2013 - AusEx (AmEx Replica)

[landuse]

That thing is used to float concrete floors and get them nice and level

 

[exenos]

Thats why I thought it was from one of those, all the concrete.

 

[OzFab]

Hey, did anyone happen to notice post #97 amongst all the banter?

 

[exenos]

Yup, I saw it. Kinda cringed at the thought of how much that block aluminum would cost.

 

[OzFab]

$10

 

[exenos]

Ouch And that's even a fairly small piece.

 

[landuse]

Hey, did anyone happen to notice post #97 amongst all the banter?

I did, and you have some skills with the lathe. I wish I had one (and knew how to use it).

Have you run the engine with the new design yet? How does it run?

 

[OzFab]

Have you run the engine with the new design yet? How does it run?

Well, as I said:

I jumped the gun a bit

The head is still not done & the engine is still in bits; almost there...

In the meantime, I sorted the chain tensioner on the weekend: I started with a piece of 5 x 20mm flat bar & some 15mm round bar from the stock pile. I bored through one piece of round bar to 8mm & tapped another with an M8 thread then welded the two pieces to opposite ends & opposite sides of the flat bar. The threaded end holds the roller on a grade 12 bolt with a locknut behind it to hold the correct tension.

For the mount end I bored a longer piece of the round bar, tapped it as deep as I could go then drilled the rest out to 8mm &, after assemblying the whole thing & lining it up, welded it to the back of the engine mount plate. Again, I used a grade 12 bolt & locknut behind it.

I then modified a pitbike footpeg spring (the same as I used on the pedals) to create the spring tension...

 

[rwd4evr]

nice work on that. coming along nicely. and yes masteryota, besides a welder and drill press, my 7x12 mini-lathe is the best tool I've got. i couldn't have done half the stuff I've done at all and the rest would have looked crappy and crooked.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Top drawer stuff Tony- this is coming along beautifully!

 

[OzFab]

You have helped me finalize my decision, to own a lathe at some point in my life.

Glad to be of service

nice work on that. coming along nicely. and yes masteryota, besides a welder and drill press, my 7x12 mini-lathe is the best tool I've got. i couldn't have done half the stuff I've done at all and the rest would have looked crappy and crooked.

In the two months I've owned it, the longest I've gone without using it is about 3 days; it's definitely paid for itself...

Top drawer stuff Tony- this is coming along beautifully!

But wait, there's more...

 

[OzFab]

I finally found someone to reseat the valves; I made phone call after phone call & even a 20 minute drive to a shop who said "yeah, we can do that" on the phone, only to get there & be told, "nah, we can't do that" so, obviously, I was getting nowhere so, I had to go past the shop where I got the valve springs for the suspension so I dropped in, showed the boss who said "sure, no problem, it'll be ready in an hour..."

I had to pick up the little princess so I dropped back in on the way home & there it was; valves cut, seats cut & the whole head looked like new, all for only $30!

Back home I did a bit of mild porting, just to round out those hard edges under the seat inserts, then a few minutes with a polishing stone just to make the whole port a bit smoother. They're not perfect, I could do a lot more but, it'll do for now...

Sorry about the blurry pics; it's not easy holding a camera & a torch & taking a photo of such a small area but, you get the idea

 

[OzFab]

I also made a start on the exhaust: I cut out the flange plate some time ago so, the next step was to drill a hole in the centre; the biggest I could go was half inch so, lots of grinding...

The plan was to match it to the size & angle of the port so the exhaust followed the natural flow so, using a die grinder, I carefully cut the hole to size. Then I found a piece of tube that fit inside the port to act as a guide for the angle & put the exhaust pipe over that. After lining up the pipe I marked it parallel to the flange & cut it down, put it back in place & tacked the pipe to the flange.

After removing the whole assembly, I completed the weld, cleaned it up & stage 1 complete...

 

[landuse]

Looking good

 

[OzFab]

I always try to get my porting done before I would have the seats redone, I don't have the steadiest of hands, and I know I will eventually knick the seat at least several times.

Funny you should say that; I was super careful with this job & didn't want to push my luck (hence the half decent job) but, I actually did knick just below the seat. Hopefully, it'll be ok...

The mild port looks good though, and should still produce a good amount of low end torque and breathe better on the top end.

Low end is what I'm aiming for so, I hope so...

 

[OzFab]

More Goodies

I just got back from Blu-Chrome with various bits & pieces including my steering shaft, tierods, engine throttle plate, spring retainers, Ackermann brackets & a bunch of bolts, all of which are now chrome plated Now I can really get stuck into the engine build.

Also this week, I had to make a trip to the steel merchant &, while I was there, I found a piece of 2.5mm aluminium checker plate (similar to diamond plate) that, with a snip here & there, was the perfect size for the floor. About an hour of cutting, grinding & sanding & the floor is done.

I then used some 20mm x 3mm flat bar to make anchor tabs (the same as I did for the seat). Next step, weld 'em in which could be fun ATM...

Let me explain: My ex needed some wood paling fence panels cut so, yesterday while I was picking up the little princess, I cut them up for her. Not very strenuous activity but, now my back is killing me...

 

[machinist@large]

I just got back from Blu-Chrome with various bits & pieces including my steering shaft, tierods, engine throttle plate, spring retainers, Ackermann brackets & a bunch of bolts, all of which are now chrome plated Now I can really get stuck into the engine build.

Also this week, I had to make a trip to the steel merchant &, while I was there, I found a piece of 2.5mm checker plate (similar to diamond plate) that, with a snip here & there, was the perfect size for the floor. About an hour of cutting, grinding & sanding & the floor is done.

I then used some 20mm x 3mm flat bar to make anchor tabs (the same as I did for the seat). Next step, weld 'em in which could be fun ATM...

Let me explain: My ex needed some wood paling fence panels cut so, yesterday while I was picking up the little princess, I cut them up for her. Not very strenuous activity but, now my back is killing me...

Don't ya just love it when you finally get your parts ready, but you're too wounded to get going on the job......

I'm feeling for ya buddy!!!! Pat

 

[souperman000]

Chain tensioner is ingenious.

CAn't wait to see it all together; keep it up, Tony.

 

[OzFab]

Don't ya just love it when you finally get your parts ready, but you're too wounded to get going on the job......

I'm feeling for ya buddy!!!! Pat

Thanks Pat. Thankfully, my back got a bit better as the day went on so, I managed to tough it out & get a little bit done: Details & pics tomorrow...

Chain tensioner is ingenious.

I borrowed the idea from a pitbike tensioner but, the mount is all mine...

 

[OzFab]

So, bad back & all, I managed to get the floor in. 2 tabs on each side & one at the front oughtta do it.

I predrilled the tabs so, once I had them all in, I could line up the holes on the floor to the tabs perfectly...