Author Topic: '73 V7 Sport restoration  (Read 32239 times)

Online Antietam Classic Cycle

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'73 V7 Sport restoration
« on: July 10, 2018, 09:32:28 PM »
Doing this restoration for a customer in Massachusetts. The bike was purchased at a J. Woods auction and was then in storage for several years. It was bought to me in April, and I started work on it last week. Some "patina" will be left - probably none of the chromed parts will be replated and will show some age.

Here's what I have to start with.




Toolbox lid has a shallow dent right behind the V7 Sport decal.




Tank has a shallow dent on the back and one on each side at the front from the clip-ons hitting it.


Why did the clip-ons hit the tank? Because the steering stop is broken off.




 
« Last Edit: July 12, 2018, 12:43:44 PM by Antietam Classic Cycle »
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2018, 07:00:03 PM »
Looks to be complete and in pretty decent shape from ten feet away I bet it will give up a few secrets as you tear into it. Please keep us posted with pictures

Thanks

Jim

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2018, 07:08:56 PM »
I wish that I had those pictures when I was putting mine back together. Mine had enough parts missing or jerry rigged that it took quite a bit of studying sometimes to get it put back correctly. ( I hope!)

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2018, 08:08:03 PM »
Looks to be complete and in pretty decent shape from ten feet away I bet it will give up a few secrets as you tear into it. Please keep us posted with pictures

Thanks

Jim

It definitely gave up a few "secrets". The shit hits the fan in my next installment.  :sad:
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2018, 08:08:03 PM »

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2018, 12:37:34 PM »
Tear-down photos:



























Here's where it gets ugly. The battery tray has a weird "kink" in it and it's deformed around the large hole.










Once the frame was almost completely bare and laying on the shop floor, it became readily apparent that it's twisted. Not only that, but the left frame frame rail rearward of the top shock mount is bent down as well.

Level back above the shock mount pivot area.




Resting flat on the floor at the swingarm area...



...but the left front engine mount is approx. 8mm off of the floor.


Charlie

Offline TRw1

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2018, 01:20:28 PM »
Yikes!!!

Looking forward to this one.

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2018, 09:34:02 PM »
Bin filling up with new parts:




"Sharks" in bubble wrap (new Silentium "shark gill" mufflers).


Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2018, 09:58:00 AM »
It gave up a big secret, ouch! There is a local shop that can straighten frames hers, I know you will figure out how to do it.

Jim

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2018, 03:27:19 PM »
It gave up a big secret, ouch! There is a local shop that can straighten frames hers, I know you will figure out how to do it.

Jim

I've sourced a replacement frame for a fraction of what it would cost to have the original straightened (especially once shipping both ways was figured in). Hope to pick it up Wednesday.
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2018, 02:47:02 PM »
Charlie,
Are you usually backed up with two to three months work, or was the owner not in any hurry for you to get started on the rebuild?
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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2018, 04:57:39 PM »
Charlie,
Are you usually backed up with two to three months work, or was the owner not in any hurry for you to get started on the rebuild?
Bill

My backlog is more like a year plus. I didn't get started immediately after the bike was delivered because another project ended up taking two months instead of the two weeks it should have. No surprise when you work on old, worn-out machinery...
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #11 on: July 18, 2018, 11:15:54 PM »
Cool project and great post.  But why is the frame bent and the rest of the bike intact?  Did a crashed bike get rebuilt on a bent frame so thoroughly that there's no evidence of the crash except the frame?
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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #12 on: July 19, 2018, 07:56:20 AM »
Cool project and great post.  But why is the frame bent and the rest of the bike intact?  Did a crashed bike get rebuilt on a bent frame so thoroughly that there's no evidence of the crash except the frame?

Good question and one I've pondered myself. "The rest of the bike" is hardly intact though - the tank has dents at the front and rear and has a crease just above the emblem on the left. The left toolbox has a dent in the lid. Mufflers aren't original, right crashbar was bent back against the cylinder head. Then there's that oddly kinked battery tray.

I might find more damage as I clean parts and prepare them for reassembly. I'll definitely be looking carefully at the lower frame rails and swingarm.

Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #13 on: July 19, 2018, 04:13:29 PM »
I need to stop taking long naps --- just noticed this awesome thread. How is the title going to be dealt with on the replacement frame? Is this one of the ones that only has the number on the plate, or is it stamped also on the frame?
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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #14 on: July 19, 2018, 05:09:23 PM »
I need to stop taking long naps --- just noticed this awesome thread. How is the title going to be dealt with on the replacement frame? Is this one of the ones that only has the number on the plate, or is it stamped also on the frame?

