1975 T500 Repli-Racer Build Progress

[desmocat]

Hey folks, thought I would chronicle and share recent build progress on a custom project I call the Repli-Racer.

History behind this project bike is that I originally built this bike in 2003/2004 to be my AHRMA Formula 500 road racer. I completed it in 2004 and raced it through 2012, competing in AHRMA, AFM (NorCal), and AMA events on tracks like Sears Point, Willow Springs, Laguna Seca, Miller, Sandia, Grattan, Mid-Ohio, and Barber. I had a great time racing this bike, but decided to retire it since I am in process of building a new T500 based road racer.

When I built this bike in 2004 I did it to as much of an art project as I did to build a road racer. For those who have seen the bike here and in person I'm sure you'll agree it turned out rather nice, and after completion I received comments like "you're really going to race that?"

Well after 8 years of racing the old girl started showing signs of battle; paint chips and scratches, oil mist, track grime, and tire rubber that had coated many of the parts.

I decided that it was time to rebuild and convert the bike to a street going custom Cafe Racer, let's see the steps I took and how it turned out.

Before

10-31-2013-1

10-31-2013-2

2-16-2014-1

2-16-2014-2

[desmocat]

The inspiration for the Repli-Racer build was to return the bike to all it's pristine glory when completed on 16-April-2004. The photo below is from the date of completion before I ever threw a leg over it and went out on the track.

I came up with the project name "Repli-Racer" because I am creating a replica of the race bike, albeit uing many of the original parts.

https://flic.kr/p/D5Ud69

[desmocat]

My deadline was to enter it in the Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show at the Cleveland International Motorcycle Show 29-31 Jan 2016. Intending to work through the two weeks vacation I was taking for Christmas break, I thought I had plenty of time. Unfortunately on the first day of vacation my 91 year old Mother fell and I spent most of the two weeks at the hospital (yes she's okay and recovered), and didn't really get going on the build until New Year's eve. The pressure was on now, roughly 30 days to complete, what could go wrong?

To rebuild the Repli-Racer, first thing I had to do was clean the 8 years of racing grime off it. This became an arduous task, I never realized that 2-stroke oil could get in so many places. Leaving the engine in the frame, I disassembled most everything to de-goo.

I pulled the body work off and sent to a local custom shop for new paint colors and seat upholstery.

When I built the bike I fitted it with Jemco's race chambers. Think I raced two seasons with these but then switched to Swarbrick style chambers since these gave me better ground clearance and a broader powerband. But I always thought the bike looked better with the Jemco's, so first step was to refit these to the current bike configuration.

When I had these pipes on before the rearset mounts were different as well as chamber mounting. Looks like it's time to grind off the old straps and fabricate new ones that will align with the rubber hangers.

[desmocat]

In fitting the Jemco chambers I ground the old hangers off and fitted new cardboard templates from which I'll fabricate the new straps.

[desmocat]

Needed some new tools for the workshop. First is 5000 watt 220 volt garage heater. This brings the temps to the low 60's when it's a sub-freezing Michigan winter. The second is an inverter based MIG welder, an indispensable tool needed for fabrication.

Notice in the first photo how few items have been completed on the project white board. The date is 17-Jan-2016, 12 days before I leave out for the bike show.

By the way I can't do any project without having a dry erase white board to track progress.

[desmocat]

Got the chamber hangers fitted, tacked, and welded, of course via rubber mounts. Now the chambers are evenly spaced about the chassis centerline.

[desmocat]

Because the underslung Jemco race chambers required the removal of the kickstand mounting tab, the bike had no kickstand. This is not a problem for a track only bike where the technical rules require kickstand removal, but for the conversion back to a street bike I will need a kickstand. I crafted the new relocated kickstand mount by re-purposing a stock T500 kickstand mount by cutting out the bend radius, flipping it around to reverse bend direction, and fabricating the mounting lug that attaches to engine bolt from the remaining piece. This way I maintained the arc and stops. Weld on a bolt for a spring anchor and presto, new kickstand assembly.

[desmocat]

It's now 22-Jan-2016. The Jemco race chambers are looking a little beat up; oil stains, scratches, and smudges in the Chromex ceramic finish from the heat of battle. I don't have time to send out for re-powdercoating, so I decided to repaint.

Got the shower curtain spray booth set up, throwing down some high temp alum-ceramic paint on the chambers and silencers, and aluminum paint finish on other parts like new kickstand mount. Gotta get the bike finished for Ultimate Builder show in Cleveland 29-31 Jan.

[desmocat]

25-Jan-2016. Cleaned up the front end; wire brushed away 12 years of oxidation from upper fork legs, swapped out chrome for black clip-ons, rebuilt and mounted the lighting switch, painted the caliper bodies, and mounted the Endurance II digital speedometer. Getting closer to completion.

[desmocat]

Almost done. Just waiting now to pick up body work from paint shop.

Last piece to fit/fab is taillight bracket and under tail battery mount, for this I need actual seat tail to ensure accurate fit. Unlike my day job, there's no ICD's here or CAD models, fitment is in real time with real parts!

[desmocat]

29-Jan-2016. All done, completed the Repli-Racer build, no more things to cross off the white board. Now it's time to get the bike off the stand and head to Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show at Cleveland Motorcycle Show. The build turned out very nice I must say, here's to winning my class!

[desmocat]

30-Jan-2016. The completed Repli-Racer on display and in competition at Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show at the Cleveland Progressive International Motorcycle Show. Must say I'm really pleased with how the bike turned out.

Next and last part of the project is to build up a replacement engine with more street orientated porting/performance. The engine shown is going into my next race bike, which I'm calling TRD500 for the modified RD350 frame I'm building up.

Hope all enjoyed this blog and are inspired to keep building those project bikes out there, it's a very satisfying pastime.

[old t500]

What a great read for my morning coffee. That's a concerted effort to get all that done in the time you allowed yourself...Hats off.

Bike turned out great - I'd come across pics of the first incarnation of your bike as I started scouring the net for t500 cafe ideas...the new paint scheme looks even better (to my eye).

I guess you'll end up using those other chambers on the TRD500?

[Zunspec4]

Lovely looking bike, has that harmony of proportions about it

Cheers Geoff

[desmocat]

I guess you'll end up using those other chambers on the TRD500?

Thanks for the compliment. I was a stretch to get everything done, many late nights till midnight and beyond, but failure was not an option.

Yes the Swarbrick chambers are going to the TRD500.