Salvage rebuild finally finished

chip · Thu 20, May 2010, 21:20:36

Some may know I bought this salvage bike an 03 Standard from a friend. It was totaled while he and I were on a ride. He had used his insurance funds to purchase a replacement and bought this one from the insurance company,with dreams of rebuilding it. Like many lately he came on to some hard times and decided to part with it. Since I had helped him at and after the accident ,and in finding a good deal on the replacement he gave me first shot at the bike. Thank you Harry . He did remove a few parts from it first, the Honda leather bags and support brackets ,driver and passenger floor boards was about all. The windshield folded back and destroyed both the speedo and tach, windshield bracket punched a quarter sized hole in the tank. Both front and rear fenders had some dents, rear license plate/turn signal bracket was tore up. exhaust headers were dinged up. passenger seat and backrest were torn.Thats about it.Totaled by the insurance co. So here she is,waiting to be inspected by Mo. State troopers on June 1st. They require an inspection before a salvaged vehicle can get a prior salvage tittle. Its pretty well a stock figured since the passenger seat and backrest were tore up I would go solo. I welded the hole in the tank ,and did the license plate under the fender ,cut a license plate bracket from stainless on a mill at work. ordered the leds and a new flasher from Custom Dynamics. Drilled the fender and mounted the Leds under the fender and flush with the outside surface, like the plate. Finished project cost $2000.00 YAY!

Joe Hummer · Thu 20, May 2010, 21:34:21

I like what you did with the turn signals. Those look good in the fender.

NITRO · Thu 20, May 2010, 21:38:50

She looks fantastic! Good to know this Valk was brought back.

I had a similar situation with my Standard this past march. There was no bringing her back with the badly bent frame and forks though. Very sad to know the bike is probably scrapped now.

~ Timbrwolf · Thu 20, May 2010, 22:09:52

....nice job on the rebuild....gotta give ya a certain amount of satisfaction....knowin ya bought that baby back to life..

R J · Fri 21, May 2010, 00:30:00

Looks good........ Nice job..........

Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005 · Fri 21, May 2010, 05:44:35

" I welded the hole in the tank " <----How do you do that without blowin' up ?

Nice job ...I have a bike with a re-built title also worst part if you ever sell no one will loan money on a re-built title ( in Tennessee ) so the buyer will need cash in hand . The value of the bike will be nothing close to what it's worth.

Jabba · Fri 21, May 2010, 06:27:42

Very nice.

You won't be able to sell it for what it's worth... but dude... you got a Valk for $2K!!!

That is like a sore peter right there...

Jabba

Tropic traveler · Fri 21, May 2010, 08:42:58

Very nice!
I can appreciate what you had to do to get that Valk as beautiful as you did. I have an ongoing project '99 Valk that is NOWHERE near the challenge yours was!
I can understand your feeling of pride at rescueing a true classic bike.

While we all benefit from the parts from a salvage Valk that come to the market, I can't help but think there's another Valk that won't be on the road ever again when I see the major components for sale.

Hats off to you!!!!!

Big IV · Fri 21, May 2010, 09:01:05

Smooth.

Looking at this makes me want to go out and find a salvage project...nice.

X Ring · Fri 21, May 2010, 09:26:28

Quote from: Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005 on Fri 21, May 2010, 05:44:35
" I welded the hole in the tank " <----How do you do that without blowin' up ?

Either you purge the tank with a nonflammable gas or you fill the tank with water.

Marty

Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005 · Fri 21, May 2010, 09:53:17

Quote from: X Ring on Fri 21, May 2010, 09:26:28
Quote from: Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005 on Fri 21, May 2010, 05:44:35
" I welded the hole in the tank " <----How do you do that without blowin' up ?

Either you purge the tank with a nonflammable gas or you fill the tank with water.

Marty

If it has a hole I don't see it holding water ...I've heard you could run a hose off a car exhaust into the tank and weld it however I've never done or seen this done and for the record if someone was doing this my ass would be far away when that first arc hit the tank.

Varmintmist · Fri 21, May 2010, 10:09:10

Dayammm

If I could have gotten mine back for 2K, even before parts, I would have lived with the salvage title.

