750S The Build is Done

[canuck750]

I am lucky to have an original steel base seat that came with this bike, the base is in decent shape but it needs some attention, I don't want to recover it the original vinyl is too nice despite a few nicks



Still has the original sticker on the underside



I used a sanding wheel on an air tool to get the paint and rust off, the paint almost fell off to the touch



I finished off with a soda blast to get the staples clean and then a glass bead to get into the recesses



Then I used good old Tremclad to recoat the base, two coats



When the tremclad dries it shrinks and looks pretty good

New rubbers, the steel sleeves are in good shape



Glass beaded the underside of the fender and then painted the steel band black



Repro knobs



I powder coated a EV light bracket black and fitted the round Euro version of the CEV tail light



Aprilia signal lights, my home made repo brackets



The reproduction knobs are too big, they foul on the seat, I need to find another source for these, same problem on my V7 Sport, I used acetone, clean rags, to wipe the seat, keep the rag wet and use a clean fresh rag with each wipe, it will make a 40 year seat look pretty good

[smdl]

Looks great, Jim.  Thanks for the info on the repro knobs -- I suppose that's going to be an issue for me, as well.   

Cheers,
Shaun

[canuck750]

Hi Shaun,
I am going to chuck one up in my lathe and see if I can cut the lugs down to fit the space under the seat. Every time I flip up my V7 Sport seat these knobs are a chore to get tight and they are slowly wearing out the cover where it comes into contact with the knobs. If I had some originals I would get repros made out of aluminum on a CNC mill. The originals were missing on my Sport and the S and Luca's bike came with chrome bolts instead of knobs.

Cheers
Jim

[Muzz]

So Jim, what exactly is Tremclad, purpose etc. Never heard of it out here.

[canuck750]

So Jim, what exactly is Tremclad, purpose etc. Never heard of it out here.

Tremclad is a trade name for type of paint, aerosol or brush on, which is advertised as a paint that can be applied directly over rusted steel. Tremclad is slow to cure and remains fairly flexible. For the backside of seats pans, side covers etc, not visible, it makes a good DIY paint. If I was stripping the seat right down I would have blasted all of the pan and powder coated it. In this case its will go a long way to preserving the seat provided I keep the bike stored indoors in dry environment. Despite Tremclad's claims it can be brushed right over rust I prefer to get as much of the rust off as possible.

Cheers

Jim

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

The reproduction knobs are too big, they foul on the seat, I need to find another source for these, same problem on my V7 Sport, I used acetone, clean rags, to wipe the seat, keep the rag wet and use a clean fresh rag with each wipe, it will make a 40 year seat look pretty good

Good assortment of different types at McMaster-Carr:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#machine-component-knobs/=12mnxc7

[Muzz]

Thanks Jim. Can't seem to find any references to it in NZ. Found an NZ based site linked to OZ but they won't ship to NZ.

[canuck750]

Good assortment of different types at McMaster-Carr:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#machine-component-knobs/=12mnxc7

Thanks Charlie!

[canuck750]

McMaster won't ship to Canada so I decided to try turning down a plastic knob in the lathe, a new tool insert and running at high speed I slowly brought the tool up to the plastic



Surprisingly tough stuff that phoenolic plastic, but I turned it down to this



Easy enough to do and the black phoenolic cuts very smooth so just a touch of polishing on a buffer wheel and they look like they were made this way



And they now clear the underside of the seat



Now to pull the knobs off the V7 Sport and cut them down

[smdl]

 

Well done, Jim!  I'll get mine done before they go on the bike.

Cheers,
Shaun

[Rick4003]

Nice job on the nobs, the turned part blends in quite well. Very difficult to see any difference. 

[Chuck in Indiana]

A great resource, and nice work as usual. Attaboy!

[canuck750]

One more job to tackle, I have the original ignition switch and a couple keys but my experience with 40+ year old switched has not been good, they often act up and though I have tried to rebuild them I found I can buy a new Nieman style switch on Ebay for cheap and with a little work the new switch pops right into the cast switch holder. There are lots of people selling Nieman switches on Ebay but I found these on Ebay from Poland and they land here in Canada for under $40.00.

New switch on the top, old one on the bottom and the switch holder in the middle



The new switch is a lot longer than the original, all you need is a drill, a couple drill bits, hacksaw and a rotary tool to ream out the inside of the switch holder




To make it fit separate the switch by removing two Philips machine screws and with a hack saw shorten the removable lower casting and cut off the lock plunger (the 750S does not use the V7 Sport style lock). Then with a rotary tool and a round rasp head ream out the inside of the switch holder to allow the new plastic plug to fit into the holder.

This picture show the section of the lower casting I cut off, the remains of the lock plunger I cut off and the reamed out switch holder.



Then in alignment with the square recess in the casting drill two holes and ream them out like this. The new switch uses a two prong locking tab rather than the single round lock tab of the original.



You need to drill these two holes in the switch holder so the locking tabs can full release or the key will not turn. There is a small metric machine screw that can be installed through the switch holder into a pre-threaded hole in the new switch. I had to expand the existing hole in the cast switch holder body to allow the new machine screw to fit.

And once together it looks like this



Original used switches show up on Ebay occasionally, I bought one once for too much money and it crapped out in less than a month, if  you have a V7 Sport, 750S, 750S3 or 850T this cheap ebay switch will do the job nicely and should last a long time.

This is where I buy the switches, UK EBay, the seller ships worldwide and I have bought four over the past couple years with no issues

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CITROEN-XSARA-PICASSO-1998-2005-Ignition-Switch-Lock-Barrel-Keys-BRAND-NEW-/281579049626?hash=item418f6b529a:g:W5oAAOxyj4hTHzv0

[canuck750]

Re-installing the rear brake light switch, it came like this on the bile when I got it, a spring loaded switch attached to a small angle of steel, and the angle is attached by a M8 both through the frame rail / battery tray support, a long spring connects the switch to the brake pedal shaft



Does anyone know if this is the stock switch and if so where I can find a new one? This switch was quite corroded and the spring loaded tang sticks a bit.



