Jump to content

VFR to RC45 "ish" replica budget build


Recommended Posts

  • Member Contributer

Didn’t I read you’re doing stainless steel? That won’t need much maintenance, left raw. Scotchbrite and any polish for the brushed look. If you’re going to polish it out, any polish and a microfiber. Guaranteed, anything you spray onto it will flake off. 
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 132
  • Created
  • Last Reply
2 hours ago, ducnut said:

Didn’t I read you’re doing stainless steel? That won’t need much maintenance, left raw. Scotchbrite and any polish for the brushed look. If you’re going to polish it out, any polish and a microfiber. Guaranteed, anything you spray onto it will flake off. 
 

 

I don't think so. I wish I would have. I'm using the stock header pipes kinda like the yoshimura system I believe and build the bridge between the front and back cylinders and the final exit pipes to the mufflers. I may do stainless now but it comes at a cost... don't tell my wife.

 

In hind sight, should have waited to do the exhaust after the swingarm! Could have saved some money. I realized when mocking up the exhaust with the single sided swingarm, "Why am I doing this? I was always going to do the dual sided swingarm and this doesn't look right. Just stop while you haven't invested too much into this exhaust."

 

Have to stop myself from doing things just to do them. Just want this bike on the road!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

I fully understand, as my mind is the same way. 
 

I want to do the 954 swingarm, so I can run a 6” Core Moto wheel and RC51-style mufflers up both sides. The 5th Gen tail has always appeared too fat for the tire and no swingarm on the right side. I think, it’d be more proportionate and balanced doing what I want. And, it would confuse some people as to what the bike is, since VFR usually means a SSS. 
 

These wheels are jewelry, to me. 

D7E9D36F-2B09-482D-95C8-D52DABCD5E40.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice! Those wheels look like they cost as much as a pair of big diamond earrings!

 

Come on and take the plunge and do the swingarm conversion! I would love to see someone else do something interesting.

 

You convinced me to do all stainless (except for the factory head pipes). Just placed my order and HOPEFULLY get them this week. I already have it figured out in my head how everything will fit. Fingers crossed it'll all work the way I intend... should be pretty trick system when done. Bright side is I have a bunch of mild steel bends to practice welding on!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Update:

 

Tacked the rear header pipes from the head down to the opening in the swingarm. It's tight with the shock but have around 1/4-1/2" of room all the way around. It's not that pretty right now and cheated a little to get it to work. I used a combination of factory pipes that I sectioned down and frankensteined together.

IMG_6159.thumb.jpeg.2b9cc4255b8abb879bc8ee004f6b06a9.jpeg

 

Started to piece together the slip on portion.

IMG_6155.thumb.jpeg.e1d786785dafb8cf55c95a12465a5de8.jpeg

IMG_6156.thumb.jpeg.cc1c3c5e4d945ea5ab400e86553251b6.jpeg

 

Welded up a crude bracket to center the final merge collecter (this will "y" out to the left and right pipes&mufflers). It's bolted to the dog bone/frame mount. This way I know where my pipes need to go and that everything should be parallel so the slip on portions won't bind up.

IMG_6158.thumb.jpeg.cb06647453fa71e2ccddc88675ae148c.jpeg

IMG_6160.thumb.jpeg.c60d57877dc68a156f8694a44b433620.jpeg

 

Looks more complicated in the pics. Hope it'll make sense once done.

 

Waiting on stainless mig wire and gas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Got my wire, tank coming today, gas next week. Most difficult fitment is pretty close and can't wait to tack it all.

 

I know I said I was going the simple 4-2 route but I had the extra collector and decided to do something more interesting, complicated and trick. Sure it'll weigh a little more but the way I've designed it I can switch it up with not too much hassle.

 

I just realized that one of the main reasons for making the exhaust was to get the bodywork an inch or two higher from the ground! Now it's just what I want and I can't just buy it (or can't afford to buy it). Crazy.

