DETROIT: Bound?

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A couple weeks ago, we planned on renting a van, throwing the CX in the back, and heading out to Detroit to make our rounds at Dally in the Alley, The Ton Up Ypsi Festival, Thunderdrome, etc.

So far, thunderstorms are scheduled all weekend. This is quite the deterrent considering everything is outdoors. I've decided to save my cash, not rent the van, and just drive the e28 instead. Which means no bike. Then we hear The Ton Up event is postponed. On top of that, my girlfriend and the friend who's place we'd be staying at are both sick.

This weekend has not been shaping up so well and we haven't even left yet.


GEAR: Gran-Prix Bubble Shield

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It took a while, but I finally tracked down a green tinted, NOS, Gran-Prix bubble shield from the 70's.
Lowbrow Customs had a hand full a while back, and Wrenchmonkees seems to have a few in other colors, but the green tint has been quite tricky to locate.

The one below, I sourced from an online shop called El Boneshaker, based in New Zealand.
They've got a few other bubble shields available and are willing to ship worldwide.
Don't expect to find a green tinted one there anymore though. I bought the last one!







PROJECT CX: Gets A New Exhaust

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The CX previously had the MAC 2-1 exhaust on it. That system comes with a megaphone "muffler," ...and I stress those quotations. It's not a muffler as much as its just 2 cross over pipes wedged into a megaphone. Needless to say, it sounded kind of like shit.

I wanted to keep the 2-1 piping, so I would need to source a 2" muffler. I dig the shorty style mufflers, and picked up the shortest Cherry Bomb I could find - an 8" (12" total), 2"in. 2" out. I've been running this for a couple weeks now, testing out the sound, and I love it. It's loud, but deep and thumpy. It only starts screaming a bit when you get into the higher RPMs.

I deemed it worthy, and decided to clean it up:

 


 This is your powdercoat.

 This is your powdercoat on aircraft stripper.

 It's kind of beautiful and kind of makes me want to throw up.

 ...and wipe away.

3 coats of satin black high temp engine enamel.

 And the final touch - new heat wrap with black powdercoated stainless steel cable ties.

You can get these ties from JEGS, however I should let you know, they suck. The ball style, "self locking" mechanism in them has about 3-4mm of travel, which means you can pull as hard as you want, but the tie will release back 3-4mm. This means if the object you're clamping down doesn't have any give to it (like say, a metal pipe) the ties won't be very tight. I've since found a store that sells black anodized worm drive hose clamps that will be going on instead.

PROJECT CX: Finally back from paint.

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It was a pain staking process, but the CX is finally back from paint.
I'll be working my ass off to try and button her up for the weekend of Sept. 10th.

The girlfriend and I will be taking her out to hang with our Detroit friends, and hit up Dalley in the Alley, The Thunderdrome race, and maybe Ton-Up Ypsi's event as well.

Let us know if you'll be around as well!