imago

It's an option but I have some very nice wheels (Saxon) sorted now so I want to get them here and measure/try the fit. As it's only going to be a temporary arm while I search out a nice JMC or Metmachex I have no issue putting the angry grinder to it. The current sticking point and only thing keeping it from being an engine in roller is a nice RWU front end, but these things take time I guess.

"Work smarter not harder."

The amended (yet again) plan is that I'll get it blasted and coated at the same time as the frame. Then I'll use that until I find something better, probably a JMC/Metmachex. Seems daft to keep the bike off the road while I wait for an arm to turn up.

You did, and it is. Fun though.

Dresda made them, but they look very similar to Davida. From what you read they were on good terms and loads of helping out and swapping went on, Davida supplied some arms to Dresda at one point.

There was an awful lot of knackered, ugly, not to my taste, bodged and way too heavy stuff to ditch. So basically I'm keeping the frame and losing everything else to start again. For example (one for @davecara ) check out those lovely caliper adaptors The arm's not going to suit what I have in mind, so I may use it to start a @clivegto'stash' or more likely I'll accept that I can never attain such lofty status and move it on. It's in pretty good condition and surprisingly well engineered with key ways in the eccentric adjusters and a keyed spindle. It looks more like a Davida than an Dresda arm to me?

The Dresda is 'Blue approved' which given the amount of bikes he's seen and his knowledge of special frames that's an impressive endorsement.

Just weighed the rear wheel as they're heavy to see what I save when I get the replacements. The rear wheel with tyre and sprocket weighs 15.5 kg, the bare frame only weighs 15.8 kgs.

This thing's led a busy life. Having stripped it down I decided to investigate the patch welded on the underside of the tank. I doubt it was cut for a sender, fuel pump maybe?

Like a glove. Which is good news because it removes any doubt about the choice of engine. As you and @Paulmpointed out, there's no point in spending more money to have less power no matter how it looks. An early start means the frame is ready to go for stripping and either paint or powder.

Good news, confirmation that a GSX engine drops straight in. So that's a home for the 1170 with flowed big valve head.

"Best laid plans ...." In theory it could be done, but it'd be a lot of work for an end product I wouldn't be happy with. The other danger being a temporary build turning into a permanent build. The safety net being that it's not going to lose money whatever I do or don't end up doing with it which is an unusual position to be in with a project bike.

Yes it does, and yes they do but that's already been done by a previous owner who no doubt realised what an over hyped, under powered, thirsty, pile of crap a kettle engine is.

Right, now that the fug of sleep deprivation is wearing off this is the plan:- Apply for the logbook and get it legitimate. Try some air cooled cases in the hole to make sure that it will fit and the mounts line up. If they don't try Bandit ones to see if it went air cooled. If neither do then start looking at engine options and alterations to suit. Strip it to component level. Start looking for parts. It is definitely going to need a front end as those forks are shagged. Maybe USD, maybe not, but they need to be something decent and light. Replace the brakes, with what will probably be driven by the front end. The swing arm is truly fucking hideous, so that's going not sure what'll replace it yet but JMC/Metmachex seem the most likely candidates as it's staying twin shock. Wheels are an unknown at the moment, nothing too wide 5.5" will do nicely. Full rewire. I'm not keen on the RG bodywork so that'll go in favour of a boxy tail piece and something along the lines of a Mag 2 bikini fairing as it's practical and I like the look. Overall aim, something a bit different that's reasonably light and handles well. Power will be provided by something normally aspirated (even though there's a huge blow through sized gap between wheel and frame). I'll see what fits before I think too much about engine choices. All of which means there's not a chance in hell it'll be at Newark.

I have another GSX frame on the racking painted and everything else in boxes ready to start building too.

After 4 hours kip and a four hour drive it's back to the workshop I had enough 'awake' left over to pull the bodywork for a good look at what I'm dealing with. First impressions are that I'm not going to get away with stuffing an engine in it and running it for a bit as a 'barn find'. It definitely needs forks, brakes and a rewire along with a full suite of bearings. To do that lot properly it needs stripping, and if I strip it I'm not going to bung it back together in a shit state.

