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Rust demon: the ressurection (aka rebuild thread)

12K views 95 replies 8 participants last post by  reefkprZ 
#1 ·
I figure since I am now a member here and too lazy to go in search of another forum I might as well build an evolution thread for my bike. I plan on lots we'll see what I actually get done over time, rather than create a new thread everytime I do something its all going to be here. simplifies things and (hopefully) keeps you guys from getting annoyed at me posting a lot.

the facts as I know 'em.

1985 Honda shadow VT700c (I have named it Rust Demon)
no idea how many owners but the last one wasn't kind to this bike
came empty of oil, empty of coolant, rear brakes didnt work one right front flasher smashed, blinkers didn't work. battery flatter than a piece of paper. front brake lever was snapped. horns didnt work. It's obviously been dropped several times. missing tons of random harware. nuts bolts cotter pins etc. tach doesnt work but heat guage is fine. Runs like a top though.

first thing I did was fill the oil.
then the coolant.
as for the blinker, I got a rear blinker from an 85 honda magna and swapped the guts from the smashed front blinker into the magna blinker casing because the guts from a rear blinker on a magna are different from the guts on the front of a shadow, no biggie easy fix.
rear brakes were even more simple I figured sojke hardware broke loose inside or something like that, nothing so complicated. the brakes just needed to be adjusted moved the lever a notch or two and presto working brakes.
front brake lever was simple too, I went into my back room and snatched a front brake lever off of the suzuki carcass (80 gs550l) not a perfect fit but it'll work for now.

much more to do to this beast.

tonight I didnt do much I went and re-attached the blinker and headlight assembly, and replaced a couple of missing nuts with stuff I have kicking around the shop.

there are a couple pictures of the rust demon in the gallery. I'll keep taking pictures and adding to this thread as I go. hope this si somewhat interesting for you guys and gals if nothing else in a year or two I'll be able to look back and see how different it is.
 
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#2 ·
tried to free up the kinked choke cable feels like the right side is free, but the left is being stubborn doesnt want to come loose, I think it rusted up in side the tubing where the kink cracked the case and let water in. sprayed it down with PB blaster am going to let it soak for a while and hope fully that'll free it up. if it doesnt a new choke cables like $50.00. time will tell.
 
#3 ·
some images of some of the missing stuff the previous owner didnt feel he needed. the scariest thing in my opinion is nut missing from the brake drum arm that keeps the drum from spinning when you apply the rear brakes.... glad I am anal retentive about hardware.

here is the scary one


the rest are lame but I can see how a lazy person would leave them off


 
#4 ·
minor update, threw the battery on a 2 amp trickle charge for a couple hours and the bike started off the battery, after I disconnected the charger. I'm going to give it 24 hours and see if it holds a charge and starts again. may be in luck and not need a new battery. would be great. I'll probably wind up having the battery tested at a garage just to be sure but I like doing as much as possible myself and not relying on a garage for everything.
 
#6 ·
considering how much stock parts cost and their limited availability I'm priobably going to end up fabricating missing covers etc, out of metal or fibre glass on my own. lot cheaper that way. I may even use some acrylic. I dont think this bike wants to be original right off the bat, I think she likes being a deamon. maybe in the long run I'll go back to stock, but I have a lot of fabrication expirience that would be wasted if I didnt just make my own where I can. besides I can build a cooler looking side cover than came on the bike originally. who wouldnt rather a polished aluminum and rivet cover than a stock piece of plastic?

the stock muffler is $650 so chances are hell no! to that. I'll probably spot weldsome steel over it and then tape it to seal it. sheet steel is a lot cheaper than a new muffler by any acounting. unless of course I can find a relatively cheap aftermarket part for it, but somehow I find that unlikley.
 
#8 ·
ok got talking to a friend adn we are going to modify the muffler tommorrow, (which means I have to rip it off tonight. got started tearing it off at about 11:20 pm finished getting it off at 12:30am or so. not a load of fun the parts were rusted together fairly well so i had to disconnect the header pipes as well as the muffler, then proceed to pry the pieces apart since being midnight I cant just take a hammer or other appropriate tool and convince them apart. I wound up removing my shifter and finally bereaking the rust lock swiveling the left side header outward then wiggeling it back and forth for 10 minutes before it came loose. I then slid the ehaust and other header out and dropped it on the floor 5 times to loosen the rust on the other header (still took another 10 minutes to get it apart). sucess, I'm kind of excited to see what it looks like when we are done tommorrow. not sure how crazy we are going to go, I just know its definatly not going to look stock when we are done. heres pics of rust deamons stock and rusty muffler before repairs.
 

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#11 ·
fuel sending unit went in the car, awesome 130$ that I could have spent on my bike now has to go into that POS /bw

car originally only cost $200, so far have replace the tranny the rear left controll arm the rear struts, the right upper strut hangar, one coil, the brakes and rotors. plugs wires. and the list goes on and on. always constant maintinence. getting irritating.
 
#10 · (Edited)
need some color choices, for the exhaust. I dont want to leave all the rust spotting on it so am going to sand it all down and paint it up proper. would like to ceramic coat but thats probably not an option. here is a list of colors I think will work on my bike. the under-carriage light is going to be blue.

brick red
red
Black
blue
white (just kidding)
black

what are your thoughts.
 
