Paul LeClair's new project (Non Laverda)

drikko said:
What on earth is a "collegial atmosphere"? Toffee nosed gits drinking tea perhaps?
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I had to look it up! The definition of 'collegial' is peers or associates sharing equal consideration, power or authority.
So! Nobody is in command and they can all charge what they like?

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I am just going to ignore all the banter, although I do appreciate Yogi doing a job application for me......... my spouse will be very appreciative......

I just had a nice phone chat about this turbo CBX with Bud Fischer of Fischer Cycle in Ashtabula, Ohio. He remembers the bike and its first owner very well. Bud confirms the build, and confirms he sent the crank, Carillo rods and MTC pistons to Falicon for drastic lightening, crank knife edged, everything balanced. Bud says he spent the better part of two weeks porting the head.

anyway, bottom line seems to be that assuming everything inside the engine remains as Bud built it, I bought the real deal, with the engine built right.

Bud tells me that when the bike came on boost in 3rd gear it would stand straight up, and at the drag strip the bike ran high miles per hour but not great elapsed times as it spun the rear wheel the entire 1/4 mile. I don't know how much of this is coloured by the passage of time, but it certainly sounds impressive for the late 70's and early 80's, with the tiny stock rear wheel and tire.

Bud cautioned me that the bike definitely needs a better front end and better brakes, and that above 100 mph things get a little "interesting". The bike still wears the stock 1979 CBX front forks and stock brakes. Bud also remembered mounting the small silver Shoei fairing that is still on the bike.

so, seems like the history of the bike is as I have been told, and that the indicated mileage of 6,600 is likely accurate, although most of the 6,600 miles have been with the turbo installed.... I wonder what turbo miles under boost translates to in real world miles, maybe sort of like dog years, times 7 or something OMG

first things first, as the bike's brakes are seized I have not even got it off my trailer yet, so I will deal with the brakes first. As the riding season here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada is rather short due to the weather, kind of mid May to mid October at best, for now I am going to be riding my various other bikes, and I have other projects to finish....... so I am mostly going to leave the turbo CBX project for this coming winter as this years winter rebuild project, although I am going to start gathering parts and service items.

the fellow I bought the bike from indicated that the charging system is not working, so I will start looking into a charging system upgrade or conversion as well.

the task list is beginning to evolve, at the moment

flush the oil
get the stock brakes working
investigate front end and brake conversions
investigate charging system upgrades
investigate a rear swing arm upgrade and wider rear wheel options
normal service items (chain and sprocket's, wheel bearings, rear shocks, etc.)
etc

I would welcome any suggestions or information from you multi lingual laverdaisti if any of you also speak CBX, if you know anything about available upgrades and parts sources for this CBX mongrel!

Paul LeClair
 
I'd go: Suzuki SV1000 front end, Yamaha XJR1300 swinger to keep things in the original style ........  :o reminds me of my "Not a Laverda" SF2.

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt15/conrad1158/IMAG0530.jpg
 
Definitely leave the stock front end, what's the point of changing it?  It's never going to really handle, it'll just generate problems elsewhere.  Keeping the original front end makes a statement.  Lets face it there's nothing that says "swivel-eyed lunacy" like a turbo CBX, so why try a pointless attempt to tame it?  Enjoy it for what it is, a mad snapshot of the 70's.
 
breganzane said:
Definitely leave the stock front end, what's the point of changing it?  It's never going to really handle, it'll just generate problems elsewhere.  Keeping the original front end makes a statement.  Lets face it there's nothing that says "swivel-eyed lunacy" like a turbo CBX, so why try a pointless attempt to tame it?  Enjoy it for what it is, a mad snapshot of the 70's.
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Hi Steve

you actually have a good point, maybe I will even leave the ugly air brushed eagles (holding a sword/lighting bolt) in their beaks on both sides of the tank, maybe make a 70's statement of some kind..... 8)

talking to Bud Fischer was interesting. Apparently the fellow he built it for was a bit of a nutter (you think!) known for endless smoke show burnouts, third gear wheel stands, etc, apparently he could really ride the bike. Something for me to try and emulate!

anyway, I am still painting the garage interior, I am at paint gallon 19 at the moment, probably another 5 gallons or so to go....... bloody hell, I had to come into the house and take a break.

Paul LeClair
 
I am painting an entire over sized triple garage, extra wide, extra deep, extra high, the ceiling as well, starting with 23 year old but unpainted raw drywall. The stuff is like a sponge, just soaks up the primer/sealer, and I am spraying, which also uses more paint.....

bloody hell, I should have hired someone to do this, but the painters quote was almost $4,000, and I figure I can now spend my net savings earned by doing it myself, on motorcycle parts...... ;) 8) I just finished spraying half an hour ago, final coat, I used 23.5 gallons of primer/sealer and semi gloss top coat, and I look like a ghost again.

