This week's task was to make the seat base. Here is the raw fiberglass laid into the fender well designed for the seat. Before I pulled it off the fender I put legs on it. The legs elevate the seat base for applying the sandable finish on it later. You'll see it in an advanced stage next time.
The blue tape protected the fender from curing fiberglass:
Okay here's the trimmed seat base pulled off the fender:
Now you can see how the seat base it fits into the fender well. What is hard to see is the front which runs part way up the back of the tank:
This is another photo of the running light/brake light/signals unit but in scale.
More when I have it next week.
~ Phil
I was going to make a shroud around pull side cover and draw air from right side pan vent. I determined the kit would have to sell above $250. That won’t fly!
The Indy overheating problem
Indy Trails from 1986 with Fuji fan-cooled 433s and 488s had overheating problems. On warmer days and at slow speed operation power diminishes noticeably. The sled may stop and when cooled down it will restart. Some engines just seized. Not at all what owners expected from stone reliable Polaris engines and for the “wife’s” sled.
More race promoters are including non-traditional classes in their programs and other promoters offer nothing but run-what-ya-brung classes. The nuttier racing is the more spectators eat it up. I mean, what flat track spectator wouldn’t enjoy watching high bar choppers trying to negotiate an 1/8th or ¼ mile track?
One of the classes almost always offered is the “stock” Sportster class. Most customers who are into this are using 883 and 1200 Evos. They order a front wheel conversion kit from me to use on the rear so they can get flat track tires (which only come in 19”) to handle the dirt tracks. Oh they’ll put on DT bars, bolt on some number plates and pull the silencers but that’s about it. Hooliganism is catching on in California, Inner mountain west, Texas and in the East. Photo by Kiley Yee, parts guy at High Desert H-D in Idaho.
I think I have a cheap way to introduce fresh air right into fan. I've worried that the holes in the nose will not be able to flow enough cooling air. I found this vent unit at Home Depot with a 4" pipe--about 10 bucks. I believe with a bit of trimming it can be inserted into a DIY 4" hole in the pan and the tube is the right length to reach directly over to the fan. The tube should clear under the exhaust. My vent came in brown but flat black plastic aerosol paint should cure that. When I have it trimmed, painted and installed I'll show photos and tell you how to do it.
We are now fulfilling hood kits orders at the rate of about two to three per week so that part is working.
~ Phil
One of you suggested making a mesh grill for the RXL. I saw a license surround on the back of a car today and figured out how to make the RXL grill. Question, should it be black or bright like stainless? Another question-do you even want one? Would you pay between $50 and $100 for one? Votes please.
Bar loops
Joel at SnoProUSA says he has vintage handlebar loops like the one on my sled. In time you'll be able to find them on my site and order them from Joel.
Seats
I talked to Conrad the RXL seat maker. We have come to an unofficial plan. Conrad will continue to make real RXL seats. He will make RXL/Indy seats like mine for the small tanks. (You'll have to mount an auxillary brake light on the bumper because he can't make a mount for the Polaris light for anything close to a reasonable cost.) He is undecided what to do about seats for the big tanks.
To achieve an RXL/Indy seat that looks something like mine with tank blended lines Conrad needs the wood built because he says the base gobbles up as much time as foam shaping and sewing. What I want to do is make a prototype seat base out of plywood and send it to one you guys to make them for us. So who is a wood worker and who would be willing to make bases for hire? My plan is to pay the wood man. Have him ship to Conrad. Then I'd charge customers cost for the bases or have Conrad charge the customer and Conrad would pay me back. However it comes down I want to make it possible for you to get a seat that won't cost a king's ransom. Willing woodworkers--call me at 952-607-6063
We are still prototyping the stirrup.
~ Phil