#12 · (Edited)
exhaust modifications should be done either thurday or friday. Wooo ho, cant wait to see the finished product. I decided to let the guy have full artistic liberties with it as long as it cant be mistaken for stock. :evilaugh:

been looking at some other accessories that will bring the demon out in the bike. like a set of Kuryakyn zombie levers since I Have to replace the levers eventually anyway. should have the blue neon undercarrige light attached at some point this week. maybe tommorrow if my afternoon goes smoothly. gotta find something to poach an inline fuse off for it though.
 
#14 ·
its a 93 ford escort, its an old beater, they all beak down eventually. it just happened at a bad time. I would rather be getting my bike street leagle than fixing my car.

as for buying the fuse holder, I've always been a DIY kinda guy, especially when I know I can make the same thing for less.the in line fuse and some heat shrink tubing and silicone will be water tight and safe enough. but we'll see how I go about it I never really know what I'm doing till its halfway done anyhow LOL.
 
#15 ·
i am posting so i can subscribe!!! i'm gonna be watching with interest!
oh i want to do i project! just can't find a starter bike for <£100!

good luck! and i look forward to the next installment!
 
#16 ·
I havent started the deamon without its exhaust on and I'm itching to hear it run again. but I have been fiddeling around with it and it doesnt feel like the choke cable (newly feed up) is returning all the way open when I release it it sounds li9ke the last 1/4 inch or so is slack, or sticking partway closed. I may have to cut away the choke cable above the kink, and then cut the spiral case down lower and attach a my own lever/knob down low on the side of the bike untill I can afford a new stock cable. I really need to get this f'er street leagle. summer is short here in maine and its already halfway through july. if I dont get her going soon she's going to suit in the garage all winter.

only a couple things left to do to make it street leagle.

1 horns (suzuki horn still not working right dont know why)
2 blinker relay
3 reattach the exhaust
4 insure/register/ inspection

only about $200 to get it going in theory.

after that its all catch up on the maintinence and cosmetics.

anyone run magnets on their oil filters to help reduce free floating filings in the oil or is that a waste of time on bikes?
 
#17 ·
I havent started the deamon without its exhaust on and I'm itching to hear it run again.

1 horns (suzuki horn still not working right dont know why)
2 blinker relay
3 reattach the exhaust
4 insure/register/ inspection

only about $200 to get it going in theory.

?

have u had it running since u put the horn on?
i had a problem with a horn on my ninja 6.... it didn't work correctly unless the engine was running!

might be the same for you?!

MOT's in the UK need the horn to work, but i dont think they specify whether the engine is running at the time!:huh:
 
#18 ·
I did try it once with it running to no avail, I'm not sure the problem but thats ok I'll figure it out.

just spent the last 1/2 hour installing more lighting in the garage to make visibility easier when working out there at night. it now has 3 ceiling lamps (one in front, one to the left and one to the right of where I park the bike in the garage), plus a movable 300w halogen floor lamp and of course my makita wide base 18v flash light, so lighting when out there at midnight shouldnt be a problem anymore.

now I am off to work, hopefully he brings the exhaust by and drops it off to me at work, (he lives right down the street from where I work) fingers crossed.
 
#19 ·
update on the exhaust, will have it in the morning. meaning you guys and girls wont get to see it untill, about midnight after I get home from work. but great.

got my horn and blinkers working today

the horn was simple (well easy to fix a pain to locate) the powerlead had disconnected from the bottom of the fuse panel a little solder and some fluix and good to go on that

the blinkers were a little trickier. I decided to see if I could crack open the relay and clean the contacts up. If ask honda you cant do it (I'll quote them on this one) "there are no user servicable parts" right. if you ask me you just have to be really careful, and yes you can do it. now I have to rebuild the casing around the relay. they are not designed to be taken apart and copius amounts of glue are used to ensure no one with half a brain can get into them. fortunatly I have a full brain and carefully excavated the glue and cut away the outer casing of the relay. once inside I just used some 1600grit sand paper to clean the carbon off the contact points and poof, working relay. 1/2 the blinkers worked. had to clean out the fixctures the bulbs sit in to make a good contact and presto chango. fully functional blinkers.

now to wait for tommorrow so I can see my new exhaust.
 
#21 ·
Well, she will be street leagle today (parts and ride wise) but need $$ to register and insure her, and I dont get that untill the old lady decides there is enough slack in the budget for it. maybe a week or two. damn excise tax and registration fees. shouldnt have to register vehichles over 20 years old. its stupid.

for once I cant wait to go to work because the guy is dropping the exhaust off to me at work this morning.
Well time to go put the new fuel sending unit in the Ford. after sending me the wrong part they finally got it right.....
 
#23 ·
#25 ·
thanks GHB, I think they look way better than the iold ones too. just the lack of rust alone helps, the fact that they arent bent is even more so.

I cheated I took it for a spin with no exhaust (just the headers) talk about turning heads. this thing is loud straight off the headers, really loud. LOL

I also fiddled with the idle so she doesnt tend to stall out when ideling anymore.

the choke is still frigged up, after freeing the cable up it just seized again so its junk. just going to have to write it off. I'm going to see if I can hack it enough to make it work for now.
 
#26 ·
ok hacked the choke off past the kink, still not working right so I pulled the cable cover off all the way to the "Y" junction where the cable splits off to each carb. now its nice and free. have to hold the cable to choke it for now. gotta figure out a lever or something to make it easy.
 
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