Last build first thread

Ken Cormier · Mar 25, 2012

Well here we go. Started my last known build. My first build was 40 yrs ago this winter. I am 60 and ride a kick start only shovel. This is a rigid kick only pan. After my first bike I have never rode one I didn't build. That has been 2 Sporty,s 8 pans and 4 shovels. The build is a rigid frame 53 pan fresh top to bottom and redone tranny. A narrowglide and disk brakes. Started tonite after chow with my best friend Brad his first build lol (He buys ready made bikes) Hope fully I will get better at this thread thing as we get gtoing thanksw for looking .

victm · Mar 25, 2012

Looking forward to your build thread!

750Devo · Mar 25, 2012

66headysporty · Mar 25, 2012

looking forward to this, nice first pic!

whittiger650 · Mar 25, 2012

Ken,

As if a Panhead engine isn't a beauty in and of itself, I really like the color on your frame!! Sweet, I will definitely be following this build.

shovithead · Mar 25, 2012

You young wippersnappers think you have done it all. hahaha. Yeah, you have many more years of building on your lift, so just get this one done, and start collecting parts for the next one. If you are like the rest on here, you will, and you will be smiling the whole time. Looks to be a sweet project. If you have them, post photos of the previous rides.

cabinet jesus · Mar 25, 2012

Looking good ken ,im digging on the color to.

moose49 · Mar 25, 2012

Lookin good so far. At only 60 it's the new 40 ya know prolly not your last build!

Ken Cormier · Mar 28, 2012

was looking for another picx and found these thought that I would add them.The barrels rebore to 40 over with keith black pistons. The heads are compleatly redone Manely shovel valves and guides. Eastern steel seats. NOS rocker blocks and shafts ( paid way too much for them. all new springs , keepers and seals. And have quit smokeing lol

skinthead · Mar 28, 2012

I like the looks of this thing from the first pic!

Ken, how do I know your name man?! I know I have heard that name some place before!

dfauerbach · Mar 28, 2012

Looking forward to this one!

Ken Cormier · Mar 31, 2012

Well some days just suck. Had my 40hrs at noon and was sent home for the day. Thought I would finnish putting my rachet top together and time it. It has proabaly 10 years or so sience I have done that.
Spent 10 min looking for the little springs that I had droped lol. I also had to replace the shifting drum. So thats why the retimingI had the timing tool as over the ears a couple brothers and I have chipped in and bought factory tools.
First took every thing apart and cleaned and check the parts. Put every thing back to gether.
So now its time to time the shifting forks. 4 hrs later a trip to an indy shop and the dealership to buy all avable shims. And it still wouldn't shift.
IT WAS TIME TO READ THE MANUEAL . So the moral of this deivel is no matter what you think you remember check the book. I had just spent all that time trying to time the drum in 2nd gear instead off nuet.
sorry for the drivel .just thought I would show in my thread that sometimes things don't allways go smoothly.

rockett · Mar 31, 2012

Sometimes? Shit. Every time I pick up a wrench, something like that happens. Thought I'd just 'change out my CV axle' the other day. Something I've done several times.

Yeah, right. Yanked that bitch out from under the car with a pickup truck, I did.

Sick frame color, sir.

Grats on quitting smoking. I quit menthols, and then cigs all together early this year. Saving a LOT of money.

panman · Mar 31, 2012

Very nice Ken!

texas rattler · Apr 1, 2012

looks very nice,but why is it your last build?

Ken Cormier · Apr 1, 2012

texas rattler said:
looks very nice,but why is it your last build?

cuz at my knees shape and age every time I get down on the floor to do something I have to crawl up the bike to stand up to make another trip to the tool box.

Rocket= Sick frame color, sir.
Every bike I have built has had a black frame time for something else Now if I could make up my mind about the tins lol

rockett · Apr 1, 2012

Hmmm.

Black tins?

Sunset orange tins?

Ken Cormier · Apr 7, 2012

So another day of working on the bike to get 5 min of work done. I had bought a new aftermarket tranny mounting plate. And of course it didn't fit the cut outs that the nubs that the mounting studs are in. The cut outs were too narrow by about 5 thous. My milling machine is a dremel tool needless to say it takes awhile to do something like that. I forgot to take the camera with me . It took so long I had to stop drinking was getting loaded lol. Finnally got it to fit mounted the tranny and found out that we forgot to put the bracket on that is for the rear inner primary tab. Don't that suck more welding and a repaint. If I could only ride a bike that looked like everyone else's bagger and not worry and be happy O'well. Tomorrow after church and dinner going to mount the front end and figger out a fork stop. That we forgot before paint. The mock up was a quicky rear wheel and brakes. The motor with exshaust hadn't bought the narrow glide got it now . I can't believe the shit I forgot to do or the stuuf I remenber that I should have done. All this drivel is just to show that not every one on this board is a master builder . I am just a guy that likes to say when some one ask where did you get that bike I can say I BUILT IT.

ckunsman89 · Apr 8, 2012

sweet bike. For your fork stop problem, an internal fork stop kit comes to mind. No welding or repaint required.

rockett · Apr 8, 2012

Ken Cormier said:
I am just a guy that likes to say when some one ask where did you get that bike I can say I BUILT IT.

That's me, too. It would be faster, prettier, and cheaper, if I bought a bike. But it would bother me that I didn't build it.

Last build first thread

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