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Thanks to Wingrider, Track T, pidjones and RAT (Gord) I have received some notes regarding my bike being the April BOTM and really appreciate the pat on the back. Want to thank my buddy Ian for all the help and promise to take a couple of beauty pics to post once the weather smartens up. The bike was purchased as a 2019/20winter project in March of 2019. We received 10" of snow here in the Canadian prairies over the last couple of days so hard to roll her out to take better photos. Then I will be redoing the other set of tins, fenders etc. to make her a true "convertible". Was going to wait till next fall but have decided to get going on the "Trickster" part as it appears that I will be a shut in due to the covid-19crisis anyway.
Anyway thanks to all.

Congratulations!
Install those Gates hose clamps and it's done!!

Congratulations on winning Bike Of The Month. You have given me some inspiration to do something with a 78 that I have laying in my shed for a number of years.

I have added another pic of my 78. Only real change is that in this incarnation she is wearing her oem seat, which cleaned up very nicely instead of the gunfighter and I used a camera with wide angle instead of my antiquated iphone4 to get it all in. It was hard to get far enough away in my rather small shop and we received 10 or 12 inches of heavy wet snow a few days ago so rolling her outside was a no go!!

Thanks Cliff and Liam for your nice comments. Cliff I will indeed look into the gates hose clamps but will likely wait until next snowbird season (should there be one) and have them shipped to a friend in the USA. They are $14 on Amazon here and less than $5 at Amazon down south!!
Liam I have seen your work, you will do a great job on your 78.

Congratulations on winning Bike Of The Month. You did a good job.
enjoy riding with your fine lady.

Greetings
Harald

Hello Harald thanks for your comment. I enjoy your posts on this site.

YaY! Congrats on Bike of the Month Jonesz - your bike looks like a clean machine!
Hope you're doing well and can get in some riding time!
~CrazyJerry~

CrazyJerry wrote:YaY! Congrats on Bike of the Month Jonesz - your bike looks like a clean machine!
Hope you're doing well and can get in some riding time!
~CrazyJerry~

Thanks CJ. Have been out in the shop last two days sanding like the Devil possessed. You never know how long an old 74 year old will last in this day and age. Desperately trying to figure out a paint scheme for the alternate "tins". Something classical but a bit different. Thanks for dialing in.

You know Jonesy, I think it's us old guys who do some of the best work. We're thorough, not afraid to back up and go down a different path if it's not right, and the end result is generally well thought out and nicely executed, as in your example above!

I'm not saying that somebody over 60 or 70 could not fall into the category of "Dreaded PO", I would just submit that it is far less common for someone who's been around the block to be a total hack.

desertrefugee wrote:You know Jonesy, I think it's us old guys who do some of the best work.

I'm not saying that somebody over 60 or 70 could not fall into the category of "Dreaded PO", I would just submit that it is far less common for someone who's been around the block to be a total hack.

Yep I hear you. Thinking that given the chance I wanted to restore the bike close to OEM if given the chance. I did try to make this resurrection close to the original. I know I missed on the mufflers but you never know when a bike is done, right? I am still working on the other set of "tins" and hopefully with another set of custom fenders etc. she will be able to look like a party animal in her alternate life.

Mufflers are just luck or serious searching. When I bought the Hunley, the PO had '78 mufflers in pretty good shape with it, but since it had a '75 engine I ended up customizing, and just set the chrome set in a corner covered in plastic. When I built my '79, I pulled them out and did a little polish and rust removal, then mounted them up. Finding used ones in good shape is tough, but they are out there.

I have been lucky with a couple of pairs for the 78, but when you consider they are all now 40 plus years old good ones are as rare as hens teeth.

Thanks pidjones and Rodger. I keep looking on Ebay etc. for goodies still needed but like you say over 40 yrs old and unless they are parts in really good condition I pass. Also with the new border restrictions can't ship to my regular pick up spot in ND and all the snowbirds are home. Shipping to Canada is often more than the cost of the item, for ex.I see a CB900C front fender on Ebay for $33 US funds but the seller quotes $42 US funds to ship to Manitoba. That puts a fender that I will be painting at almost $110 my currency before pick up expenses and taxes.

I regret selling the set off my '78 years ago when I customized it. They were utterly Arizona pristine. Practically gave them away - along with equally pristine fenders...