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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Rescuing a Savage /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1357864867 Message started by maxtowers on 01/10/13 at 16:41:06 |
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Title: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/10/13 at 16:41:06 Ok,so it's time to share with you guys what i've learned here on this awesome forum... just FYI i'm totally "useless" as a mechanic, and i've choose the Savage as a platform to learn some basics. Also i find this bike so nice and simple that has no equal around. The point is that few weeks ago i got this bike that was without pegs, without saddle, with turning lights fixed with silicon, a clogged oil filter, and so many bad things done by the previous owners that culminated in a "chopped" frame as in the first picture and grinded riser to fit a 22mm handlebar (just to name a few "tricks" done to the poor thing). Problem was where to hook a saddle, due to the fact that for me it's almost impossible to get a Blue Collar Bobber kit 'cause i'm italian and shipping, custom, VAT and so on makes it more expensive than the bike itself... Anyway, finally i find a way to fix a saddle, changed oil and filters (both oil and air) got some parts on Ebay and the little bike it's gaining back its dignity. Other mods that will be done in the very next future will be a Raptor petcock, and maybe a lowered front fork, due to the fact that i have already to rebuild it because of some oil where it shouldn't be... So i'm open for suggestion, critics and all. Thank you all for the BEST comunity on the web, i've learned so much and still learning every evening... SUZUKISAVAGE.COM RULES!!!! http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/savfor01_zps27ea67be.jpg http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/savfor03_zpsdbb79078.jpg here is how i solved it... http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/savfor04_zps80362e62.jpg http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/savfor05_zps861a9fc9.jpg http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/savfor07_zpsc5a1860c.jpg New handlebar and grips... http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/savfor15_zps17d892f9.jpg and finally a way to fix a saddle... with some 40mm rubber silent block... |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by ZAR on 01/10/13 at 18:36:14 Ya got it coming together Max! Love those handlebars...gen U wine old school look! |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by raydawg on 01/10/13 at 19:40:49 Good on you....hope she loves you good once you bring her back :) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by Boofer on 01/10/13 at 19:47:05 A word of caution. Can you get it titled and tagged? Sometimes a cheapie turns out to be costly after you pour work and money into it. But I gotta' say it looks like you have some good ideas and implement them well. Welcome to the world of the Seductive Single. ;) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/11/13 at 00:40:47 Thanks guys:) as for the title i've got it; only thing i've to let her pass the DOT inspection, which i hope to be able to pass as i complete the requested features, like the rear tailight and license plate that MUST be on the fender here in italy... then there are the rear blinkers and the feared emission control... finger crossed. I'll keep ya posted with the development... Thank you all for the support :) As always SUKUKISAVAGE.COM ROCKS!!! |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/11/13 at 16:01:06 Hello everybody, so, this evening i tried to hook up the rear taillight that i got from the net and it didn't work; the bike came with no taillight at all, just a small light on the side of the fender that was hooked to what was the license plate line (and it didn't work either). i've tried with the tester if there's juice in the cables that were originally for the rear light but nothing at all... Any suggestion? One last thing: the light that i bought have just two cables instead of three like the original... did i got the wrong light or could it work? Thank you all and have a good time with your Savage:) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by strang on 01/11/13 at 16:29:17 really like a green savage - is the paintwork original? grips are nice colour as well. I like a motorcycle to have a sensitive range of hues :) you are rescuing a modern classic, hats off to you sir. |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/11/13 at 16:36:35 676066757A73140 wrote:
Hi, no the paintwork it's not original, i got the bike with that color already on and i have to say that i like it too... for what i can tell it was burgundry ( i've noticed some of the original pain in the inside of the side covers). Thanks for your kind words:) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by WD on 01/11/13 at 16:59:14 Your new tail light is grounded through the mounting bolts. One wire is tail, one is stop. The one that lights it up brighter is the stop side. To make it really bright add a wire from the mounting bolt of the light base to the ground lug on the engine. Eliminates the possibility of corrosion on the fender or chassis causing a weak ground. Good work on bringing it back from the dead. You wouldn't see that much effort being spent on many in the USA, here they barely rate beginner bike status. Which I find amusing, a 650cc used to be considered a real motorcycle... |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/11/13 at 17:13:59 4B581C0 wrote:
