i like triple wrapped the can in saran wrap and would periodically shake the can to see if i could hear fluid volume moving around, which i could and the sound of the contents when i would shake the can would always sound the same. So i was pretty confident when the day came, i'd have a sample of paint for a match..... And now... you have the rest of the story !

i also enclose pic of application instructions. What care and attention went in to building these motorcycle in that era.

One of the great things about this passion we have, who knew an old can of paint could be so much fun !

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[exeric]

They did get a good match, but they darn well should have considering the sample you gave them

[Steve Swan]

i have had the paint from my Dad's can of touch up paint matched, it appears to be an exact match.
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[Steve Swan]

Here is my lower end assembly, i just got it back from Truett & Osborne last month. They fit slightly undersize rollers to help trap oil in the lower end bearing assembly, the side play is .007" new bushings and drive side bearing race/bearings fitted. i intend to separate the cases, remove flywheel assembly, fit the left case to frame. after case is fit to frame, then will put cases together, install cylinder studs, install unassembled cylinders to cases and fit the engine "core" to lower and upper mounts. once engine's fitted to frame, then cases will come apart to be painted Olive Green. not quite ready to actually get to that point, as i am working on other projects, but pictures will follow. but, being at the stage where i could set the frame on the lift was a huge step forward. i am really excited, but i shall proceed methodically and deliberately. the cam is Mark Masa's.

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[Steve Swan]

Well, it's been a year last September since my last post. Alot of progress has taken place. i will be posting pictures and will try to have some in depth photos as the project progresses. As you know, i basically started with a 27 frame, engine, trans, ft/rr wheel hubs. i have restored many motorcycles over the decades and had a much more full scale shop in an earlier life.... The JD is the "deepest" project i have ever taken on, and with a bent frame, broken crank cases, twisted and freeze burst forks, i will say i had quite a handful, especially considering i do not have the heavy equipment to do such major repairs, have a shortage of shop space and since i intend the 27 to be my only old motorcycle project, it does not seem practical nor is it economically feasible to buy the the equipment to bring back to life a restoration project of such depth. So, i decided i would need help from various guys who are familiar with JD's and work on them as a vocation/avocation. That being said, i must take the this space to sincerely thank several really great guys and hope to have the privilege of meeting them some day, as i do intend on attending a couple meets where these guys attend. So, a great thank you to: Mark Masa, Jon Neuman, Bob Luland, Tom Feeser, Marty MacCallom, Jim and Paul Osborne. and, of course the AMCA, for having this discussion board i have diligently studied. i feel really fortunate to have found such a great group of guys to aid my efforts, as i had never seen a JD until i bought mine and have spent many hours researching literature, studying pictures, talking to JD good fellows on the phone, email, etc. Although i am "doing it the hard way," i really am quite proud of the fact i am bringing a motorcycle back to life that started with not a whole lot there in the first place. about all i have left as far as missing parts go are some nuts, bolts, washers and a couple miscellaneous parts.

enclosed you'll find my frame on the lift. i am planning there will be two builds. the first "build" will be an actual fitting together of all the parts i have to make sure everything FITS like it's supposed to. The goal is to have a properly operating, well running motorcycle when the first build is complete. then i will take the bike apart and apply the different finishes to the various parts. Then the 2nd or final build of assembling the restored parts. i would really love to run the engine on a test stand before i actually drive the motorcycle down the road for the first time. we'll see........

i most definitely welcome and i do ask for constructive comments, particularly if you see me doing something or missing something that could be done a better/easier way, create a problem or be a mistake.

i will be post pics as things go together.

So anyway, here are a couple pics of frame on lift as well as a couple other pics of a couple restorations i just finished in my shop.

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[Steve Swan]

It's been a while since i last posted on my 27JD, i've actually got quite a bit of work done. here is a picture of the crankcase repair at the rear mount, unfortunately i did not take a picture of the rear mount pair of cracks that extended in to the crank pan it's self. Also a picture of my chassis assembly, making sure everything fits.

[Steve Swan]

one last pics of gears in place spin easy and free.

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[Steve Swan]

So, i've made it a little further ! posted pics of my generator drive case, the weld repair, new bushes in gears and complete assembly. of course the thin lip of the hole the generator shaft was over half broken out.

Next week i will have my crankcases back, will find a time in the near future when my friend and i can assemble and true the flywheels. Of course, using all new pins, roller bearings, bushings, etc. (from Comp.D.)

i've been studying the 1918 "MC Repair Manual for the Guidance of the MC Repair Man" how to size left and right bearings, then align bushed cases to fit flywheel assembly to cases.

What i am going to ask next is a HUGE favor, if anyone can and will help me.

When the time comes, since i'm fitting new, the right timing side bronze bushing and the left drive side steel bushing, it seems certain i'll need the lining bar GK-862. Would anyone who is brave enough and would trust me, loan me their tool ? i would pay insurance and postage to and from and some extra for gratitude to use the tool.

i could get my friend to make one up, but it will be more time and money to make a tool i'll only use once.

Thank you sincerely for your consideration and help to date.

Steve Swan 970.443.2432 sandcast232@...
Fort Collins , Colorado

PS planning to use aerosol Glyptal 1201-A to coat my inner cases, since i've seen other guys use Glyptal. Thoughts ?

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[Steve Swan]

hi Gary, i can't remember being at Woody's.....

[gww]

morn n Steve, look n good, your moving right along. good on you. just trying to put a face to the name, where you at the meeting at Woodys Wheels monday? gary from Falcon