2 = belt and way cleaner not marking its spot every time you move it
My vote would be #2 unless you really dig the sound of a chain. My ears, I'd never even hear it.
While I'm amazed at the detail of builds like this, if something "not original" brings value to the build, such as allowing for cleaner operation, then I'd not have any issue with it. For others, the fact they know it's in there might drive them crazy. Each their own. My .02.
I ordered a BDL belt kit. I also believe that are places one can upgrade like I did on the front dual leading shoe brake setup. Things that are easy to undo Im good with or repop parts in place of original difficult parts to find I'm cool with if I have an original part on the shelf. The reason for the chain was I just prefer one over a belt provided I can keep the mess down by regulating what lands on the chain. Probably too much trouble so I'll go with a belt.
The rockers will be case hardened, how thick that hardening is I dont know. The other problem you run into when you take material off the pad is where is the new contact patch on the valve tip? I'll be setting up the valves with the covers off so I can watch as the rocker sweeps across the valve tip.
The rockers below are toast as far as Im concerned. Not worth hard chroming followed by having someone put the correct angle back on the tip which is questionable anyway. I dont like the design with two angles and a peak that comes into play if you go too high on the lift for what they had in mind. Just like the stock cam with zero overlap, they didn't know how to make a cam in the 40's or rocker arms.
All that said, I bought repop rocker arms which no doubt will have the same design on the rocker tip but they'll be better than worn out 80 year old ones.
Have a belt primary on my niece's 50 chop. Only thing I don't like is the noise of the belt at idle. just seems noiser than a chain
How you going to block off the oil feed to the chain?
What about venting the primary so the belt doesn't overheat?
I could vent the inner primary, run a repop and put additional holes in it. Or I could leave the cork gasket out that seals the inner to the outer plus it has the large hole in the back where the slinger goes on the sprocket. Leave the slinger off. I'll be running an o-ring chain on the rear.
The chain oiler pipe just gets a hose added to it and it does a u-turn in the primary exiting the inner then the tube goes up. Its what I did on my 62 when I ran a belt.
Rockers. 48 didn't have provisions for the intake valve oilers (or oil drip tubes), the tube is a -49 part. The 48 rocker caps dont have lubrication slots to feed oil from the rocker shafts to the hold down studs then up to the oilers sending oil to the intake valve tips. So adding the oilers wont do anything without slotted caps. The new rockers have the slots and I have a spare set of oilers so I'll be adding them. Very happy with the new rockers, the tips look like a modern tip would and they rotate smoothly.
The oiling grooves look significant in this pic but they dont look like much in person. The oil will leak under pressure between the head of the retaining nut and the oiler bracket presumably it'll follow the groove and flow down the tube and drip on the valve tip. In theory anyway. Personally I think it'll do nothing but I'll use them, modify the groove and for fun I'll drip some oil on the groove and see what happens.
Couldn't get an 11mm belt so got the 8mm. The ratio is 1.59:1 with the belt vs 1.61:1 for the chain and gears I have here with a 23T engine sprocket.
I'll do some belt tooth pitch math to see whats stronger, pros and cons etc. If the 11mm belt were to give me a more kicker friendly ratio that would be the most important factor.
A long time coming. Might throw a tank on it for a glory shot later.
Test fitting exhaust before refinishing.
Y pipe that came with it is an old repop. I may end up getting gasbox stuff. The black one is from the 46 bin and its oem as far as im concerned judging by the mini spot welds which is how gas box does it but not quite the same.
Frame finish is too nice, I didn't make that mistake on the 46.
So, I'm always hearing about the reliability of today's cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. I understand technology has come a LONG way since this bike was made, but weren't folks riding them all over the country back then even? I mean, couldn't a properly built and broken-in motorcycle be ridden regularly and reliably? I've always thought driving a vintage car or riding a motorcycle regularly was much better than having them sit for months or years.
I've also seen collectible cars that were superbly restored for appearance but were a mess mechanically. That's not what I'm talking about here. I'd assume the MoCo designed them to be ridden, and if you restore it to that level (or better), it should be at LEAST as reliable as they were when new, right?
So, I'm always hearing about the reliability of today's cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. I understand technology has come a LONG way since this bike was made, but weren't folks riding them all over the country back then even? I mean, couldn't a properly built and broken-in motorcycle be ridden regularly and reliably? I've always thought driving a vintage car or riding a motorcycle regularly was much better than having them sit for months or years.
I've also seen collectible cars that were superbly restored for appearance but were a mess mechanically. That's not what I'm talking about here. I'd assume the MoCo designed them to be ridden, and if you restore it to that level (or better), it should be at LEAST as reliable as they were when new, right?
Absolutely they were meant to be used and used year round. One of the members here (Architect) rode his 46 WL across the states from NY to CA just a couple of weeks ago. No reason you couldn't ride this bike across the county, whats changed is the speed people travel on the roads today vs in the 40's. I wouldn't want to be leading a long line of traffic sitting at 50mph with a bunch of angry drivers behind me. Back roads to get to your destination would be more fun.
09-19-2022 | 06:22 AM