 

IMG_6169.thumb.jpeg.57e8f1a846600ce7c2041bcab63da089.jpeg

 

IMG_6162.thumb.jpeg.0e61fd0e525f3c0153b08a43860b9a6b.jpeg

 

IMG_6189.thumb.jpeg.924e4e231c5fab1b352f671d738f2702.jpeg
 

IMG_6190.thumb.jpeg.affd99e156d4d22f86381d978dd0ed02.jpeg

 

IMG_6191.thumb.jpeg.51fb81885a0a54f52f816570c0a0d600.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, ducnut said:

Where are the front primaries joining into this collector-split?

The front primaries go into a collector directly under the oil pan. From there, one 1.5" pipe merges into the secondary "collector-split" along side the rear 1.5" pipe. It's not pictured here since that is the last portion I need to fabricate and the other parts need to be tacked into position in order to get it to fit just right. It's basically identical to the TBR system I have as far as the front and the back don't merge until the end but much more compact and tighter to the underside of the bike. The main difference is having the front and rear pipes exiting parallel and in the center. This means I can run the final collector to have a 4-2-1 or not run a collector and have a true 4-2. The way I'm setting it up is a 4-2-1-2 basically. Well, with the addition of a cut out for fun. 4-2-1-2-fun?!

 

Once I get things tacked in place I'll take some better pictures with all the main pipes in place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The majority of the fitting and tacking is done for now. Next will be adding the dual exits to that last collector. Alot of grinding before welding those in place. Then it'll be the link pipes to the mufflers. Getting closer and I'm pretty happy so far. I've taken my time and have been lucky with a few fitments but the little patience I maintained has payed off.

 

Not looking forward to final welds... really hard to weld tight radius pipe. Probably be doing alot of clean up grinding and sanding to look decent.

 

Rear section:

IMG_6296.thumb.jpeg.5e59f51ae90376d87abc366e9a53554c.jpeg

IMG_6299.thumb.jpeg.81ae74b24777fd35eee79f22de510d09.jpeg

 

Front section:

IMG_6306.thumb.jpeg.c1afe77b6107d911c55c319329e77b2f.jpeg

IMG_6307.thumb.jpeg.bfb0f67b4eecb78a98d5c0d250714f7e.jpeg

 

Both assembled with the final collector top views:IMG_6308.thumb.jpeg.3ea27928f25ea2ea9db2b8b9d0157b32.jpeg

IMG_6309.thumb.jpeg.c3e9ec2ba5894879f4065e42c4752319.jpeg

 

Bottom views:

IMG_6310.thumb.jpeg.5f17d5f2af5dadf5020dbd7a74b4351a.jpeg

IMG_6311.thumb.jpeg.4addd4e13d37759508faed09eba82ff7.jpeg

 

On the bike:

IMG_6300.thumb.jpeg.c7c98c19de7eec0e9dc62d59055bd39c.jpeg

IMG_6301.thumb.jpeg.d5117cbb4fa7e327055ecc05dedda346.jpeg

IMG_6303.thumb.jpeg.5de11c13d1fe9b104efdb3fb71a777ef.jpegIMG_6304.thumb.jpeg.f8dcaef63cdf13eacac5f5c6e6fec415.jpegIMG_6305.thumb.jpeg.c0e4adc9e3a2d655abc1134efe131523.jpeg

 

IMG_6302.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Dutchy said:

IMG_6316.jpeg

 

 

 

That is one clean looking starter motor!!!   :goofy: 

Yeah I wanted to show off my trick chinese starter motor that leaks oil! I know everyone is jealous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry if I'm posting too much without major progress. Really had to stop myself from doing the finish welding until I get some angle material to weld onto the collector to support the whole system in place. 304 stainless has a tendency to distort when welded so want to make sure things are securely in place and straight/parallel/perpendicular.

