Some more parts have arrived, and the weekend brings some time to play in the garage. I test fitted the carbs, and came up with a solution using one fuel injected intake manifold on the vertical cylinder, and one (modified) carbureted intake manifold on the horizontal cylinder. This will lead to a number minor tweaks - the right frame crossbrace needs to be modified a hair, and the throttle cable stops on the carbs need to be moved so they are facing "forward" to allow a more direct cable route. I'll also need to the modified intake manifold welded up. The tank also came in, and while I am waiting for some OEM parts (the rubber mounts for the front of the tank), I put it on the frame to get a sense of how it looks (so far). Coming along, but lots more to do!
A few more pics: Beat up old numberplate (I'll spend $20 for a new one) as a mockup. Koso Gauge test-fit into the bracket. The frame was left at Iron Craft overnight, and Brent did his usual impeccable tig-welding on the shock mount, as well as the front bracket (to the steerer tube), and the frame bushing. As I've said before, every time I think I'm getting handy with the torch, I see what Brent can do and I'm humbled! Big thanks to buddy Wilson who donated an old 900ss shock for mockup purposes. Scored some Sato monster rearsets for a good price from Japan. I won't have to worry about mounting footpeg brackets to the frame. I do need to source a M10x1.50x65mm allen bolt though! Right hand side. As I've done up a race wiring loom from a SS carbed harness before, I attacked one that I had... Much simpler and cleaner! Could probably do away with the fuse box altogether (there's only 3 active fuses left) but as it is, I can mount it somewhere pretty cleanly. Placed an order with Liam at Fastbike Gear for a bunch of ignitech parts!
Another update -- still waiting on some parts and some fabrication I am unable to do, but there were a few minor tasks I could accomplish, despite the weather. I test fit the controls to start. TZ250 twin-pull throttle tube. A nice aluminum unit. I've got some cables inbound I'll use as a starting point, but I know I'll have to modify them to work properly. Also got a Braking radial master cylinder (new), as well as the right hand side ducati switchgear fitted. Stock Ducati clutch master cylinder. Fabricated a plate to fit under the tank and mount the Mosfet regulator/rectifier. Attached with p-clamps, which seem to hold it quite securely. Hopefully I can also mount the ignitech box to the same plate. Checking the cable routing... The world's most expensive spacers... my usual guy is getting some medical treatment, so I got another firm to do these up for me, so I could re-use these engine bolt/frame sliders from another Ducati. Obscenely expensive for about an hour's work on the lathe. They work, but I won't be going back!! Also fitted my Chinese rear brake caliper (I know), and drilled the mounting bolts for safety wire. I've used one on another project, and it works fine. Cheaper than a Brembo caliper rebuild kit! After a few hour's work, you can't really tell any difference! Oh well, my exhaust parts should be in sometime this week.
I've got my ignition unit mounted in a black one of these with P-clips to the Monster frame just to the lefthand side of my 40mm TDMR carbs. The bracket is a bargain at 20 quid and the clips effectively mean its rubber mounted. I've also gone with a 1200ms mosfet RR mounted on an adapter plate like yours but in the original position behind the headstock ('94 M900). https://www.performancefab.co.uk/ignitech-mount-bracket
that's a cool mounting bracket -- I'm buying the one from Fastbikegear, along with coils and spark plug wires so I'm sure everything is compatible!
Some more parts have arrived, and I'll start the process of modifying them for fitment (nothing ever seems to "bolt on" to my projects)! Race tail section: from Hotbodies racing in the USA. Decent quality, with a glassed in seat base underneath that props the tail fairing "up" from the frame rails. As a bonus, I think I have another (perhaps) better spot to mount the battery. I'll have to do some more thinking on it. I like the "skirts" along the side of the seat base. Adds a bit more substance to it. Alignment is good, all things considered. Already thinking about paint. Suggestions on a postcard... Exhaust: From a Bimota DB4 of all things. A 2-1 system meant for a 900ss engine. I've got a scheme to shorten the headers to accommodate the 800 cylinders. The shotgun mufflers are NOT the perforated core style. It's an aluminum sleeve OVER a stainless cylinder full of cut and shut pipes for sound deadening. I'm going to try to dissect these, shorten them, and remake them as a typical straight through perforated core style of exhaust, and shed about 15 pounds in the process. If it fails, I'll simply lop off these anchors and install a single megaphone muffler. The 2-1 collector was a critical piece, as well as the larger (40mm OD) header pipes. Some other 2-1 systems for 600/750/800 machines use 34mm diameter headers. Stay tuned!
Cobalt blue bodywork & bronze frame - & btw this is what I'm thinking of doing for my own project so if it turns out bloody awful I can decide on something else...
Re: Paint & bodywork ideas... I'm really liking some of the spirited bodywork, paint & graphics being done by XTR Pepo (you can find him on Facebook). https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threads/random-picture-thread-vers-4.100173/page-111#post-2212196 Keep up the great work sir!
Spent most of today working on the exhaust. After a bit of drilling and modifying of the shotgun exhaust, I realized that it was simply going to be too much work and hassle to convert them to a lighter, perforated core exhaust... so the hacksaw came out. Luckily I had a pile of mandrel bent exhaust pieces/offcuts from other projects, and a spare new Scorpion exhaust from a zx10r of all things. Still lots to do, including visiting my favorite muffler shop to use their muffler flaring tool. The scorpion muffler fits too loosely on the connector pipe, so that will need to be expanded slightly (fractional inches). Surprisingly I thought I would have to shorten the lengths of the DB4 headers to fit on the 800 engine. It appears this isn't the case. There seems to be a bit "extra" clearance between the horizontal pipe and the engine case, but I'd rather have extra room than have things too tight. I might just leave them as is. Still need to figure out a muffler bracket solution, but I've got something in mind. While not finished fully, I'd call this a win.
