82 XJ 1100 "Naked Boy" project - Finished

[lee_dutcher]

Why is it every time I think a piece is in good enough condition just to buff I end up at the sink pissed off an hour and a half later sanding away?

I seem to do this all the time and you would of thought I would of leaved by now.

Conclusion:
I've you spend more the 10 mins at the buffer then you probably didn’t sand it enough first.

Well as it turns out the motor didn’t go into the bike today. As we were scrounging up all the pieces needed to mount it in the bike we realized that there was no way in hell all those dirty ass bolt were going into that pretty motor and frame. So Salty Dog fashioned an miniature (5 gal Bucket) sized electrolysis tank. And I hit the buffer.

Here are the foot peg brackets I polished and painted the black stripes into.



Here a handful of the bits and pieces that Salty Dog cleaned up and then clear coated. Hopefully the motor can go in tommorow, but hey as somebody pointed out, why rush it.



Later yall
~Camel

looking very good. the black strip on the peg holder look really good. gives me a little inspiration to do that as well

[thecamelman79]

looking very good. the black strip on the peg holder look really good. gives me a little inspiration to do that as well

I took 500 degree black and sprayed it into a baby food jar, Then I dapped it nice and thick in the slot with a small paint brush, and took a tightly drawn rag over my finger to wipe off all the excess black paint, after the second coat it looks like plastic in there if you put it nice and thick.

[DGXSER]

One day I will learn enough patience to get those kind of polishing results. Amazing to me. I've tried, but never get close.

[lee_dutcher]

I took 500 degree black and sprayed it into a baby food jar, Then I dapped it nice and thick in the slot with a small paint brush, and took a tightly drawn rag over my finger to wipe off all the excess black paint, after the second coat it looks like plastic in there if you put it nice and thick.

i wont do black i would do gold or red or blue, somthing to match my bike

[thecamelman79]

i wont do black i would do gold or red or blue, somthing to match my bike

The Judge has always been one of the bikes on here that I thought really looked good. If you could match that stripe on your tank I think that would look sweet!

[thecamelman79]

A Mile Stone Has Been Reach!

The mating of frame and motor has now been completed.

It actually went together smooth as silk.

With the oil filter removed we laid the motor over on the Starboard side onto sponge so as not to scratch up all the shiny bits, and put more blocks under the fins and clutch cover to keep the motor nice and steady.





Then with Salty on the head and me on the tail we finessed the frame over the motor and inserted all the mounting bolts. Not a single scratch to frame or motor during the operation.





Then we lifted her back up right. Put a short stool next to her. We both lifted him up and set it on the stool to get a new hand grip. With a new grip and a lot of motivation we lifted him up and on our patented bread cart caster, refurbish black and decker work mate engine stand. (and to think we were going to throw this thing away a couple of months ago?)

Once in place we put two short blocks of 2x4 under the frame rails so the oil filter and pan would be off the deck. Then took some foam pipe insulation and put it on the frame were it was resting on the 2x4s. Salty dog took some more pipe insulation and cargo straps and wrapped them around a horizontal frame member on the rear and around the motor mount in the front, and lightly ratcheted them done to the stand to keep the bike steadfastly secure.

Next we started to attach all the little bits and pieces we had already cleaned up to the bike, remembering to get that PITA air box in first.







We still have a lot of work ahead of us but it is moving along quickly. I think Salty is going to tackle the wire-ring harness clean up (he's forgotten more about electrical then I’ve ever learned) and I'm going to stick to cleaning up shiny bits and pieces.

We made a hand shake deal today that no matter what we are doing however small “No dirty parts go back on the bike with out a proper cleaning and possible paint first”

We still need a Starboard side Side cover for Cheap if any one has an extra one they want to part with or trade (I have a 82 xj650 parts bike and some other odds and ends laying around)
A drive shaft boot
Upper fork tubes
Starboard side heat shield for pipes.
Right hand wire cover on handle bars.
Little black caps that go in the swivel on the handle bars.
Maybe a set of coils if we can't get these ones to work right

I know I can buy most of this stuff but if any of you have it I would prefer trading.

