WELL STILL POUNDING, WELDING AND GRINDING BUT WE ARE GETTING CLOSER TO GOING OUT FOR PAINT. THE LAST THING WE HAD TO DO WAS TO REMOVE THE SIDE PANELS AND TRY TO FABRICATE AN OIL TANK TO FIT INTO THE SMALL AREA INSIDE. WE WANTED TO NOT ONLY HAVE ROOM FOR THE OIL TANK BUT ALSO TO FIT AN OIL FILTER ASSEMBLY,THE REGULATOR THE BATTERY AND AREA FOR ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, BREAKERS ETC. WELL WE FIGURED IT OUT AND IT WAS A TIGHT FIT. IT WAS A CHALLENGE TO MAKE EVERTHING FIT AND ALSO BE EASILY ACCESSABLE BUT WE THINK WE HAVE IT. THE TWO HOLES AT THE TOP RIGHT SIDE OF THE TANK ARE FOR THE OIL RETURN AND BREATHER LINES. THE ONE AT THE BOTTOM WAS TO BE THE FEED BUT AFTER SOME THOUGHT WE DECIDED TO MAKE THE FEED HOLE ON THE BOTTOM, TO THE REAR, SECTION OF THE TANK SO AS TO NOT HAVE THE HOT OIL RETURNING FROM THE ENGINE COMING IN RIGHT ABOVE THE FEED LINE. THIS WAY THE OIL HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING COOLED, AS IT HAS TO TRAVEL COMPLETELY AROUND TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TANK, BEFORE BEING FEED BACK TO THE MOTOR. THE OIL TANK FILLER CAP IS UNDER THE SEAT AND WE LEFT THE AREA ON THE RIGHT BETWEEN THE OIL TANK PIECES TO MOUNT THE HOLDERS FOR THE BREAKERS. WE ALSO PUT THE SEAT UP ON SPRINGS AND GOT IT LOW ENOUGH BY TAKING A 5" SEAT SPRING AND CUTTING IT IN HALF AND REFORMING IT INTO TWO SPRINGS ENABLING US TO KEEP THE SEAT LOW BUT ADD A LITTLE SUSPENSION TO IT. WE ALSO MADE A LICENCE PLATE BRACKET OUT OF STAINLESS STEEL FOR THE REAR AND DID DECIDE TO MOUNT THE RACK ON THE BACK. WE HAD TO CUT THE REAR SUPPORT ARMS OF THE RACK OFF AND THEN MADE SMALL LITTLE MOUNTS WELDED TO THE FENDER TO SLIP THE RACK INTO. IT IS LOCKED IN PLACE BY 1/4" ALLEN SET SCREW AND BOLTED IN THE FRONT AS NORMAL. THIS WAY YOU CAN RUN THE RACK WHEN YOU WANT AND JUST HAVE THE FULLY EXPOSED FENDER WHEN YOU DON'T FOR A SLICKER LOOK. "ZEKE" WAS JUST HERE TODAY AND WE HAVE PICKED OUT A PAINT SCHEME FOR THE SLICKER AND IT SHOULD BE HEADED OUT TO HIS PAINT SHOP BY NEXT WEEKEND. PRETTY WELL ALL THE MOUNTS ARE IN PLACE NOW....JUST A FEW LITTLE THINGS AND THEN THE FINAL WELDING AND REINFORCING IN SOME AREAS AND THEN SHE'S GONE. WE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THE PAINT IS BACK AND UPDATE IT AS SHE COMES ALONG. LATER.........

02/19/99

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