 

Finding the right settings to weld stainless has been a challenge. I went with .023 wire and have to run a lot or wire feed speed to keep up with the arc. Learning on the job! Good times 😕

 

meanwhile, altering my subframe for the a "real" rc45 tail section. Nothing else looked right and the link pipes and mufflers just need to be mated to those lines...IMG_6334.thumb.jpeg.731595a8395f4f2b51f33122331e2501.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great! Well in that case, more photos. Just took the primaries off to clean the 20 years of black cooked on junk and hopefully brighten them up to match the stainless. I think I'm going to try the high temp clear. If it doesn't work out I'll either wrap the primaries or do a standard header paint.

IMG_6335.thumb.jpeg.cf746620ba1c4d7fd16dd35c05662cca.jpeg

IMG_6337.thumb.jpeg.c6418b9037791084c5c44515a3fe8914.jpeg

IMG_6336.thumb.jpeg.8ed5df479d3ac8625d6ea53fee575a29.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although my primary pipes weren't junk yard rusted there is quite a bit of surface rust that's been cooked in. Tried wire wheeling on the bench grinder and some scotch bright wheels but it takes awhile and with just ok results. Trying a youtube trick with extra strength toilet bowl cleaner with Hcl acid to hopefully eat the majority of that away. I'm letting them soak in a bucket and will check every couple hours to see if there's progess. I'll most likely spend a couple hours doing most by hand but worth a try, right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

I’d make new ones, because the ones you’re trying to clean will never satisfy you. And, the rust will likely return. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer
2 hours ago, Smack said:

Sandblasting or media (softer than sand) blasting would be way quicker to remove that rust and also give a more even finish.

Brian


The rust will come right back, because the rust molecules are in the pores of the metal. Blasting doesn’t remove stuff that small. Been there, done it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the advice. I totally understand mild steel will rust pretty quickly with moisture and heat cycles left untreated. I just wanted to give the high temp clear coat over bare metal a try. I'm just not a big fan of painted headers. If it works then I'm happy if not oh well... just not sure I have the patience to make SS primaries. Just want to be done with the exhaust and move on to other stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

You'll want to follow blasting with chemical treatment to get all rust out from surface cracks & pits. Use naval-jelly (phosphoric acid) as final treatment before paint. It has preferential action on rust and stops at bare metal. Unlike other acids promoted by mistaken bicycle fanatics that eat both rust & metal at equal rates and will give you holes in thin tubing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMG_6338.thumb.jpeg.6efd817d3e845831c6114748bfaf577c.jpeg

IMG_6339.thumb.jpeg.54f6fca6fe984c63c2bae7f1a2b95fb1.jpeg

1 hour ago, DannoXYZ said:

You'll want to follow blasting with chemical treatment to get all rust out from surface cracks & holes. Use naval-jelly (phosphoric acid) as final treatment before paint. It has preferential action on rust and stops at bare metal. Unlike other acids promoted by mistaken bicycle fanatics that eat both rust & metal at equal rates and will give you holes in thin tubing.

I was careful to not use at full strength and diluted in water bucket. The parts sticking out of the top are rusting as expected but I'm taking them out and wire wheeling them first, then scotch brite with silicone spray, then wipe down and applying silicone spray.

 

I have a couple days until I get the clear coat so I'll see if any rust appears. I used to have naval jelly/aluminum jelly a long long time ago and have had no luck finding locally recently. May have to order some. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Member Contributer

Phosphoric acid can be found as "rust-remover/concrete-cleaner" bottles from Home Depot. Not great value/oz., but available if you're in rush. Otherwise, yeah, ordering online would be best price.

 

I used to build racing bicycle-frames when I was racing at university. Also did quite a lot of restoration work. Amazing how many classic bikes came out of bath-tubs looking like swiss-cheese! Then they'd bring it to me to have entire thing taken apart and new tubes installed. If only head-tube badge remains, can you really call bike "restored original?" hahahhahahh!!!! 😀😜

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.