Be safe, and smile because summer is right around the corner!
~Camel

[Jerry]

Have been following this thread with great interest, as a rebuild like this has been a goal of mine for some time. Great job!

[psycoreefer]

thats going to be one nice ride when your done, something your really can be proud of.

[bg241ihc]

Following this project is both inspirational and frustrating at the same time. I am currently building up an 1980 XS1100G and When I see what is possible, I realize that I need to go back and re think many of the things that I have (half assed) done already.

Thanks for all the great ideas.

No thanks for all the great ideas.

[lee_dutcher]

The Judge has always been one of the bikes on here that I thought really looked good. If you could match that stripe on your tank I think that would look sweet!

Thanks for the comments . i wish i had you patience with the polishing skills. i always start at 220 and rush thru the grits and end up with a semi polished/ brushed aluminum look

[bg241ihc]

Thanks for the pix of the buffing. I have never tried it before but was inspired to give it a try especially the sanding part that I had never considered.

Here is a picture of my efforts showing an unbuffed piece and then of my first attempt at it. About 45 minutes of work. I think it would have come out even better if I had the correct progression of sand paper but I only had an 800 and 1200 on hand. Followed with a gray then brown buffing on sewn wheel and a white on a loose wheel.



Question is, is it recommended to use some kind of clear finish on the aluminum after the buff job?

[thecamelman79]

Question is, is it recommended to use some kind of clear finish on the aluminum after the buff job?

That is a subject of great debate. There are pros and con to both side.

My thoughts, If you are a fair weather rider that wants to keep that mirror finish then polish and wax is the way to go. The wax will provide a nice air tight seal that will prevent oxidation and keep your part glossy. I talso allows you to re-buff out a new scatch out easier should you decide.

If you mearly want to keep it respectiable shined up, then a clear coat would work great, providing durablility, but considering this stuff gets hot I would use a clear powder coat, or high temp ceramic based paint. Any thing you use though is sure to dull your shine. Also you are going to have to make sure to give your part a good acetone bath first and make sure it is perfectly clean. This part alone is sure to scatch your part even more. Down sides to clear coating is should you get a good scatch in the peice then you will have to remove the clear coat before buffing can happen and then of course repaint.

There are also a couple of products out there like Zoop Seal, and Shark Skin that are suposed to work real good maintaining a little higher shine, while being easier to remove if needed then paint, but they are pretty pricey and I've never tried them.

Then of course there is the yellowing argument. The paints on the market today are 1000% better then there were 28 years ago and I think it would take alot of UV and outside exposeure to the elements before this would accure now days, but hey what do you think an unpainted wax part would look like under the same conditions.

I like Polishs becuase a quick rub down and wax once a month keeps it looking like the day you buffed it.

But hey! If you like purple and tassles then good for it.

Your part looks great by the way! I call it "Seed chrome" once you do one peice and install it it is amazing how it seems to grow to other parts of the bike In other words it makes the rest look like **** and you cant stand it!

[bg241ihc]

I like that comment about "seed chrome". You aint kiddin about my desire to pull the all the other covers off this bike and about three others out back.

Looks like I will have to start buying wet dry paper and polishing grit in bulk

[bg241ihc]

By the way, some one here at work poo poo'd my wasted effort and told me that a tube of something called "Flitz" would do the same job without any elbow grease. I am not sure if I can believe that.

Anyone have any experience with stuff like that?

[crazy steve]

'Flitz' is a good product (rather expensive though) that works well for keeping a polished finish maintained. But for bringing back a cover (like your alt cover in the pic) it would be a waste of time.

Clear-coating polished aluminum? Somebody is always looking for the 'magic bullet' that will keep that nice shine without the work of continued polishing, but it doesn't exist (advertising claims to the contrary). The more durable the coating, the harder it will be to remove when you get the inevitable chip or scratch and corrosion starts again under the coat. That's just the way it is....