If I add together all my plans, intentions, speculation and put £15 quid to it I'd be able to buy a packet of fags. Once all the stuff is cleared out to the various people who're doing their bit for the throwback and the Dresda is in the workshop I'll see what I'm dealing with and have a better idea on how long it'll take to do whatever's needed.

Was that the sound of a gauntlet hitting the floor? I do take your point though, and no offence to those involved but we're talking about a 'Tom month' and a 'FBM month' so I fancy my chances.

With the draw through I mean from a business point of view it doesn't look good if it's not in a complete finished state (running or not) 'Only as good as your last job' type of thing. So I won't be taking that to any shows until it looks presentable to me. The Dresda is a different kettle of fish as if I get it running but don't refurb it then it's the 'barn find' thing and everyone loves those.

I have three currently stripped, two for refresh and one for the crank upgrade for the turbo. That leaves one complete that's OK as far as I know but I'd want to open it and check. Then there's one which is a cracking runner but the cases are a bit shady (broken clutch cable threads, cover threads stripped etc) and I have new cases to build it into but they're currently being used as a mock up for the draw through fitting. Then there's the Upperton engine which is a built up bottom end, the 1170 barrels and flowed big valve head are currently on the black ET so that they could be run in. That's the engine I'd use for the Dresda as it'll make the most potent normally aspirated. So whichever way I go with the GSX engines there's some work ranging from a bit to a full build. When I fit the GSX engine to it I'm not going to half arse it, everything will need to be spot on. There's no point doing that in a scabby frame so that and everything else would need to go for powdercoat and paint. That turns it into another full strip and build job which I don't really have time for at the moment. So my choices at the moment are to either do the quick and dirty to get it running and riding with a GS engine. Or, shove it into the container and wait until I have time to do it justice which realistically will be a year or so before it got started. On balance I'd rather get it on the road and use it instead of shoving it in a container.

Thanks Paul. I was a bit stuck for what to take given the timing as I don't want to take the Throwback anywhere until it's done. A WIP on the stand is fine until you consider the business angle as it just looks half arsed and wouldn't give a good impression. That leaves the black ET which is fine but not really (to my mind) OSS as it's just a nice ET. However, since that Dresda came out of the blue I reckon I can get that up and running in time for Newark so I can bring that and all's well.

Obviously I've been kicking some ideas around for this, and whilst broadly speaking the overall plan (back to black/orange with a tuned GSX engine) works I'm coming around to a stage in between. If I get a running GS1000 engine and fit it then attend to forks, bearings and a bit of fettling with brakes and the like it could be up and running very quickly. So my thinking is to try and do just that whilst I have a lull with the throwback. The bodywork will be weeks yet, and I imagine a similar time frame for the bike at FBM. The cases I'm building the engine into along with the twiddly bits will be at Brian's for a while. That means that I'd have a clear month where I can't do anything with the Trowback. If I can get the Dresda up and running in that time without messing around with the time consuming paintwork, and do it without spending a fortune it'd make for a good run around bike. None of the time or money spent would be wasted as I wouldn't be doing anything twice come time for the 'pretty build' of it. Plus I'd be able to properly focus on it once the Throwback was in a finished state. Thoughts? Does that sound a reasonable approach?

That'd be a full house and upset them all.

Yeah, without those the only sensible/reasonable choice would be an oil boiler, but the 1052 stuff is starting to get hard to find now too. There are quite a few projects people are putting together on here which either won't be possible or will be prohibitively expensive to start from zero with in a few years.

Which is right to a point, but if you go too far past the square you gain torque but start to lose out on hp and reduce the revs at the top end and even then you need huge valves to fill the cylinder. So unless you go down the forced induction route you don't want to be going much past the 1200 cc mark.