1972 Combat Commando.

grandpaul · Jul 15, 2011

Yikes.

that tank needs a new tank. Or a very competent metalsmith.

bwolfie · Jul 15, 2011

THat's the tank I purchases, easy enough to fix since the bad stuff is out ov view. I'm going to cut the bottom out, blast, repair and re install. Easy peasy!!

Jeandr · Jul 15, 2011

It would be easier to fix a fiberglass tank :!:

Jean

bwolfie · Jul 15, 2011

Not since I hate fiberglass and all the fun associated with it. Plus I love a challenge.

bwolfie · Jul 15, 2011

Tank and rear fender just arrived. Tank looks worse in the pictures. I took about 15 minutes and all the paint scraped off of it. Large red paint flakes. It's therapudic. Now to start cutting and filling holes. I should hae some wheels next week, now just to find the rest of the fork parts.

gtsun · Jul 15, 2011

I believe you can make that tank look perfect, I've watched my friend who restores Indians do complete repair jobs on tanks that are 60 & 70 years old and make your tank look brand new in comparison. When he's done he sends them to a place in Oregon to have them tinned inside & out.

bwolfie · Jul 15, 2011

I was going to carefully braze the inside. SHould work well.

I Aquired some fork lower, springs and trees a little while ago. Just need a rebuild kit and tubes now.

bwolfie · Jul 19, 2011

Well, I took the trusty plasma cutter and made 2 holes in the bottom of the tank, It looks worse on the outside than the inside. A quick blast in the media cabinet and a little welding of pin holes, then some patch work and close it up. Should take me 2 or 3 hours and i'll have a nice all steel tank.

bwolfie · Jul 23, 2011

Update: I have my nice stock rims, thanks Tim K. New tires are here, front mounted. I have all of my fork parts ordered except a bushing and seal kit. I sprung for the CNW alloy seal holders. The sliders I purchased didn't come with any, and it was only $25 more for NEW alloy with a hex. New fork tubes are on the way. I have my trees painted, need to get the sliders cleaned and polished. I have a nice uses SS rear fender to mount. Once all the parts arrive, a little time cleaning, painting and polishing and I will have a nice stock combat. And if i can sell the parts I took off it won't hurt the pocketbook so much.

bwolfie · Jul 29, 2011

Things are moving slowly. I have all my parts ordered, and waiting for arrival. Tires mounted, after a tube fiasco. The rear NEW tube split lengthwise half way after about 3 minutes on the rear tire. Front end is slowly coming together. I have sold a few parts, making my investment very nice. Here are a few recent pictures.

kraakevik · Jul 29, 2011

Those wheels look a lot better with some of the patina rubbed off.

My own Combat has no more than 1/8" clearance all around between the front tire, fender and stays with a TT100--hope your fender has enough clearance for that good-looking beefy tire.

Thanks again--and best of luck

Tim Kraakevik
kraakevik@voyager.net

bwolfie · Jul 29, 2011

I don't know how "beefy" the front tire is. It's a 100/90-19, not "fat" by any account. I don't forsee any problems.

batrider · Jul 29, 2011

Running 100/90 x 19 here but on Akront WM-3 rim. Had to get rid of studs/nuts on the fork sliders and go to bolts to get the tire past the center fender mounts when installing the wheel on the bike. Clearance to fender seems fine - also a 72 combat. I think this is detailed on Old Britts site but it is no big deal.

bwolfie · Aug 1, 2011

Fork tubes arrived today. Front forks assembled. Lansdowne kit installed, easy fit. Now waiting on headlight ears. Should be a roller by the end of the week. Now to finish up the tank, and get the pesky title.

Hortons Norton · Aug 1, 2011

I remember when I reached the roller state, I felt like it would only be days till I would be riding. LOL LOL. The wiring alone took a few days, But things were moving along and it was fun. Now that its done I missed working on it so bad I had to go and get another project. I really think I enjoy building and working on them almost as much as riding them. Take your time and have fun, :wink:

swooshdave · Aug 1, 2011

Hortons Norton said:
I really think I enjoy building and working on them almost as much as riding them.

Now that's just silly talk. I love working on the bike, but it doesn't even come close to riding it. Your bike must get more attention that a naked starlet at the local McDonalds.

Hortons Norton · Aug 1, 2011

LOL Now Dave I did say "almost" The Norton's have been great to me. The MKIII has over 6,000 miles on it in over 4 years and has never broke down or even given me a hint of trouble. The 72 did take a bit of time to get sorted with the cam and exhaust being what they are, But since same story. I guess it would have been better to just say build them, LOL. Glad to see your putting some miles on yours and having fun with it. Ride safe guys. Chuck. P.S. Have you ever seen naked starlets at McDonalds?

debby · Aug 1, 2011

Hey Chuck, what's your new project?

I'm with Dave, I prefer riding to wrenching on them although that can be enjoyable too. I have most of a 1970 Roadster sitting in pieces in my basement, waiting to be built up. I'm envisioning it being reborn as an SS (but without the silly high mount fender). Can't seem to find any time to work on it though, too busy riding.

Debby

Hortons Norton · Aug 1, 2011

Hello Debby, My new project is a Buell S1WL It's a 101 hp bike stock and it has 90 ft.lb of torque at 5,500 rpm. My brother knows Erik Buell and got me hooked on these bikes. Stock they only weigh 425lbs. and is fairly easy to get them below 400lbs. But this one was sitting for some time and the guy didn't have a clue how to get it going, I feel I stole the thing as It has only 8,900 mi. Now I have it running like it should I'm going to redo the bike, The guy lived a half a block from the beach. It's not bad but it could be so much better, where did I leave my wrench? I ride one of the bikes to work every day and also put at least 50 or so miles on every weekend. And Dave remember we ride 12 months of the year here so I bet I will put alot more miles riding this year than you. :mrgreen: Sorry for the highjack!!! :wink:

bwolfie · Aug 25, 2011

Little bits of progress have been made. I am still waiting on the broken DMV to send the title. My bent Lansdown rod replacment is on it's way. The PO of the kit somehow bent it. When I went to install it the top nut would not thread in. It would by itself. After much frustration and a hammer I finished off the rod. So a replacment was ordered. I gave up on fixing the red tank. I found a nice blue one with bad paint. Blasted it and gave it a flat black paint job for now. MOstly to stave off rust until I source a steel LH sidecover and paint the whole set. So I only need the rod and it will be a complete bike for now. Then on to making a list of parts for the rebuild. SHould be easy, mostly seals, bearings and a few upgraded parts. I think I will leave the engine alone, It has the superblends in it and a few other nice things done to it. From what I am told by the original and previous owner the full TC treatment was done while he changed the bearings.

1972 Combat Commando.

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