1976 XL 350 Vintage Baja Project!

[1962siia]

Hey all:

Getting back on this project after a long break. Thanks to the SIP I got super motivated to contain the chaos that was my garage. With some help from Oaklandf4i I have a proper work space for my projects now. Thanks CJ for the help.

So started by stripping the paint from the fork sliders and triple clamp and rebuilt the forks. Much better than they were so I've decided to keep with the Betor 35mm forks instead of trying to put on cr250 showa cartridge forks. I'll keep the showas around in case I want to do this later. The Betor fork tubes are in excellent condition, you can even see the cross hatching still!

Once they were done I got the bike rolling again so I could look at it and start thinking about what I want it to look like when it's done. I keep going back and forth about style and colors etc. Should I go with red vintage mx look or classic Elsinore look? Hmmmm.

Then I tore into the bottom end because I needed to replace the crank, but decided to just go with the entire bottom end from my parts engine after finding munched up crank bearing journal.

The parts engine is in much better condition so will go with it, still have top end ready to go in a box so just need to button it all up and engine will be ready to go. Need to find some nicer side covers and I'm thinking of adding an oil cooler to the bike as well.

Also now that the garage is set up properly I'm thinking of setting up a painting area so will be painting the frame myself. Just need to make the decision on colors etc.

 

[wilit]

I love build threads like this. So glad people invest the time into keeping vintage bikes alive for the sheer love of it.

 

[Cabrito]

Go for the Elsinore look, and I have throwback jersey for you if you want it.

 

[OaklandF4i]

Go for the Elsinore look, and I have throwback jersey for you if you want it.

Lol.... of COURSE you do Cabrito! :laughing That is an awesome jersey. :thumbup You have all the cool shit.

Daniel, go the classic Elsinore. There are a ton restored red on red late 70's CR's, the earlier Elsinore color scheme is rarer and IMO cooler.

You might also have an easier time piecing together the body work. Matching all those pieces in exact same shade of red could become a project on its own.

The classic Elsinore you just need the tank. Frame is black and source some fender/plates of the style you like in white as silver plastic probably isnt available. White is easiest color to find, and I know you are going to picky on the style, which will make it easier.

Got to add the litter rubber flap on front fender no matter what you do.

 

[OaklandF4i]

This bike is what put Honda on the Motocross map, was there when America started to impact Motocross, and made Marty Smith (RIP), a super star. He and his wife just passed.

Between it and the DT1, no two bikes affected American offroad more.

 

[1962siia]

So I have a buddy who has a MT250 sitting under a tarp. He will never part with it, but he did let me borrow it to see how the tank fits. It doesn't fit perfectly but its really close and I really like the look.

I think I will be going for the Elsinore look! Woot!

 

[1962siia]

So decided to reconsider using the 1988 cr250 forks. Now that my garage is organized I can actually use some of my tools. I'm not a machinist but decided since I had a hunk of 1.5" delrin I'd try to make some spacers to shorten the cr forks. It was a fun project and next up is modifying the stem to fit the steering head bearings which are not metric. Just need to turn down the stem a little bit and then shorten it and recut the threads for the top.

May be looking at some amazing fuel tanks tomorrow, and possibly coming home with one that I can afford and paint myself. I'll take some pics.....

 

[Eric B]

Nice Daniel. Looking forward to the progression.

 

[auntiebling]

fun project!
are you going to cut the threads on the lathe? i had on of othose, hated it so much i sold it and bought a much beefier 12x36 semi basket case... and had to sell that now i have no lathe.

i was asking too much of the little lathe, nothing inherently wrong with them

 

[1962siia]

I'm thinking I will pass the stem to a pro and pay to have the work done. I suspect I'll bugger it up doing it myself. Cutting delrin spacers was simple but actually getting an aluminum stem perfect will take skills I don't possess. But I dont think it will be too difficult for a pro. I just need to get the measurements right for what I want. The stem needs to be turned down to fit through the 1" roller bearings, shortened, and then have the threads at the top cut again and there are three different sections on the top of the stem, two with different threads and the space the top triple sits between the two.

The little lathe did great with the job yesterday but I can understand wanting a bigger one for sure.

Also thinking I may have shortened the fork a little too much so will wait for the stem work to be finished before I set up the other side.

 

[budman]

Good to see the project moving..!

Gotta have the flap...:laughing

That is gold.

