Blog

Now that the fork repair has been made assembly can begin on the front fork. New ball bearings and fresh grease, and slide through the frame neck. This is a major step forward! Next will be to install the lower rockers, front fork, and wheel assembly. Slow and steady progress. 

Picked up most of my machined parts this morning from the machine shop. Had a bunch of extra pieces also made. This is a HUGE step forward. New bushings in the fork rockers were reamed to size and the grease fitting drilled. I am also happy to have operated the Bridgeport mill and actually was able to do some of the maching myself. Slow and steady progress! 

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Here is a shot of new spring dust covers being made from pipe. The originals were not able to be saved. One was missing and the other was too worn. Coming along nicely. Hope to have the complete front end on the bike by next weekend. Slow and steady.

Here is a shot of one lower rocker during repair. All three holes were egg shaped after all these years. These are made of brass. The process to repair was to bore the holes larger and press in, then bore new holes to size. Still to be done to these is drill the oil hole and groove the bushings for grease retention. 

This project never ceases to amaze me. This motorcycle at first glance seems so simple; a bicycle with no transmission, no clutch, no lighting, and only a coaster brake. Yet such a “simple” machine is oh so complicated! So when a good friend offers to take me to see a complete 1911 Excelsior for reference, you HAVE to go! A wonderful day looking at this original running machine!

All six fork springs were able to be removed unscathed. However I will not be using them in this project. Seems there are a good amount of suppliers of this type spring so we need to determine spring “force” to make sure the correct springs are obtained. Here are some details of the springs and how we tested them. 

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Always on the lookout for extra parts for this project. A good friend spotted this for sale and sent me an alert. Engine is frozen but complete with Herz magneto and Schebler carb!

Here’s a shot of the fork during the repair process. As you can see the welding is complete on the one top fork shaft. New inner springs are on the way. Also in process are the lower rockers getting new brass bushings for the fork pivot studs and front axle. Hope to have this back from the machine shop by the end of the month.

Slow steady progress. Here is the new bottom fork rocker studs; original compared with the new piece. 

And here is the old handlebar throttle sleeve and the beginning of the new one. 

I am thrilled at this continued forward momentum. Still a long way to go! But as I always say, slow and steady progress!