1935 VLD.......Reassemble

[Chessie Jake]

As some of you may know from my intro.post I started taking my bike apart several months ago and kept finding different things that the "used car salesman" that I bought if from had put on it when he or his "bike builder" LOL was restoring it. Well, I'm getting ready to start putting her back together and thought I would try to document the reassembly and also ask MANY questions as I do it. I'll include a bunch of pictures too!


1st Question: Any recommendations for grease?.....I was thinking about using Lucas X-tra heavy duty grease.




Thanks, Frank

[rudy]

Looking forward to it.
I have a 35RL I've been putting off for way to long.

[Steve Slocombe]

If you're going for a points bike you need to cadmium plate the fork cups. Deciding between building a judged bike or 'just a rider' is important before you start to get too far into it.

[Chessie Jake]

Thanks Rudy. Do you have any pictures? What's the difference between the RL and the VLD......Yes, I'm being lazy. I guess I could look it up in one of Steve Slocombe's great books.

[Chessie Jake]

Steve,
I'm getting impatient and running low on funds to continue to try and reassemble my bike with everything that I wanted to do to get it to be close to one of the beauties that I saw at my first AMCA meet in Dixon last year. I think for now I'm going to have to put it back together and as the funds come in, change some of those things that are still not going to be correct. Being as uneducated as I was, but slowly learning about my Flathead, I never thought it was going to be as expensive as it is to get parts. I'm going to go to the Hanford swap meet in central California and Dixon up here in the northern part of California in search of some parts and hope that I won't have to pay an arm and a leg for them. My intention was to ride a really nice looking bike, but when I saw those bikes in Dixon it really made me want to have something as close to original as possible. I'll have to check the stash to see if I have enough to take care of the cups or else they'll have to wait. I really appreciate you pointing that out and hope as I continue, you and others will let me know what isn't going to be correct on my bike. Thank you for everything Steve, I really appreciate your help as always.................any suggestions/advice on a good grease?

Thanks again,

Frank

[rudy]

Sorry, couldn't get a picture to work.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Jesse, I just use a regular bearing grease, but others may have better advice. If on a budget, and we all are, get the bike running first and find out what great fun the VLs are to ride. Then consider if you want to start down the slippery slope of a judged bike, but try to avoid it becoming a trailer queen that you don't want to use. I'm going for showroom bikes on my Website because that's my future pension and that's where the money is, but have put most miles on my '34 racer/bobber which is a blast to ride after a hard day at work. The old parts are getting hard to find and expensive. I sold out much of my inventory to the US dealers and at Oley had to buy back a couple of parts at my old retail price plus plus in order to finish a couple of project bikes dumped on me - ouch! The Dixon Meet is a good one, and check out my pal Steve White at Vintage Motorcycles Northwest in Spanaway WA who may be able to help you.

[Chessie Jake]

Steve,
Thank you for the advice. I think I'm gonna just stick with the Lucas since I have had a lot of views, but no input from anyone else but you and I already have it and it seems to be a pretty good heavy duty grease. My intention when I bought her was to ride her, but as you know, I started learning and seeing what was on her and what should be and started buying more and more nuts, bolts, lights, wiring, sheet metal and other stuff. I think out of frustration I just wanted to make it like one of those that I had seen at the shows. You're absolutely right, i just need to get her back together and ride. I'll keep hunting for parts and will contact Steve White in the future. As usual, thank you again for all the information and advice.

Frank

[Chessie Jake]

Hello ALL!!
Sorry that it has taken so long to post again, but ran into a couple more set backs that I'm still trying to work out. Money, knowledge and parts are my biggest problems. Speaking of knowledge, if anyone is around the Tri-Valley (Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin) area in Northern California that I can bend their ear and also have them do some of the things that are just way over my head, I'm willing to pay a reasonable amount so I can get my bike going again. I replaced the springs in my seat post, some of them were broken and I'm pretty sure I had the skinny guy springs in there the way they were bottoming out when I sat on it. I took a look at my brake cross bar and no surprises there (no grease) I'll include pics.. I started to put my tranny in and decided to compare what I have now to what I had when I bought it. Found more things that either were left off, put on because, as I have said before, the used car salesman that I bought it from, didn't give a damn. I've included some more pics. try not to laugh or shake your head too much!


IMG_0728 2.jpgIMG_0764 2.jpgIMG_0765.jpgIMG_0818.jpg

[Chessie Jake]

.........More Pics.
Not trying to insult those that know..............
Pics. 1&2 are the seat post
Pics. 3,4,5 Brake crossover.... of course, no grease !!!!!

IMG_0862.jpgIMG_0874.jpgIMG_0877.jpgIMG_0879.jpgIMG_0881.jpg

[knucklehead 61]

doug feinsod in santa cruz & dave kafton in the stockton area are both knowledgeable with V series bikes.

[Chessie Jake]

Knucklehead 61,

Thanks a lot for the names and locations. Any chance you have a phone number or e-mail for Dave? I tried googling him and found some video's, but no personal info.. I wanted to try Dave first since he is closer. Really appreciate the help.

Thanks again,

Frank

[knucklehead 61]

Knucklehead 61,

Thanks a lot for the names and locations. Any chance you have a phone number or e-mail for Dave? I tried googling him and found some video's, but no personal info.. I wanted to try Dave first since he is closer. Really appreciate the help.

Thanks again,

Frank

sorry, I don't have his contact info, but he will probably be at the Dixon meet.