Thank you for the infos, i was worried to have just wasted about 60 euros in that light.. now i just have to figure why there's no electricity in the taillight lines... |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/13/13 at 16:44:32 Ok, so after a couple of days of mumbling around it and thanks to the wiring diagrams that i found here on the site, i kinda resolved the problem... or at least i'm getting close... http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/20130113_185606a_zpsda52bee9.jpg |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by WD on 01/13/13 at 19:04:25 Gotta ask... how did somebody in Italy get stuck with a Ford Ranger... just curious since I have a 92 long bed and a 94 standard bed (and 3 full sized trucks). ;) Tail light seems to be working fine for you now. Have you decided yet how to hide the wiring? Epoxy gluing a piece of conduit under the fender works pretty well but you have to drill a couple holes in the fender... |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/14/13 at 02:50:38 081B5F0 wrote:
Well, i have to say that after owning a '75 Chevy K5 and a Jeep Cherokee, the Ranger (it's the european model, not as nice as the US one) was a good compromise between my passion for US cars and trucks and a decent fuel consumption... you see it's a 2.5 lt turbo diesel engine and if even for european standard it's starting to be a "big" motor, for me that always look and get inspired by the other side of the pond it's still a good compromise...and not to mention that it proved also useful to bring home the Savage:) If you want to see it here's the link: http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=2661&pictureid=10498 About the taillight i guess i'm gonna drill those holes... that fender will eventually go and make space for one in better condition, as propbably it's not visible from the pictures but it's in bad shape, covered in bondo and with dings and bit of rust... too bad because i like the shape, but i figured out that it's cheaper and quicker to change it. |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by WD on 01/14/13 at 07:16:20 That's nicer than the US model. Diesel? Mine both have 2.3L dual ignition gas burners. I'm not fond of baby engines, my other trucks have: 85 Chevy C10 short wide bed is a 4.3L V6 with carb and 3spd auto; 49 Dodge has a 218 being swapped for 230 cubic inch flathead inline 6 with manual 3 spd; 69 Dodge with a 318 (5.2L) and 3spd auto. Big toys: 1987 Chevy C60 with 350 (5.7L) industrial and pto equipped 4 spd manual; 1968ish Dodge D600 based motorhome with 413-3 industrial V8 and 3 spd auto. Can't link to any pics right now, wife switched hosting sites and hasn't filled me in on the details yet... >:( |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by ToesNose on 01/14/13 at 07:30:07 Looking good Max ;) I think you have more skills then you give yourself credit for, glad to see things coming along for you. Can't wait to see the completed seat, and I dig those bars too :D |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/14/13 at 16:53:24 0310540 wrote:
Man, you're killing me... that's an awesome list of vehicles... i will die for one of them, i'm envy (in good way of course:) ) Here in Italy there's a growing market of US cars and trucks, but they're always not enough. My buddy who is helping me it's a Mustang fanatic and i guess next project will be a '67 coupè, but first he's got to finish college and get a work, putting together some money and then come to the US and find a good deal... talking few years from now i guess, but good things comes with patience. |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/14/13 at 17:01:26 7C474D5B66475B4D280 wrote:
Hey thanks man for the support:) We've started the seat, it's a little bit rough for now but i guess it's coming along... we're trying to do it by ourselves, so it will need few try and failure before it gets done... I will be posting some pictures tomorrow, right now it's almost 2 in the morning and i'm falling apart... The bars are from a dutch company called Highway Hawk, they're basically the same of those mounted on the Harley FortyEight... See you soon:) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by WD on 01/14/13 at 19:29:34 Max, the trucks are all beaters, except the 49, it hasn't been started since 94, licensed since 74 (I was 2 when it got parked, been in the family since new). I live on a working pecan farm, our trucks get used, hard... 69 isn't street legal, 87 isn't street legal, 92 is a wreck, drivable, but not street legal. Motorhome is a storage shed 98% of the time. 4 miles per gallon... ;D You should have seen us in the days of the old forum out of Germany. Highway Hawk survived all their bad press from 98-02? Amazing... Oh, friendly heads up... there is a reason they are called "Rustangs" from 64.5-90 something (whenever the Fox chassis was killed off). Later than mid-90s (or whenever the rounder ones came out) are better known as "Plastangs". My last 6 cylinder 1966 cost me $50, seller got the better end of the deal... :o |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/16/13 at 11:22:43 7D6E2A0 wrote:
Wow, 50 bucks for a '66? my friend will cry when i tell him about this: here you have to understand that those kind of cars even in the worst shape costs at least 5000 €... i'm talking about project cars, mostly a frame with a rusted body and no interior... really two different worlds :'( That '49 dodge has a nice story anyway, are you thinking of licensing it anytime? it's a heirloom of your family... About Highway Hawk i have to say that the few parts that i have seen 'till now looks ok, the handlebar seems well constructed, but i'm a newbie so probably i can't tell the difference... Anyway it's a big step forward from the previous one, wich was also of the wrong diameter (22mm) so that genius of the guy that put it on thought to grind the riser's clamps to allow them to hold it, and did the same to the control switches >:( |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/24/13 at 15:41:21 Here i am again... so it's been a while, thanks to WD i solved a taillight problem and then changed oil, spark plug, oil filter and upolstered tle saddle... all made in house, the cheaper the better... bought half meter of synthetic leather and glue for about 10€... but before tackling the saddle, i had to give the baby a try, let her roll a bit, so, with the saddle as a (slippery) metal skeleton i hit the road and had a few round around my block... i'm no expert but seems the engine runs fiine... i really couldn't resist, and i took a picture afterwards... http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/savageout_zps08a94a80.jpg and a few shots of the saddle in the making... MustangKid my trusty helper cutting the synthetic leather... http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/20130114_234151_zpsf7e67193.jpg Then glued on the frame... http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/20130115_000336_zpsf8ed813b.jpg Sorry for the mess... |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by WD on 01/26/13 at 15:51:46 Looking good Max. Now you need to get yourself a pint or so of white brush on oil based enamel and make yourself some whitewalls... Here in the States Rustoleum FLAT white or white primer seem to adhere to the sidewalls fairly well. But only the brush on, spray on won't stick very long. Getting ready to do the sidewalls on my new tires (Unlike the 49 Dodge, I can't find the right size bike whitewalls). You asked about the 49... refurbishing the 230 1957 Plymouth engine that is going in the truck, have 5 new old stock bias ply whitewalls, have started the wooden strip interior parts, getting ready to pull and rebuild/repaint the bed. Almost ready to put the 5 spd and rear end from the 1992 Ranger into the truck (drill 4 new bell housing holes and the transmission fits), getting ready to pull 2 leaf springs from each corner and drop the truck 3" closer to the ground.... Traditional lowrider, have a 1937 Henderson bicycle and a a roughly 1958 Firestone Beach Cruiser bicycle that will be in the bed at shows, along with a couple 1940s or early 1950s coolers. You should come over in September for the Savage get together. If the guys ever nail down a date... It's at my place, 54 acres of fun... I live on a farm that has been here since roughly 1793 or 1796, the main house is an 1841 plantation manor (small one, but still a plantation manor house)... Motorcycles and Mopars... |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 01/31/13 at 11:25:26 6271350 wrote:
Man, i would love to come over in september, but unless i find a job in a short time (and here in Italy seems an impossible task right now) i will not have any money to spend for such a trip... what a shame... Your farm has a great story and me and my girlfriend are in love with that kind of architecture; i will love to see that Dodge when it's finished, maybe you can post some pictures here on the site in the cafe section, i'm sure there's plenty of people on this forum interested in this kind of stuff... Right now i'm waiting for the new rear tire to be fitted on the rim, i wasn't able to do it by myself... for the whitewalls i can't find that paint here, but maybe there's a place not very far from here that sells a lot of american made hardware (in this area there are a lot of companies that build luxury motor-yachts and they use plenty of US made tools and materials) maybe they have it... i will check with them. Anyway, thanks for the input, i didn't ever think that was possible to paint the walls of the tires... |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by WD on 01/31/13 at 13:33:52 Painting is a cheater method. The tire can be ordered as a 150mm series in a whitewall, but, I won't run wider than a 140 and prefer a 130. I got a good deal (great deal) on some Dunlop Qualifier cruiser tires in 140/90-15 (stock 800 Intruder rear tires) on close out... $36 USD each instead of $126 USD each. So I'll paint one up to replace my rather worn out 130/90-15 Cheng Shin. The paint doesn't do a