Thanks

Jim

[RinkRat II]

 Something along these lines??http://www.ebay.com/itm/Emgo-Universal-Brake-Light-Switch-Rear-Stop-Spring-Pull-Motorcycle-New-K-S-/301366457630?hash=item462ad7351e:g:InoAAOSwfcVUE6bU&vxp=mtr



   Paul B

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Does anyone know if this is the stock switch and if so where I can find a new one? This switch was quite corroded and the spring loaded tang sticks a bit.

Yes, that's an original switch. Used to be available, but I haven't seen one for a while. Maybe Harper's? http://www.harpermoto.com/stop-switch-14741110.html

[canuck750]

Something along these lines??http://www.ebay.com/itm/Emgo-Universal-Brake-Light-Switch-Rear-Stop-Spring-Pull-Motorcycle-New-K-S-/301366457630?hash=item462ad7351e:g:InoAAOSwfcVUE6bU&vxp=mtr
Paul B

Thanks Rinkrat I think that would work just fine, my local bike shop may have that in stock too,

Charlie,  thank you for confirming the switch is an original piece of equipment, the bracket is pretty Mickey Mouse but I guess it worked.

[canuck750]

Tires arrived Friday and the local shop mounted them today



Front is on, calipers appear to center





Fitting the rear wheel I notice a bearing didn't feel right, pulled the seal, washed the grease out and sure enough one tapered bearing has a notch, I missed that when I re-greased it originally.

A new pair needs to be ordered.

[canuck750]

New rear wheel bearings arrived today, first to get the old bearings off the bearing holders,

A big socket and another socket piece



Then into a vice to force the bearing off the holder



Then grease the new bearings and reverse the process



Drove out the old bearing races and then drive in new races



You must replace the new bearings and races as a set, the old bearings and races are not the same pitch as the new ones, close but different enough that the new bearings do not drop in deep enough into the race.

I rechecked the spacer length between the bearings, with the new bearings the spacer was too short, I needed to add another shim and then turn a few thousands off the spacer to get the gap correct.



Assembled the rear brake control parts, I had the rod re-plated and polished the arms



The wheel went back together, axle in place, the mufflers sit very tight to the axle, I may need to make a spacer plate to drop the mufflers down



The bike is back on its tires and that feels like a milestone reached

[canuck750]

I fitted a repro front fender, and I had the fender brackets re-chromed. I need to flip the brake line splitter 180 degrees (pointing up) and reroute the brake hoses above the lower triple (at least that's how they were fitted originally|) now that I have gone back and checked the original pictures. The way the brake hoses fit through rubber grommets and then through the rings on the front fender brace is unique (I think) to the 750S and Twin disc V7 Sport.







Rear brake arm attached, once again Harpers had the NOS parts such as the knurled adjuster nut

[Old Jock]

Fantastic looking love your eye for detail and the craftsmanship

Beautiful

Thanks

John

[frankperu]

Great work Jim!

Any idea where I can get one of those little clutch adjuster lock ring thingys on page 4?

Frank

750S

[canuck750]

Great work Jim!

Any idea where I can get one of those little clutch adjuster lock ring thingys on page 4?

Frank

750S

That perch is not correct for a 750S, I think it is for a 850T (came on the bike when I got it), I have since fitted a V7 Sport / Eldo / 750S clutch perch and lever. As for the part you are looking for I could part with the whole perch assembly if you are interested in it. Open to cheap offers

[frankperu]

I am keen to keep my 750S as original as possible - would you mind posting a pic of the correct perch?

[canuck750]

Clutch perch same s on the V7 Sport

[frankperu]

Thanks Jim.

Mine looks more like your first one but without the lock ring.

[canuck750]

I finally got a break from work deadlines for a couple nights to play in the shop, broke out Gregory Bender's wiring harness kits, beautiful kit!



I hard wired independent ground wires to each of the Aprilia signal light bodies



I also swapped out the stock style bullet connections for sealed automotive locking male / female type connectors, I just find the original bullet types to be a weak link at best



I also ditched the original CEV 5 pin terminal block at the headstock, up to 4 wires connect at  the junctions and by just removing the tank they can pop off



I replaced the wires to the switches with Greg's kits, no use leaving just a few of the old wires

I made this point on the original terminal block as the common ground post to the frame for all the frontal area grounds





On the home stretch for this one

[swooshdave]

Yes, that's an original switch. Used to be available, but I haven't seen one for a while. Maybe Harper's? http://www.harpermoto.com/stop-switch-14741110.html

Identical to the switch on my T. Mine looks rough but works.

[swooshdave]

I had TrueDisc regrind the rotors, the powder coater did not mask the inner opening so the rotor will not fit over the carrier, a sanding wheel quickly removes the baked on powder

Did you also remove the powder coat where it mounts to the hub? If you didn't it's really back to have powder coat between the hub and rotor.

[canuck750]

Did you also remove the powder coat where it mounts to the hub? If you didn't it's really back to have powder coat between the hub and rotor.

You mean 'bad' to have paint between the hub and rotor??

The rotors came painted along this face originally and the powder coating is not too thick. I don't understand how paint on that surface of the rotor can have a detrimental effect of the operation of the brakes or the retention of the rotor to the hub? Calipers are usually painted as are the fork lowers that the calipers bolt to so I can't imagine the torqued force of the fasteners would compress the powder coating.

This is a good discussion though and other opinions would be welcome, maybe I am missing some basic physics.