1925 JD Cannonball Bike

[Jerry Wieland]

Today instead of doing typical 4th of July things I worked on my front fender in 90 to 100 degree heat. I had called Tom at Replicant on Tuesday and he did not have the strap pieces I needed. He does not make the JD fenders but merely sells them for the guy that does.

The first thing I did was to make the strap brackets using the NOS ones that Mark Masa loaned me as a pattern. I basically traced them with black marker and then cut them out on a vertical band saw. Then I shaped them close using a floppy disc grinder and also a dremel. The original ones from Mark were approximately .144" thick and I have no idea what fractional thickness that is but I used 1/8" (.125") hot rolled flat stock.



Then it was a matter of fitting and trying the wheel numerous times to make sure that I positioned the fender right as compared to the travel of the wheel. I also had to heat and bend the straps because the reproduction fender has the straps mounted in a slightly different place plus the difference of 1" in the length of the fork.







It was probably more work than these pictures let on.

I am a bit worried about trying to straighten the narrow fork relief. The metal is probably stretched and I might have to slit and reweld to accommodate the extra metal.



Jerry

[BigLakeBob]

Making any progress? You must be working and not posting, a good sign I hope. Bob

[Jerry Wieland]

Bob That is basically it. We are at the point where everything is trying to come together. We are waiting for the sheet metal and the engine crank assembly. Frame, fork, foot controls, tailight, transmission, both wheels and front brakes, headlight are done. Horn is almost done. Waiting on a repop rear drum from Europe, haven't started on the handlebars. Some of the plating is done and some is ready to go and what I miss is going to get spray can. Engine rotating assembly will be done Thursday, sheetmetal should be back on Friday. Cylinders are done and valves will be done tomorrow night.

The thing that has really set me back is my job. We have been slow for 3 years until this spring and now they want 12 hour days.

I have a ton of pictures but haven't taken the time to load them.

And yes I am worried about not getting done.


Jerry

[Jerry Wieland]

Here is the sheet metal back from the painters. Chad Clapper of Clear Lake, Iowa did the body work and the painting. He removed the dimples that were in the front fender to clear the early fork and it is impossible to see where they were. They look much better in person than they do in my lousy pictures.

[c.o.]

Lookin' good Jerry!!!

[gww]

BEAUTIFULL .. you ve done some outstanding labors. you ought to be proud of your acomplishments..

[Jerry Wieland]

I have been a little slack on posting pictures. Here is some work that has been going on repairing the foot controls. First picture shows the worn out stud and also the new one I made to replace it. Second picture shows the finished product - new stud peened in.

[Jerry Wieland]

On the brake side strap I also had to do some modifying. The rear brake that I am using is the double brake that was available for export bikes from 1924 to 1927. It consisted of the collapsing as all JD were equipped with plus it had an internal expanding band brake run by a totally separate pedal. Tommo from this website was gracious enough to supply me with most of the pieces for this brake. Missing was the rod and the spring bracket on the pedal strap that returned the rod. Mark Masa loaned me an original set-up to copy.

The next photos detail the work to make that bracket.













Jerry

[Jerry Wieland]

Due to an injury sustained to my left hand I have not been able to work on the bike for 3 weeks. It has become painfully obvious (literally) that it will not be ready for the Cannonball Run.

I am very sorry for disappointing everyone that was cheering me on and especially those whose helped in my quest. I will post a list of the names later.

Thanks Jery

[gww]

i am very sorry, i think i know how bad you wanted to pull this off. and all the quality work you ve put towards it. hope your hand heals up fine. you will be missed on the Ball. gw

[exeric]

I'm sorry to hear that Jerry. You did an amazing amount of work, and showed great creativity in how you fixtured parts to get them straight, or back to structural soundness. I really admire that you did all of your own work because that is the true spirit of guys like Cannonball Baker, Wells Bennet, and Maldwyn Jones. On the bright side, you'll have a fantastic JD to have fun with, and there are always new places to ride to.

[PSchack]

Sorry to hear that Jerry. Hope your hand heals well and that you are right handed. There's always next year.
Best regards,
Phil

[c.o.]

Jerry.... sorry to hear about the injury and the fact it puts you out of the Cannonball. I've followed your thread with great interest and have been really impressed with what you've accomplished so far. One way to look at it is you have plenty of time now and should be ahead of the game for the next one!!!

[sirhrmechanic]

Bummer about the hand.

Maybe we'll see you at the Pewter Run instead!

Hope you heal up soon and we'll be cheering just as hard for you in 2013 as we were for you this year.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[davewild]

Thanks for a very interesting thread, I have been following it from the beggining, hope your hand heals real quick.

Dave