perfect job but it will be good enough for a bike that gets ridden. I'd put the truck on the cafe side, but, it is no longer being painted orange and cream to match the Savage or the 1972 Super Beetle (Cal-look lowrider). Orange has become too common on 30s to early 60s trucks. Plus a traditional build calls for dark main colors... old Ford Dark Engine Blue and Cub Cadet Beige (perfect match for Dodge Truck cream). Hmm, might have to respray the bike (again) to match the new truck colors since the bike is still in pieces... ::) My 1963 Honda track bike is dark green to match the 1969 Dodge truck... ;) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by ToesNose on 02/01/13 at 16:11:03 Looking good Max, love that green! I agree with WD white walls would look sharp ;) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 02/07/13 at 07:16:06 Thanks guys; i've kind of a sad news, this morning the bike failed the DOT emission control test... So it's not street legal yet... i've left it to the Suzuki dealer with the hope that he might solve the problem and help me passing this test... Finger crossed!! In the meantime it's arrived the rear fender from Germany, so if everything goes as planned you will see some major improvements in the rear... I'll keep you posted :) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by Pine on 02/07/13 at 09:50:14 2428313D263E2C3B3A490 wrote:
Man, i would love to come over in september, but unless i find a job in a short time (and here in Italy seems an impossible task right now) i will not have any money to spend for such a trip... what a shame... Your farm has a great story and me and my girlfriend are in love with that kind of architecture; i will love to see that Dodge when it's finished, maybe you can post some pictures here on the site in the cafe section, i'm sure there's plenty of people on this forum interested in this kind of stuff... Right now i'm waiting for the new rear tire to be fitted on the rim, i wasn't able to do it by myself... for the whitewalls i can't find that paint here, but maybe there's a place not very far from here that sells a lot of american made hardware (in this area there are a lot of companies that build luxury motor-yachts and they use plenty of US made tools and materials) maybe they have it... i will check with them. Anyway, thanks for the input, i didn't ever think that was possible to paint the walls of the tires... [/quote] Let me save you a trip and sell you my 1965 Thunderbird! You know you want it.. sexier than a 'stang. I am tired of trying to be a restorer... not to mention the funds (lack of) http://https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_7rOuOBtFsk/RtRiWzY6Q6I/AAAAAAAAAHw/jzQuCjK0uu4/s640/P1010001.JPG http://https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rrjhQXVTTJc/RtRicTY6Q-I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/BQFYhlk2LHE/s640/P1010005.JPG http://https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-B_5ylbr_WGM/RtRgjTY6QgI/AAAAAAAAAD8/G2ZqN-H9VcA/s640/P1010260.JPG I put another engine in it as the first was starting to smoke. Power coated: intake manifold all from brakets exhaust manifolds replaced nearly all externa bolts with Stainless got the heads checked/planed, new gaskets from there up Pertronix ingition http://https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RUQYYwhSRvE/RtRgnDY6QjI/AAAAAAAAAEU/6tHQgxUd1mQ/s640/P1010263.JPG http://https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-b9oWhqRIO6U/RtRg0zY6QvI/AAAAAAAAAF8/zIHIoLqB-xc/s640/P1010278.JPG This is me with the engine loaded to get installed. All cast iron 390 is over 750 pounds! Later the engine was bored to a 428 and some were labled as 7 liters (but not the high perf ones, they were called 428 CJ) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by WD on 02/07/13 at 10:07:26 Drop it off here when you come get your tire... straight trade (I'm a Dodge guy but like 390 FEs)... ;) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by Cavi Mike on 02/07/13 at 21:33:26 Those old t-birds were unibody weren't they? |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by mustang on 02/07/13 at 22:12:13 yes they are unibody. |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 02/08/13 at 06:02:33 A thunderbird! Another fine example of cool American cars... sure it will be awesome cruisin' on the Versilia's promenade with that ride:) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 03/22/13 at 15:29:00 Finally back! Now, i (or i might say my Savage) finally passed the emission test required by the italian DOT, and i realize that the rear fender that came with the bike was a real piece of junk, badly adapted to the bike by one of the previous owner, and also, it didn't fit with the brand new tire (the old one was "flat" on the top). So, i got on ebay and bought from a german seller a brand new 150mm wide rear fender, and so here it is... finally it's done, waiting for some sunny day, that for murphy's law seems they never arrive... http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/IMG_20130306_193106_zpsd8eebe47.jpg http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/20130302_112855_zpsda40adc7.jpg |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by