I think you friend likes you.

chip · Fri 21, May 2010, 12:41:36

Yep, good to have friends. He sold it to me for pretty much what the insurance co. sold it to him for,after subtracting the used value of the parts he removed. No doubt it was a good deal. Even if it had been only used for parts.When I got the bike from him it had sat for about 6 months.with a large hole in the tank. It was bone dry. I was still nervous about welding it .So it was flushed with soapy water,rinsed and re-rinsed.Then misted with oil to hopefully deter rust.I am still keeping an eye open for a I.S. tank.I do appreciate the complements, most anyone who has seen it complete had no idea what they were really looking at. DoubleTee sent me some reservoir covers and brake and clutch levers back when we had the garage goodie give away ,thanks. I actually removed a lot of the items the insurance co .scraped out. the seat, windshield, passenger back rest,saddle bags I think I will wrap the headers with the black exhaust wrap,to hide the small dings under the bike. As far as the resale value goes,I know it will never sell for what it is worth,My I.S. is a salvage I bought back about 5 yrs ago. I hang on to my stuff. Just ride it. I may not put the miles some of you do but I won't own a garage queen .The I.S. now has 75000 on it . Can't wait to put some on this one . Thanks again to every one. I'll see some of you at the whiskey run !

fudgie · Sat 22, May 2010, 20:30:20

Quote from: Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005 on Fri 21, May 2010, 09:53:17
Quote from: X Ring on Fri 21, May 2010, 09:26:28
Quote from: Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005 on Fri 21, May 2010, 05:44:35
" I welded the hole in the tank " <----How do you do that without blowin' up ?

Either you purge the tank with a nonflammable gas or you fill the tank with water.

Marty

If it has a hole I don't see it holding water ...I've heard you could run a hose off a car exhaust into the tank and weld it however I've never done or seen this done and for the record if someone was doing this my ass would be far away when that first arc hit the tank.

He never had a problem welding this. Tank was to thin he said.

highcountry · Sat 22, May 2010, 20:43:16

N-I-C-E!!

chip · Sun 23, May 2010, 09:55:51

Fudgie , I'm guessing thats a fuel level sight glass,sombody tried to add for that custom look. The Honda fuel tank suprised me with how thin it was . I had to add a lot of "tacks" around the hole, and build on them . I wasn't sure I could do it, the first thing I did was burn the hole even bigger . The tanks on most production bikes are thin but because of the radius of the tank it feels strong. Like how its harder to dent you car fender on its curved area than it is to ding your car door on the large flat area. I'm thinking these guys we see forming thier own tanks are using a heavyer gauge steel. The Highway patrol hs no idea what they are putting me through making me wait until June 1st for my inspection. I threw a cover over it ,out of sight out of mind. That lasted almost a day. Just rolling it around the garage I can sure feal the wieght differance between it and the I.S. I have had it up and down my road a few times checking every thing out.

Jabba · Sun 23, May 2010, 10:30:56

I am working on "Blue" right now. She's been looking at me crossways for the last week, since I brought home the Interstate. I have stripped the 2-up stuff off, and gone solo. Polished her up, and I am changing the rear drive oil right now. The I'll get her out for a little exercise. Probably not a lot... but a little afternoon run.

I know what you're feeling man. Making a man wait ro ride a new bike just ain't tight.

Jabba

Jess Tolbirt · Sun 23, May 2010, 20:35:59

many years ago i had my oldest son which was about 12 or 13 at the time rinse a 6 gallon boat gas tank out ten times and asked him if it was clean,, he said yes daddy,, cleas as you can get,,,i had him back off and i threw a match at the tak and it went at least 50 feet in the air,,,
i will not mess with a gas tank.....
yours looks great ,,,,

bigdog99 · Mon 24, May 2010, 21:02:54

you can purge it with nitrogen.

had an uncle of the wifes do that while it was still on the car.

not sure which one to use there

upjeeper · Sat 17, Jul 2010, 12:00:59

Did you end up wrapping the exhaust? My bike is also a salvage title and my chrome exhaust covers have both had the retaining clips rust off. I'd prefer not to spend the $200 for stacks, but need to do something, so i'm thinking about wrapping.

If you did wrap them, could you please post pictures?

Thanks

wdvalk · Sat 17, Jul 2010, 15:57:46

purge with argon and tig weld,I do it all day 6 days a week

chip · Sat 17, Jul 2010, 18:03:58

Sorry, not yet. Finaly got the tittle back on the 5th of July. Been ridding her but have not yet done any thing with th pipes.but I'm having fun so far.

highcountry · Sat 17, Jul 2010, 22:56:05

Congrats - - great job! She's a real beauty.

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