Back in the garage for another abbreviated session, due to the extreme cold. Set about figuring out a battery mount under the seat, as well as trying to find a way to secure the seat fairing itself. With no immediate access to the shear and brake, I tried to re-utilize versions 1 and 2 of the original battery box. I realized I needed to get it to mount much higher than my original plan. Maybe I've created a motoGP style mass damper with the battery in this location...? The battery itself being so light, there is not much stress or strain on the aluminum parts. I don't have a "top" pic, but the battery tucks quite nicely under the rear seat hump. The "shelf" you see in the above photo actually mounts to aluminum riv-nuts I've installed in the underside of the seat base. I've found that things are not perfectly square with the Hotbodies seat base -- a few of the mounting "pad" are not aligned, so I'll add some fibreglass when the weather warms up so it sits securely on the aft frame rails. You can see the aluminum shelf isn't square, but at least it is hidden under the seat. Further to my previous comment on the header pipes with the 900cc DB4 system: Not low enough to hit the ground by any means, so I think it should be fine.
Brief update -- dropped the link pipe off at the muffler shop and they used their hydraulic expanding tool to flare out the pipe slightly so the clamp on scorpion exhaust fits securely. Then I remembered I had a spare GPR muffler (two actually) lying around. Secured with a spring, I did a quick test fit and these would be an option. They aren't new, but they might be a bit quieter despite being a bit beat up (maybe more appropriate for a track bike). I have some options, anyway. Also got a quick text from my welding guru -- my modified manifold for the horizontal cylinder is done. Great work as usual, welding a cast aluminum part! These can be tricky depending on the porosity of the casting. Even preserved the threaded port for vacuum gauges to balance the carbs!
A few more parts came in, and the miserable weather has let up so it's garage time! Fox shock showed up. Will need to wait on some rear stand pads or another solution before I mount it. The rear swingarm does not have spools for a rear lift. Spent quite some time coming up with a solution to mount the coils. What I came up with is a bit Rube Goldberg, but it should work, as well as provide some room for the tank spigot for the fuel feed (gravity). The modified manifold worked perfectly and I now have both carbs mounted. I'm sussing out the cable routing with some leftover scrap cables I had lying around. I also added a piece to the rear battery "box", and fitted the rear brake master, and the clutch master fluid container. Behind the aluminum plate on the right hand side of the frame is the box for the ignitech system (which I bought along with the coils. The spark plug leads are a tad long, but I can tuck them out of sight. Tomorrow I'll fabricate the bracket for the regulator/rectifier, and then decide where I will mount the starter solenoid. By then, all of the main electrical components will have a home. I'll wait until it is much warmer before I work on routing and modifying the wiring loom.
Great minds think alike... as Andy Bee suggested, before I went to bed last night I checked whether to ignitech mounting box would fit under the seat, as while the SH841(?) reg/rec runs a lot cooler, it really should have some airflow exposure to it. Turns out the ignitech would fit well under the seat. The supplied wires by Liam and co at Fastbikegear are sufficiently long enough to connect to the OEM trigger coming from the alternator cover, as well as the coils. Now I need to find a spot for the reg/rec (again!). In the end, I repurposed the right hand side aluminum plate and mounted it there. Perhaps a bit "too" exposed, but it will get plenty of airflow, and it's weight is moved towards the front of the bike. I'll trim the aluminum bracket to get rid of excess material. I may fashion some sort of cover or guard for it. If the bike goes down on the right hand side, hopefully the frame slider will protect the reg/rec... at least for 50' of sliding or something!? Finally I had to figure a spot for the starter solenoid. After some figuring, I realized I could tuck it up under the seat as well. I will mean a long-ish route to the starter motor under the horizontal cylinder, but I've made custom starter cables before with better quality welding wire, and this location will also mean a short route to the battery itself. Happy with where things are at so far!
Yeah, it's real tough to find the ideal cooling spot for a reg/rec and it doesn't help they are quite so bulky plus not being the most aesthetically pleasing units.
With the weather warming slightly, I thought I'd spend some more time in the garage. A few updates... Fox shock installed -- not sure if what is pictured will be the final solution for the remote reservoir, but it's the typical way to mount it, on a bare frame tube somewhere on the rear subframe... The shock seems to be in great shape, with no leaks, but it is missing the bottom rubber bumper, so a rebuild is in the cards eventually. You can see I am also looking at addressing the wiring. I found a spot for the fuse box (with only 3 fuses): It's somewhat exposed where it is, but I will fabricate a guard to protect it from any rain or crap flung up by the rear wheel. I also oriented the starter solenoid under the seat. I'll have to lengthen the wires from the wiring loom to the solenoid itself. Checked the orientation of the main battery leads and made sure everything fit under the tail with decent clearance. I also fabricated a cable from the solenoid to the starter under the engine. Pic of the custom front intake manifold and Chinese FCR mounted. There is ample clearance all around. Another gratuitous shot of the bike on the lift: You can see the 90 degree welding magnet with the one exhaust mount mocked up. Waiting on Brent to do some Tig welding on the exhaust collector (I tack-welded it in the orientation I needed, and then dropped it off), and a few other parts -- clutch slave cylinder, a few small pieces for the fueling system. Steady progress, methinks!
The devil is in the details -- fabricating the ground strap for the battery (bolted to the case), and repurposing a plastic cable bracket I had lying around. 1/4" eyelet at the battery, 5/8" (8mm) to the case. Used an AMP connector for the main switch. I'll have to tweak it slightly to wire in the tachometer power. Mounted the 848 oil cooler and custom bracket, transferred over from the TT F1 replica project.
