As for my junk...the body work is progressing, the tail needed to be shortened to comply with the rules. Craig, my paint & body guy, decided the windshield should be mounted flush from the outside and has done a great job with it, plus he has reinforced the fairing where we needed it.
Richard has started the final assembly of the swingarm. The anti-corrosion coating looked like ass, kind of a milky grey, so it got spray bombed black...shouldn't rust though!
We still need to fabricate a new fuel tank...figure out what clutch and brake hydraulic reservoirs are going to work with the new lay out...sort out a new location for the steering damper...install heavier springs in the forks and rear shocks because the bike gained some weight and length...re-wire it front to back...replace the fuel pump, lines and protect it all with fire proof sleeves...clean all 8 carbs and balance them...I have a sponsor who will replace the 4 oil coolers and re-plumb it all...finish the paint & body...sponsor decals...entry # and class decals...spank it on a car dyno or just say the hell with it and run it as is.
I'm not stressing over it...it will likely come down to the wire, it always does...if we run out of time and start compromising in order to make Speed Week in August, I'll just run in October at the World Finals instead.
I am only about 3 years (or more) behind you as far as my progress. It looks like I will be a next year guy. So I will be living the dream through you this year. Make the double crowd proud!!! And post a lot of pix and info.
I ran over to Richard's shop yesterday and dropped off some parts.
The swingarm is finally installed. Aside from needing to get a new axle for the jackshaft machined, all went well. The brace is solid, but everything else that was hollow, got filled with lead shot for ballast / traction.
The front end now has heavier springs from Race Tech and a new Vortex upper clamp. The toggle switch in the center is the battery disconnect, it is military spec and has to be lifted up in order to be switched on or off. The clutch and rear brake reservoirs are sorted now and the steering damper has been repositioned. It's good that the controls are sorted now, that was a significant hurdle when packaging everything a little tighter, in order to fit within the fairing.
Richard welded up a new fuel tank, it holds 9 liters and should be more than enough to make a few passes before needing to visit the fuel truck again. The cardboard template on the rear tail support, is where he will build an aluminium undertail and mount the new fuel pump.
The new springs arrived from Race Tech for the rear shocks and are @1/3 heavier, they are a good starting point and will get installed next week.
We need to borrow the tail section back from the body shop, and then fabricate a new rear stand that will reach under the long tail to lift the bike from the foot pegs and hold it stable for starting the engines and maintenance.
In 2 weeks, we hope to move the bike to Hose Headquarters and have the new oil coolers mounted and plumbed.
Lots of details to be finished, but the end is in sight...
The pictures are awesome, but video would be amazing. I'd love to see this in action.
I've been watching the thread, but I don't remember any video being posted so if it was, and I missed it, sorry.
I do have some videos but I honestly don't know how to down size them. It's not much of a spectator sport...make some noise at the start line and then disappear over the horizon.
The new fuel pump is mounted. The rules require that any non-valve portions of fuel lines are protected with a fire-proof sleeve.
The under tail is almost finished and most of the bike has been re-wired.
I talked to my paint & body guy today, he figures we can do a final mock up in 2 weeks and then move forward with painting the fairings.
Richard has the tail section now and is fabricating the rear stand. He just bought an acreage and wants to move in early September. He won't move the shop until the bike is completed at the end of the month.
Speed Week starts in a couple days, I should be driving down tomorrow.
It looks like we will plan on competing at the World Finals, Oct. 3rd-6th.
Richard built a big ass stand to fit around the long tail, a normal one is shown for comparison.
The aluminum shield mounted to the front lower fairing mount will help protect the oil coolers from salt spraying off the front wheel.
I'm really liking the new stainless steel exhaust shield that we had cut out with a water jet. The insides of the fairing will get an adhesive backed heat shield as well.
We added oil temperature sensors to the cylinder heads.
The bike is being dropped off at Hose Headquarters in the morning for new oil coolers and plumbing.
We aren't too far off from being able to make some noise again...
The bike is in the hydraulic shop right now, it might take a week or more. I removed the 4 oil coolers on Monday. Because the bodywork, brackets etc are finished, rather than complicating issues further with new replacement oil coolers that might be dimensionally different, we decided to send the existing units out for cleaning and pressure testing. If they pass, I'm comfortable in using them again and will ensure that they are rubber mounted. Richard has packaged them alot tighter than they were before, to fit within the new body. The change in locations is what necessitated the new plumbing.
Richard is in the process of moving to a new home and shop on an acreage, so it will be mid September before the bike can get completely finished. I'm looking at new job opportunities in northern BC or Brazil. If I do have to cancel our race plans for the World Finals, Oct. 3-6, I figure atleast we are already for next summer. It's been raining, the salt is wet right now.
Motorcycle: 1986 GSX-R750R, 1986 GSX-R1100, 1989 GSX-R750RR, 1997 GSX-R750, 2001 GSX-R1000, 2001 Bandit 1200S, plus a few others.
Posts: 3,214
Re: Twin Engine GSXR Land Speed Racer
Interesting location for the temp sensor... First time I've seen that spot used. I have to admire your dedication to this thing. It's been a huge amount of work for you guys.
Any new updates? Did you change jobs?? If so I know the setback of changing jobs (6 months behind on my build) I hope the picture below will inspire you to build. BIG, BADDER, FASTER!!!!!
The front engine now has a first gen oil pan to match the one on the rear. Thanks Mario!
This allowed us to raise the oil lines, the lines might have been dragging in soft salt before, stressing the oil cooler and resulting in leaks.
Now the lowest point are the drain plugs, if I start dragging those, we have real problems...
The Double was not ready for the World Finals in early October, I actually just picked it up last Saturday.
It's still not 100% finished, there is some more airbrushing to get done at a later date. I also picked up an old Dale Walker electric shifter years ago off ebay and decided at the last minute, that it needed to be put to use. It's mounted, but Richard needs to machine up a shift rod for it.
I had given the painter some freedom with the paint job and it took a while for it to grow on me. The long fairing always gave an aircraft vibe so that inspired the paint scheme. Our race bikes have always been Viper Blue. Where the silver meets the blue, will get airbrushed to look like torn sheet metal. Then I can put the sponsor and entry / class decals on it.
Much of it has been rewired and replumbed, it is ready to pass tech inspection. The carbs have been synched...you can't tune the rear engine without the front engine running...Richard was glad when that was finished.
I always said if the bike wasn't ready for this year, then the worse case scenario would be that we were in really good shape for Speed Week 2013.
Our vintage bike club hosts a very large swap meet twice a year. I spent last Sunday displaying the Double for the very first time. Other than Bonneville, it's never been out in public as it's usually disassembled. I always enjoy speaking with other bike enthusiasts and the bike recieved lots of attention.
I had hoped to be able to fire it up and run it across the parking lot into the arena, but it's very much winter here and it took 3 of us to unload it in the snow.
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