The Gazelle, Shovelhead Build

[vnygra]

I've been looking for a shovel for a while now, and came across one a few weeks ago on CL. Good motor and trans, and the most important part for me- a clean title. Picked it up about 2 weeks ago. Did a few things right away, cut a few inches out of the bars, new seat, turn signals in the trash, de-tassled, etc. Was gonna ride it like this until winter but decided to get started on it the other night. This one is going to take a while, hoping for under 2 years. I'll keep this updated as i go, mostly pics. Its going down to the frame, and and basically the only part of the frame that is going to be used is the motor cradle and neck. Going to be ordering tubing this week to build the frame, and a long springer from scratch based off an old super narrow springer i have hanging on my wall. Starter pics.

Day I picked it up.


Cleaned up a bit

[HubertCumberdale]

Looking forward to this,loved the last shovel you did.

[vnygra]

Thanks man. Got it all torn down. Have another bike I'm working on too so it's going to take a while to make the motor plates for this jig ive been working on.

[BigPete13]

cant wait to watch the build. I'm working on a shovel now - its always great to see other people's progress as motivation

[vnygra]

Finishing up work on another bike this week and will be able to get started on the frame. Found a guy thats CNCing a plate for the motor mounts to weld to the table so i can keep the mounts in place and build up the frame around that.



Also cleaned up an old AEE hub. The chrome was peeling, and once i got that all off, the aluminum was pitted pretty badly. Have a ton of time sanding this thing down.

[Toecutterp]

Sweet

[SF]

that thing looked clean!

[vnygra]

Nothing too exciting. started making test pieces for the frame from DOM tubing, had already rolled out 2 of them that i didn't like before i realized that 3/4'' conduit is damn close OD of 1'' tubing and is only $3 for 10' sections.... Heres what im thinking for the frame rails, the tubes will be one section from the neck to axel.

[vnygra]

Changing plans on the wheels. Got a decent deal on these. Welds look really good, chrome is decent, might clean up a little bit, if not they'll be re chromed later on.

[vnygra]

Motor mount plate came in. Got a fixture made up with it today, and leveled everything out on the jig. Can start cutting stuff apart tomorrow. Will be cleaning up and saving most of the cast pieces to re use on the frame.

[Stay24k]

Nice garage! I like where this build is headed. Subscribed

[vnygra]

Started Cutting. Im going to be saving and re using most of the cast frame pieces. They're going to to take a lot longer than i thought to clean up. Made up an insert for a hole saw to remove the old frame tubing, while keeping the cast piece. Worked well on the side sections. Where the backbone connects, the cast piece is slugged inside, so its gonna take a bit of cutting to save that part.

[vnygra]

Some more clean up on the cast pieces. Slowly getting there..

[billybiltit]

can't wait to follow along and see where this ends up.

leon

[vnygra]

great start, I think I saw this listed on CL--Stroud had his hands on it right? I'd kill to have that shop in town.

Thanks guys. Yep. Guy said strouds rebuilt the motor 5 years ago and only had 1000 miles since. Didn't have any paper work on any of it but seemed like an honest dude. Really didn't have any reason to lie, I was already buying it at that point.

[vnygra]

More hours than I want to count in this neck. Still need to make up the bottom gusset. Ended up with 7" up, 0 out, 50 degree rake, & 1.5" stretch for the frame measurements

[nuklhd]

will there be any kind of support or gusset at the bottom of the neck to the down tubes?

[Natehate]

More hours than I want to count in this neck. Still need to make up the bottom gusset. Ended up with 7 up, 1 out, 1.5 stretch for the frame measurements

yep

[nuklhd]

yep

dam nate. i'm f'ing blind. thanks for that. oh, i don't hear so well either.

[vnygra]

Got the gusset made up and in there. Had to get some help today rolling the tubing for the rails and the backbone. Was a pain to roll .156 wall tubing with the HF roller but it came out just like I was hoping, and we were able to get the 2 pieces exactly the same.