 

[1962siia]

So I went and talked with Joe Abbate http://www.trpro.com/Joe/main.htm who is a vintage mx restorer/ gas tank repair guy in the east bay. Super cool guy and very knowledgable and the man for repairing dented aluminum tanks. He has a collection of dented tanks so I took the frame out there and we messed around fitting different tanks on the bike.

Seems like my frame wants a yamaha tank on it, so I picked up a dented 1976-ish yamaha mx250 aluminum tank and brought it home. Got some advice from Joe on pushing the dents out and have been working on it the last couple days. Super fun to learn how to do this, but its really something that takes patience and practise.

Here are some pics. You can see how much lower the tank sits compared to the honda tanks. The Yamaha under side is much wider and fits the frame way better. The process for pushing the dents out is slow but pretty satisfying to see it work. I still have a ways to go but its getting there. :thumbup

Thanks to Joe for taking the time to help me find the right tank, and for giving me some tips on doing the work myself. Super helpful and cool guy, and the tanks he does are really world class. Check out his website and if you dent your vintage aluminum tank you know who to send it to now, and he's local. :thumbup

 

[kpke]

Great project! Thanks for posting the tank restore link. I just sent a text to see if he will give some attention to vintage steel street bike tanks. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[SFMCjohn]

I've decided to keep with the Betor 35mm forks instead of trying to put on cr250 showa cartridge forks. The Betor fork tubes are in excellent condition, you can even see the cross hatching still!

so happy you've decided to go with the Betor 35mm forks! :thumbup




:laughing

very cool Yamaha aluminum tank ... is the plastic tank it came with servicable for when you need some better range?

 

[OaklandF4i]

Forget all this Mr. FANcy metal working I got skilz stuff....... I'd like to point out an even greater breakthrough in 1962siia's motoshop. You can actually see some floor now! :laughing

Tank and bike is going to look great! It really sits better and lower on the backbone making the proportions look better on the CJ Frame. Just don't forget the perch for Sally. :teeth

Can't wait to start my Husqvarna CR 390 vintage project.

 

[1962siia]

so happy you've decided to go with the Betor 35mm forks! :thumbup




:laughing

very cool Yamaha aluminum tank ... is the plastic tank it came with servicable for when you need some better range?

So the plastic tank is a Don Vesco tank and yes it does seem to hold fuel, but I can see cracking in the side so I dont think it would take serious off roaring but certainly long street rides.

Regarding the forks, im not sure which set I’m going with but going to try to make it where I have both options available until I make a decision. May need to buy a second front wheel because the betor set has a 15mm axle and the cr has a 17mm axle. Pretty sure I can change bearings and drill out the brake face plate, center piece and make new spacers for the cr front end.

I’m used to modern tech in my forks and nothing beats excellent suspension to mask crappy riding skills, so if I can make the showas look legit they will be a massive improvement over the betors which feel like crappy old forks. But the betors look legit. Both of these aspects are important so if I can have both available then that might be the ticket. Sheetiron or vintage hooligan ride slap on the betors, lab2v slap on the cr forks. Baja definitely the cr forks. So that’s my current thinking.

 

[SFMCjohn]

I’m used to modern tech in my forks and nothing beats excellent suspension to mask crappy riding skills ...

my poor life-choice has been to solve all my crappy suspension issues by riding slower ... :laughing

truth is your C&J frame will look fantastic with either set of forks ... :thumbup

impressed with the progress on the Yamaha tank ... :ride

 

[auntiebling]

what is the ballpark price for a lumpy old aluminum tank? might look good on a porky project i am pondering

Forget all this Mr. FANcy metal working I got skilz stuff....... I'd like to point out an even greater breakthrough in 1962siia's motoshop. You can actually see some floor now! :laughing

i recently got to the same place, but don't like what i found

keeding, knew it was there all along. what to do is the question

 

[1962siia]

I paid $160 for this tank with the og gas cap. I'd say check out ebay. Lots of options out there but vintage aluminum tanks with dents still fetch money especially elsinore or other rare tanks. They aren't making them anymore so seems like prices aren't going down.

 

[OldGuy]

When I built mine, 38 (!) years ago, no one could get the Betors to work well, so switched to Simons (the conventional, 38mm version). Powdered the lowers silver, and most people couldn't tell the difference. They worked a lot better, and after Phil Douglas worked 'em over, even more so.