Paul LeClair
 
so, the garage reno's are nearly done, done enough that I could start bringing bikes back into the garage from the storage container.

I have the Triumph Spifire car with its freshly rebuilt drivetrain to get running, then finish the 82 Laverda 1200 TS Mirage project, and get both the 79 1200 Mirage and the 84 RGS Executive running (new batteries for both), then start on the 79 CBX Turbo project, for which I have a new to me used Metchamex braced swing arm and a complete front end (bigger better forks and brakes) off an 82 CBX to fit, as well as strip the motor and then get it running, and then, "while I am at it I might as well"........ ;) 8)

the CBX is strapped to a small mini lift, as the 82 Laverda 1200 TS Mirage project is not leaving my large air lift table until it is done, have to keep the priorities straight ;)!

not shown in the second photo are the Kawasaki ZX 14, the 82 Laverda 1200 TS Mirage about 2/3's built, and the Kawasaki 250 Ninja, 8 bikes is getting to be a little much, there may be some culling of the herd coming up.......

Paul LeClair
 

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No point changing the Front end, the front wheel will never be on the ground long enough! :D

Andy
 
Hi Paul, Great project!

I think it's F'ing cool!!    If it were mine I would subtly modify it to work better but look as close to stock as possible,  Like Breganzane sais, it's a 70s / 80s statement.  I remember a mate getting dropped off of tech collage on one and we all stood around it drooling.

If you need any turbo advice to make it work Paul, just ask, I know turbo's and associated systems pretty well.

Will look forward to seeing this monster develop!

Keep it looking stock, we need a wolf in wolf's clothing and who gives a shit if it isn't the best handling thing on the road!  Nor is a Ferrari 250 GTO but do you see people ripping the chassis out and fitting a Subaru WRX floor pan?  Noop!  Accept it for what it is, a very cool piece of history!

Julian
 
Hi Julian

thanks for the offer of info!

I have started minor dis assembly, just kicking the tires and seeing what is what. It has a Rajay turbo charger, with an id plate that says    Model 3CCIFF 2581. I gather that means it is a fairly common 300 series, but I have not measured yet to see which housing and impeller sizes have been used, nit that it really matters other than my curiousity. The old Rajay turbo is bloody huge, clearance is really tight, and the turbo sits right up against the side of the bike's battery  :o  which can't be good for the battery which has a partially melted side case and is long dead anyway...... I think some high quality heat shielding is in order...... ;) It looks like an Odyssey PC 680 will fit in the stock battery location easily and should yield some extra room in the battery box for battery heat shielding.

I did a little internet searching, Rajay ownership has passed through many hands and apparently has now ceased production, but parts seem to be available and the turbo apparently is fairly straightforward to strip and rebuild, unlike more modern turbo designs. I found a rebuild kit for the 300 series Rajay turbos through an aircraft parts supplier for $245 if it turns out to need servicing. I will take it apart and determine internal condition, it was supposedly brand new when it was installed and has only seen 1,500 miles of use (according to the original engine builder). We'll see, I never believe anything I am told......

so far the build quality seems decent for the 1980's, all the fasteners I have removed so far are stainless steel, to get the battery out I had to remove the outlet pipe from the turbo, and to get at the bikes alternator the exhaust from the engine to the turbo and the wastegate are all going to have to come off, and that dis assembly will be next as I have been warned the alternator is not putting out any charge. I am thinking I may do an alternator conversion to something more modern :while I am at it".

the installation has a single big Mikuni carburetor that the turbo sucks through, I have the carb off and on the bench, but have not yet dis assembled it, I am wondering about more modern carb options, and am asking that question on a CBX forum where several members are running various turbo CBX's, jetting is something I don't want to try to do from scratch..... :D ;)

all in all, the turbo plumbing looks high quality (other than the various hoses and other bits that have perished from heat and age), the intake manifolds are all custom round castings of seemingly very high quality, and the setup looks pretty straightforward. Exhaust spinning the turbo vanes, the intake side of the turbo sucking through a big carb and stuffing the result into the intake manifold, a pressure hose take off from the intake manifold feeding back to the adjustable mechanical waste gate to keep boost from going too high, an electric fuel pump and regulator feeding the carb, a monster oil pump feed to the turbo to keep the turbo bearing's lubricated, and a small pressure line to a boost gauge.

I have not figured out what ignition is in there, yet, but it has three dual Dyna 3 ohm coils, and I suspect the ignition, whatever it is, is pretty basic.

every time I walk by the bike I take another part or two off, at this rate it will be picked clean by the fall...... 8) and sorting and planning can then begin. I think this is going to stay a period build, other than the horrible 80's air brush "art", it was ugly in the 80's. it is still ugly now ::)

Paul LeClair
 
Paul you have some competition in OZ.Thread on Adventure Rider,
Bikes ,Some Assembly Required ,OD's CBX
 
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