Redoing this since my pics were on yahoo photos.
My chop is based around a 1976 Hondamatic (CB750A) model engine and an Amen Savior frame. It took around 2 years to get it on the road, and an extra winter to get it painted/rewired and to add extra or different stuff. You know how it goes, a chop is never finished!
Getting the Hondamatic in a savior frame wasn't too hard. Really, the only difference was the motor mount on the right side, it has to be "shaved" down till it fits between the torque converter and the frame.
The engine is stock, but painted with a high temp woodstove black paint. The paint is rated for 1400 degrees. If it ever gets that hot my engine would be a puddle of aluminum anyway! It seems to be oil and gas resistant too.(see note at end)
Carbs are the ever popular cyclex variety. I would like to add that Ken @ cyclex is amazing at setting the carbs up, and gives great support over the phone.
Electronics are beefed up with some super sparky Dyna coils, and electronic ignition. Has a combination regulator rectifier that is mounted on the left side by the starter housing. I need to add a closeup of the top of engine, its real clean and has a finned starter cover. The chop has a key switch that works like a car one, the key cranking the engine. Wires have been hidden and ran in the frame when possible.
I didn't do any crazy mumbo jumbo to the frame, just removed all the old bondo and had it powder coated. Used some tapered bearings in the neck so all is well up there.
Wheels are invaders, back is a 16, front is a 19. Back is 10 spoke, front is 8. I did it on purpose that way. Back looks beefier with more spokes but the 10 spoke front just doesn't look "airy" enough for my taste.
Headlights were NOS Miller lights on ebay. They use some funky "British Pre-Focus" bulb or some such nonsense. I did find a site selling halogen bulbs adapted to these bases so all is good. Tail light is an old Lucas model with built in license plate bracket. Turn signals will come shortly and be something small. You may notice some wiring under the oil tank... thats for the signals and horn, and will be almost non existent once they are installed.
Speaking of signals/horn/light switch, I found a winner for chops! It is a SPARX brand used on triumphs(check eBay). It is sanitary looking, chrome (at least shiny metal anyway) and has signals, horn and hi-low beam switch on one housing. Very neat little unit.
Front end is an RLR brand springer. I don't know much about it other than they used to run adds in the early 70's in 2 chopper magazines I have read. Only seen about 2 adds for them. They are built like a TANK! Very heavy duty. The chrome must have been not so good though, as you can see on my front end. I plan on re-chroming them as funds allow.
Sissy bar was an ebay find, has a cross in it. I think it's real cool. Hard to find crosses or Christian type stuff for choppers/motorcycles.
The seat is a king/queen seat, it's mission in life is to kill me through blunt trauma to the butt. I am planning on changing it to a solo spring seat soon. (EDIT NOTE: I guess I have got a bit of "chopper butt" now cause it's not so bad, I don't know why but it's pretty comfy now?)
Fender is a flat fender, pegs are stock, but will be changed to mids or forwards before too long. One last thing, the blow by filter (rectangular box on top of valve cover) is a stainless job from autozone meant for little rice burner import cars.
I also plan on putting a hand shifter on it.
Anyways here is the pics:
P.S. Sorry for the "book" but I wanted to write all this stuff down in one place!
NOTE:
I have decided to put an 850 kit in the bike this winter. I am going to send it to ken at cyclex and get a few tricks put in it. I decided to send it in since I started a new job and don't have much free time, that and he knows his stuff! I took the engine covers off and got them powdercoated. The stove paint works good, but where my foot rubbed on the side, it came off. Still a good paint, could have been touched up easily.
I got another RLR springer with better chrome on the bike now, but problem is, it is shorter than the one in the pics. So, It still will be getting chromed as funds allow.
I have also decided to get a reserve fuel tank, or possibly modify the amen oil tank to hold some reserve fuel. Haven't decided if it will use a fuel pump to refill the tank, or a small bottle.
My chop is based around a 1976 Hondamatic (CB750A) model engine and an Amen Savior frame. It took around 2 years to get it on the road, and an extra winter to get it painted/rewired and to add extra or different stuff. You know how it goes, a chop is never finished!
Getting the Hondamatic in a savior frame wasn't too hard. Really, the only difference was the motor mount on the right side, it has to be "shaved" down till it fits between the torque converter and the frame.
The engine is stock, but painted with a high temp woodstove black paint. The paint is rated for 1400 degrees. If it ever gets that hot my engine would be a puddle of aluminum anyway! It seems to be oil and gas resistant too.(see note at end)
Carbs are the ever popular cyclex variety. I would like to add that Ken @ cyclex is amazing at setting the carbs up, and gives great support over the phone.
Electronics are beefed up with some super sparky Dyna coils, and electronic ignition. Has a combination regulator rectifier that is mounted on the left side by the starter housing. I need to add a closeup of the top of engine, its real clean and has a finned starter cover. The chop has a key switch that works like a car one, the key cranking the engine. Wires have been hidden and ran in the frame when possible.
I didn't do any crazy mumbo jumbo to the frame, just removed all the old bondo and had it powder coated. Used some tapered bearings in the neck so all is well up there.
Wheels are invaders, back is a 16, front is a 19. Back is 10 spoke, front is 8. I did it on purpose that way. Back looks beefier with more spokes but the 10 spoke front just doesn't look "airy" enough for my taste.
Headlights were NOS Miller lights on ebay. They use some funky "British Pre-Focus" bulb or some such nonsense. I did find a site selling halogen bulbs adapted to these bases so all is good. Tail light is an old Lucas model with built in license plate bracket. Turn signals will come shortly and be something small. You may notice some wiring under the oil tank... thats for the signals and horn, and will be almost non existent once they are installed.
Speaking of signals/horn/light switch, I found a winner for chops! It is a SPARX brand used on triumphs(check eBay). It is sanitary looking, chrome (at least shiny metal anyway) and has signals, horn and hi-low beam switch on one housing. Very neat little unit.
Front end is an RLR brand springer. I don't know much about it other than they used to run adds in the early 70's in 2 chopper magazines I have read. Only seen about 2 adds for them. They are built like a TANK! Very heavy duty. The chrome must have been not so good though, as you can see on my front end. I plan on re-chroming them as funds allow.
Sissy bar was an ebay find, has a cross in it. I think it's real cool. Hard to find crosses or Christian type stuff for choppers/motorcycles.
The seat is a king/queen seat, it's mission in life is to kill me through blunt trauma to the butt. I am planning on changing it to a solo spring seat soon. (EDIT NOTE: I guess I have got a bit of "chopper butt" now cause it's not so bad, I don't know why but it's pretty comfy now?)
Fender is a flat fender, pegs are stock, but will be changed to mids or forwards before too long. One last thing, the blow by filter (rectangular box on top of valve cover) is a stainless job from autozone meant for little rice burner import cars.
I also plan on putting a hand shifter on it.
Anyways here is the pics:
P.S. Sorry for the "book" but I wanted to write all this stuff down in one place!
NOTE:
I have decided to put an 850 kit in the bike this winter. I am going to send it to ken at cyclex and get a few tricks put in it. I decided to send it in since I started a new job and don't have much free time, that and he knows his stuff! I took the engine covers off and got them powdercoated. The stove paint works good, but where my foot rubbed on the side, it came off. Still a good paint, could have been touched up easily.
I got another RLR springer with better chrome on the bike now, but problem is, it is shorter than the one in the pics. So, It still will be getting chromed as funds allow.
I have also decided to get a reserve fuel tank, or possibly modify the amen oil tank to hold some reserve fuel. Haven't decided if it will use a fuel pump to refill the tank, or a small bottle.
Boogieman
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