Numbers stamped on the VIN tag, no numbers on the frame, so no problem.
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #15 on: July 19, 2018, 05:16:09 PM »
Picked up the replacement frame yesterday. Yes, it's dirty and a bit rusted, but it's straight and relatively unmolested.




Matches exactly.




Replacement frame on right. Steering stop intact, outer races of the steering head bearings fit tightly into the frame.




Why somebody drilled holes through the frame I'll never understand. Once the frame is blasted clean, I'll machine some plugs, have them welded into place, then grind down and smooth out the ends so that you won't even know the holes were ever there.




This the most important part: it sits perfectly level on the floor and the level shows both ends are in line.


 
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #16 on: July 20, 2018, 09:34:28 AM »
Good deal, great find!
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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #17 on: July 20, 2018, 02:52:51 PM »
Dropped the frame off at the powdercoater today to be blasted down to bare metal. Should have it back Tuesday evening.
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #18 on: July 23, 2018, 04:22:30 PM »
Engine teardown time.

Off with the top-end




Heads not too dirty up top, plenty of carbon in the combustion chamber though.


Heads disassembled. Valve guides are very worn.


Pistons show quite a bit of wear and are rather scored.


Lots of chrome worn away.


Rods rock side-to-side ~ 4 mm so there's definitely some wear on the bottom end.


There was a bill for a clutch replacement in the binder that came with the bike.


My used clutch hub/compressor in place


Clutch hub should have been replaced as well


Sureflex plates and oily ones at that. Should have replaced the clutch pushrod o-rings too.


Back of the engine is covered in oil residue mixed with clutch dust. No surprise there.



Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #19 on: July 23, 2018, 10:47:36 PM »
 :thumb: Appreciate your photos and judgement on condition (e.g. piston wear).  Very helpful to those of us who have only seen a few.
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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #20 on: July 27, 2018, 09:18:25 PM »
Stripping the engine down completely.



The oil pump still looks serviceable, but I'll need to do some measuring to be sure.


Some gritty residue in one corner of the sump.


Notice anything odd in this photo?


No pitting on the lifter faces.


Camshaft retainer has very little to no wear.


Camshaft itself is in excellent condition.


Here's another view of what was "odd" in the earlier photo.


The oil pipe gasket was installed incorrectly, presumably at the factory!


You can see where the gasket was (and wasn't) imprinted on the engine case.


At least the oil pick-up gasket was installed correctly.  :wink:


Rod bearings are showing some wear, but not as much as I expected, really.




Removing the rear main bearing.


Rear main wear.



Crankshaft looks better than expected, but again, it will need to be measured carefully.
 


Front main bearing wear.
   
« Last Edit: July 27, 2018, 09:20:48 PM by Antietam Classic Cycle »
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #21 on: August 15, 2018, 03:26:47 PM »
The first of the engine parts have returned from the machine shop:








Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #22 on: August 18, 2018, 06:43:25 AM »
The motor bits that came back look great.  Vapor blast?
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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #23 on: August 18, 2018, 08:57:44 AM »
The motor bits that came back look great.  Vapor blast?

High-Volume, Low-Pressure media blasted. Only 15 psi air pressure.
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #24 on: October 02, 2018, 04:43:56 PM »
Forgot that I hadn't updated this in a while.

Replacement frame blasted to bare metal.



I machined up some steel plugs for the non-original holes somebody drilled.


My friend Curtis welded them in and smoothed everything out. 


All of the frame parts are collected together and off to the powder coater. 


Crankshaft was polished. 


Comparing piston assembly weights. Both with rings and pins, no circlips. Old pistons:


And the new ones that came in the Gilardoni kits:


Good to go!
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #25 on: October 05, 2018, 02:37:14 AM »
That's looking really good so far! What advantage does the polished crankshaft have?
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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #26 on: October 07, 2018, 06:21:48 PM »
That's looking really good so far! What advantage does the polished crankshaft have?

Only the bearing journals were polished. 
Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #27 on: October 13, 2018, 09:01:40 PM »
Chassis parts have returned from the powdercoater.


Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #28 on: October 25, 2018, 09:33:08 PM »
Engine building time.



Cleaned and tested the oil pressure relief valve - it failed. Popped off at 50 psi.


Remove one washer, improved to 65 psi. Done.


Some assembly required.


The cam plug has already been sealed with JB Weld.


Studly.


Cam and retainer are first.



Front main bearing is next.


New sludge trap plug installed, crank lubed up.


Slipped into place.


Breather pipe and oil return line were previously installed.

Charlie

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Re: '73 V7 Sport restoration
« Reply #29 on: October 26, 2018, 07:15:17 AM »
This is going to be good
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