Cobrafreak's board track racer project, has ended

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

Well i think that the idle adjustment screw is the ONLY thing you can adjust on these carbs other than changing jets, but thats another story.. Oh and Cobrafreak, if you haven't already locktite every bolt on that thing DO; and make sure they all are nylocks.. When you start that thing up it will do its best to shake itself to pieces..

I found this on the internet. Needle jet carbs like the one I have can be adjusted by moving the needle up or down. Great news! I have 5 positions that I can put the needle at. If I am getting poor running due to too much air I can raise the clip to richen the mixture. I don't think what I did is going to change the fuel to air ratio though, but if it does, I can fix it.

"Needle Jet. This jet doesn't really even look like a jet, but it is ! It controls the fuel mixture from 15% to 60% open throttle. It sets in the center of the carb, right over the main jet.
Jet Needle. This is the needle that rides in the throttle slide and goes into the needle jet. This needle controls the fuel mixture from 20% to 80% open throttle. It can come in many different sized tapers. Sometimes, one needle can have several tapers on it. The top end of the needle has grooves cut in it, usually five, and you can move the little clip on the end up or down to lean (down) or richen (up) the mixture. Most late model bikes have needles with only one groove cut in them. This is so you can't richen the mixture, thereby keeping the EPA happy."

I'm a locktite guy. Everything gets locktite red or blue depending what it is. If it's too hot for locktite I use lock washers.

 

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

I love the look of this bike and you are giving me lots of inspiration. I do have some input though just looking at some things. I have a 1978 Baretta Moped that I have done a lot of tinkering with and I noticed somethings. If the carb on the engine you put on this bike does not have a separate idle jet and adjustment then changing the size of the filter or the air resistance completely throws off the mixture at idle. The engine will die upon take off with say too much air. I'm not sure how this carb works just wanted to make sure before you got really excited about that sweet air cleaner. I fought with this problem on my moped for too many hours. 2 cycles are very touchy.

Thanks, I am also getting inspiration from others previous builds as well. We are all learning together.
Still using the stock air filter. All the brass is doing is hiding the hideous looking Chinese Red stock filter. If I am getting too much air I can move the needle clip to adjust the mixture.

 

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

These are self explanatory. I ordered 2 for the tank and they sent me 4. Now I can make 2 mistakes and still make everything work. I like that.

 

[Fireproof]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

Cool project . . . I look forward to seeing it in person someday! 8)

 

[Motopecane]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

Ahh good idea covering the stock air filter. I was just making sure you were aware of this problem. Keep up the good work!

 

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

My Son and I didn't like the loud noise coming from the stock hard plastic chain adjuster wheel. My Son had and idea to use an old skateboard wheel so we took my old skateboard and took a wheel off and chucked it up to the drill press and machined a groove into it for the #415 chain and it works super. Very very quiet. Oh, I welded the clamp-on chain adjuster just because I wanted to minimize the bracket.

I wanted to do all 1/4 inch copper fuel line from the tank to the fuel filter to the carburetor. The problem is the carb is threaded for 8mm 1.00 thead and I needed 1/8 inch pipe thread. So I drilled and tapped the carburetor for 1/8" 27 pitch and now I can run my copper fuel line. I think all the copper line will really set off the look of the bike.

 

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

I got the fuel line and fuel filter as set.

 

[Motopecane]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

you should post some more full shots soon I'm itching to see how all these little touches work together.

 

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

Well I fired her up and rode around for about 4 or 5 miles. Had a lot of fun. I'll ride it around for a week or so as a shake down and when I am satisfied that everything is operating smoothly I'll tear her apart and start the finishing prep. I'll post more full pictures when I get it out this weekend. The bike looks total rat rod right now. Rusty raw metal everywhere. I'm sure some will say "don't touch it, leave it the way it is", but I need to smooth it over. I like rat rods, but not this one. I need to finish it for daily use.