Borracho on 03/22/13 at 17:26:03 nice bike! I like the color and rear fender setup. |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by WD on 03/22/13 at 20:14:20 That's the same green as my 69 D100 and the 63 CL72 (248cc parallel twin Honda Scrambler). Looks great Max. Emissions tests on a motorcycle? Where I live you don't even need a muffler or turn signals, there is only 1 mirror required AND no handlebar height limit... all per state law. And the state congress is working on a helmet law overhaul (over age 21, advanced rider course graduation certificate and $50 tax per year to ride w/o a helmet). If they start to do emissions tests county wide, I'm 200m (maybe) from my other property over the county line... plus have property in 2 other states (Arkansas and Mississippi)... You should come over, three weekends ago a treasure hunter found an 1800s child sized broad axe in my garden near the site of a Civil War doctor's office... I do have a spare metal detector... ;) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 03/23/13 at 10:04:48 757C7F6D6029292E190 wrote:
Hey thanks man, the rear fender was a bit a pain in the a.. to fit, it was so tight that i had to cut it or the tire won't fit inside of it... For the colour i had one of those few strikes of luck finding some rattlecans that were almost the same colour of the bike... at 3€ a pop it was the best deal that i had in a long time... |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 03/23/13 at 10:44:32 3625610 wrote:
Well my friend that's why you live in free country and i'm not... Don't get me started on how here in Europe and especially in Italy we are so screwed with laws... can you imagine that? this place sucks BIG TIME! I can't even change the tire size of my Ranger or i end up with a confiscated truck and a huge fine... and no insurance cover in case of an accident. For the bike, it must have two mirrors (and they have to be omologated, a.k.a. big as a tv set) the muffler has to be the original or if not it must be also omologated, and i cannot stretch the forks or change the frame, so no Ryca bobber kit for me, and not to mention that if you have a side mounted licence plate cops are allowed to shot on sight (just kidding, but again confiscated vehicle and HUGE fine) About the emission i had to take it to the Suzuki dealer and wait almost a week to get the emission control passed... they had to change the jets of the carburetor in order to fit in to the parameters... and not one time but they had to try a few times. Sometimes i wonder why i still live here (but that's another story) I would love to come over; for what i've read in your state has been fought most of the Civil War, only Virginia saw more battles (according to Wikipedia). About 12 years ago i did a couple of trips in the US, but both times in California, and now i'm much more into the southern states... love the accent, and from my humble point of view there lies the true America, the one that i wish to see sooner or later... Anyway, thaks for the support and the nice comments, you guys have been so kind and helpful.. i will post some other pictures as soon as the weather allows me to take the bike for a spin. |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by WD on 03/23/13 at 11:17:08 I used to live on the Andalucian coast. Naval Support Activity Rota Spain. Was a great place to live until the Euro was introduced, along with a ton of E.U. rules and regs that make absolutely no sense. My wife and I are actually thinking of going the other way. Lithuania, Germany, Denmark or Holland... or Chile, Argentina, Paraguay... Someplace with seasons that don't involve a lot of mosquitoes or ticks. ;D |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 03/23/13 at 12:18:02 0013570 wrote:
Yeah, the Euro has been kind of a weird change... for some things it's been good but for many others has been a disaster... my wage in the early 2000's was basically cut in half with the introduction of the euro... but without it right now we will move around with a buggy strapped to a donkey, 'cause the price of gas would be impossible for regular people... If you plan to take a holiday in those places i suggest Denmark or holland, those two country are pretty cool... South America i've no clue, probably because never interested me... too similar to Italy i guess lol... |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by LANCER on 03/23/13 at 12:22:43 Pine ... Wife ? Girlfriend ? It's against the law here to post a photo of a female without identifying her you know ? http://https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rrjhQXVTTJc/RtRicTY6Q-I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/BQFYhlk2LHE/s640/P1010005.JPG |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by ToesNose on 03/23/13 at 13:57:57 The bike looks great Max, great job! Glad that you got all the emissions ironed out ;) |
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Title: Re: Rescuing a Savage Post by maxtowers on 03/26/13 at 16:08:47 1B202A3C01203C2A4F0 wrote:
Hey thanks, just hope it will last... Here the emission check it's every two years and it seems that every time it gets harder to pass... |
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