Jockey Journal Forum banner

Vor's 7 Year (B)itch aka Legend of the Purple Pre-Unit BUILD

75K views 232 replies 69 participants last post by  2Loose  
#1 · (Edited)
Vor's Pre-Unit

I figure it's about time to post this, as I'm hoping to finish in the next couple months. It has been a long long journey getting this done. Many life-altering occurrences, tools acquired, skills learned, mistakes made, many favors granted, much bartering took place, and much time used up and money has left my wallet.

2005 The beginning:
I traded my old '63 Galaxie for a "63 Pre-unit", which ended up being a Duplex '62 Pre-unit with a 57 gearbox, unit front end, and an oddball 4" stretch hardtail. It was leaking oil from every orifice. Forward controls, drag pipes, a mediocre cobra seat with a Honda rear fender, and some other things that didn't fit what I was going for.
Image


Image


Image


Digging deeper, I found out this was an old Hack-A-Saw chop. In an even earlier life it looked like this:
Image


Hey sexy
Image


I did things here and there for a few years but wasn't able to concentrate on it. About 4 years ago things started accelerating.
 
#2 ·
Re: Vor's 7 Year (B)itch aka Legend of the Purple Pre-Unit

I ditched the forward controls and made my own mid controls with the correct right side peg and modified a BSA peg.
Image


Made a tail light out of an old microphone.
Image

Image


Image


Got an old ribbed fender
Image


Ol Timer flat tracker gave me an old taco'd Bultaco front wheel
Image


Poppa made me a custom axle
Image


Image


Leather seat from Caulfield Leather in UK
Image


I made a perch for the brake pedal, modified an old Triumph brake pedal.
Image
 
#3 ·
Re: Vor's 7 Year (B)itch aka Legend of the Purple Pre-Unit

Ditched the old hardtail and got a 2" drop/2" stretch from Factory, made my own sissy bar. Some friends helped me get everything to jive.
Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


Image
 
#4 · (Edited)
Re: Vor's 7 Year (B)itch aka Legend of the Purple Pre-Unit

Rebuilt and lowered the front end with 3" spacers.
Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


Found some NOS MCM FC-5 fork covers
Image


Oil tank is a modified 50's Tiger Cub, increased capacity, re-plumbed
Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


Final mockup
Image


My main time eater and priority
Image

Next update will be motor work...
 
#7 · (Edited)
Re: Vor's 7 Year (B)itch aka Legend of the Purple Pre-Unit

Dr. B, not sure on the color

Motor was in pretty sad shape
Image


Image


Removing bearings and bushings
Image


I soda blasted all the cases
Image


Nice and clean
Image


some good ol JB weld repair on the inner primary
Image


Some case repair welds, new bushings and bearings, roller on drive side
Image


Timing side together
Image


Crank rotor side was damaged and flaired out
Image


Wes @ 4 Aces fixed that, ground journals to .20" under, and I did the sludge trap. Now ARP conrod bolts
Image


Magneto needed some love
Image


Image


Sent it to Grep Poirier in Phoenix for full rebuild
Image


Head needed some love
Image


Polished the intakes smooth as buttah
Image


Sent that to Wes for a full rebuild and 3 angle grind
Image


Also got some chromed rockers to replace my damaged ones
Image


And some Choppahead inspection caps
Image


New Amal Premier 930s
Image


Barrels .060" over and new pistons
Image


Final assembly on motor is where I'm at
 
#8 ·
Re: Vor's 7 Year (B)itch aka Legend of the Purple Pre-Unit

Complete gear box rebuild, all new bushings, seals, replaced broken bits

Image


Image


Image


Picked up an extra gearbox adjuster as apparently the Duplexes only had one adjuster
Image
 
#9 · (Edited)
Re: Vor's 7 Year (B)itch aka Legend of the Purple Pre-Unit

And now on to finish and assembly
Image


I'm using black appliance enamel. I will probably doa year long shakedown run, then invest in a nice paint job.
Image


To be chromed (except oil tank)
Thanks to Craig at Front St Cycle for helping
Image


Back from chrome
Image


Image


Image


Fork covers on
Image


Modified seal cups
Image


A few hours of polishing
Image


Motor mockup
Image


Polished the hub (very messed up) and a new steel rim
Image


Image


And where I'm at, custom bars by Front St Cycle. So many thanks to many people:
Craig @ Front St Cycle, Wes @ Four Aces, Pops Cook, Paul Gion, Greg Poirier, Bultaco RJ, Jason @ SF Vintage Cycle, Rabers, Chico, Caffeine, Troop and Mittens, Mr. Young, and my dad busting out some things before his factory closed down, and my very very patient wife.
Image


I'll update this post as it occurs...
Image
 
#11 ·
I remember that Galaxie, it was one of the few four doors to stick in my memory. I had my '63 fastback at the same time.

Bike looks good, real fuckin good. It was an 'almost got it right' when you started, but it looks like a home run with what you've done to it. That motor is beautiful- love the attention to detail with the carbs and the like.
 
#13 ·
Cool man! It's good to see the whole deal in one place - I always start out to read through your blog then get side tracked part way through. We managed to pick the same tail with the same drop and stretch figures too! I had to laugh when I saw the first picture come up, 'cause the first thing I thought of was "the purple pimp of pain". What a rediculous name! Glad to see your getting it straightened out!
 
#16 · (Edited)
@radar
I've heard two schools of thought, the don't polish crowd, and the polish crowd. Groups of old timers and internet experts on both sides. I'm taking a bet it will be fine, the carb should do it's job and atomize everything and no gunky buildup. But if it doesn't... I'll go grab some 220 sand paper and report my findings.

@cali
They were old 930's. The polish is only a few weeks old, I'm sure over time it will lose its luster. I've been making a lot of bolts too, polishing those, and smoothing out the bolt markings on the end, polishing. Lots of little detail things no one will notice.

@spent
I miss her. Last I know she's somewhere in Tennessee. I got another '63 a few years ago and it never was the same.
Image