 

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

Here She is as of this morning before work. Really rough looking. I could probably say to some unsuspecting person that it is indeed 100 years old and they would probably take my word for it. I need to do some button up work to the clutch, throttle, and brake cable systems today.

 

[Motopecane]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

Oh wow I love it! You took that stupid looking Chinese engine and made it look completely legitimate. Good work!

 

[Gdcast]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

So beautiful to look at, she´s looking pretty SteamPunk right now.

 

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

Thanks guys, really. I appreciate the enthusiasm. I'm sort of drawn toward old looking stuff. Old stuff has a lot more interesting detail than new stuff to me. Back then Technology was very expensive and labor was very inexpensive. You could have an item that was low tech, thus mechanical looking, and it took 50 people to put together because it was complex, and you could still make a profit because labor was cheap. Now Labor is expensive and you have just a handful of people building products that were designed on computers and machined by CNC and built by robotic assembly lines. Few things are hand fitted, hand formed, hand forged, or hand assembled because you wouldn't want to pay the price. Thus the design of new products just leaves me cold. Nothing seems to have a pulse. Swiss watches used to be the norm and then quartz movements ended the mass appeal of swiss watches and mechanical movements, but now it still exists as a high end niche market. So basically to me, the more detailed the item, the better. I was going to find an old brass motorcycle headlight but they want at least $250 for one, so I'm planning on making my own, with brass tail light too, and it will cost me about $30 in materials. You can't beat that. I have some cool ideas that I want to put on this bike but it will take time/money/patience. But mostly time, because I don't charge myself! :lol:

 

[K-dregg]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

Man it looks fantastic.. I like how you routed the fuel line.!

How was it to run it with the stick-clutch shifter?

 

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

Man it looks fantastic.. I like how you routed the fuel line.!

How was it to run it with the stick-clutch shifter?

I was joking with my Son when I was making the fuel line, "This is how children of the Victorian age made crazy straws!", Lol! The curving of the line actually makes it last longer by guarding against shock fracture. But, yeah, it looks cool!

Not bad at all. With the small engine you have two options for stopping. You are coming to a stop sign. You can either just brake and the engine will die and you will stop, or you can put it in neutral and brake, then pedal, engage clutch and go. So it's not imperative that you have your hand on the clutch at all times. That being said, it was actually kind of fun operating a clutch on the side of a tank because it was such a throwback design. I would recommend it for a retro build.

 

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

Wow, I must have done something right. I was putting around my neighborhood and it was getting dark and cold so I went to the local Starbucks and parked the bike outside by my table. The bike drew a crowd and two people asked if they could take pictures of it. I had no idea regular people would dig it.

 

[skillsthebarber]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

cool is cool weather your in to bikes or not. Im sure non car people dig your cobra all the time.

 

[Beau]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

It looks real nice! Building those tanks is a bit tougher then one would imagine! I can wait to see it painted up!

 

[cobrafreak]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

It looks real nice! Building those tanks is a bit tougher then one would imagine! I can wait to see it painted up!

Speaking of which, the date of the final break down for finish and paint will probably be after the 25th of Nov. I wanted to show my family from out of town the bike and give them a chance to ride it during the Thanksgiving holiday. This particular tank, being my first, was a bit hard. I imagine the 2nd one would be even easier. I cannot overstate what a great product the fuel tank sealant is. Absolutely no problems of any kind. Not one leak. I threw on a set of Indian tank decals for fun as I had two and it really looks sharp. I'm glad they fit, because they barely do. Here is a pic of bike with the Indian scroll decals on. Makes it look even older. BTW, yes, the bike engine leaks oil, Lol! Remember I'm running for break-in and my oil/fuel ratio is 18 to 1. It is a lot of oil and it has to go somewhere. After this tank I will start leaning the oil out to normal ratio, maybe it will "dry up" a little bit. An old looking bike that is a dribbling oily mess only adds to the mystique even more so. :lol:

 

[Motopecane]

Re: Cobrafreak's board track racer project

That is crazy that 18:1 is a high ratio for these motors 32:1 is normal for my moped...?