Will I ever get this going again?

Jim...for a cleaner looking engine compartment I drilled two new holes in the back of the breather box, tapped them and installed two 3/8" X 4" nipples. The hoses from the valve covers go up and onto those nipples in that void between the firewall and the back wall of the "rear seat"....They don't show at all.   I removed the breather hose altogether from the oil filler to the breather box as well and installed a small paper breather with an aluminum cover on the oil filler. Now, there are no hoses showing at all.  Not even to the air cleaners. I too had a CB engine kit. I used total seal rings in it and had nearly "0" crankcase pressure and no oil leaks. The total seal ring kit only comes with the oil control rings and it they really do the job..  These are only offered as suggestions, other variations may vary............Bruce

Thanks Bruce! Nice idea.  I bought the little bit larger breather that mounts at the oil fill location. So, hoses there will be.  However, I am going to rout them right up to it from beneath the sheet metal.... i hope. I am putting a permanent LED work light in the engine compartment too, with a fused connection from the battery.  Reflective insulated liner is going in the engine compartment. It should all brighten things up back there and look more finished than the rough cut fiberglass....  Onward!  

“Nothing Friggin Fits!”

That is the life of the CMC kit builder.  It was even (much) worse for the “Street Beast” builder, just ask Jerome or Alan.

I was very happy that when I installed a Magna Spark II, that it fit and worked as advertised, right out of the box.  There is hope for all of us......

Keep pluggin’, Jim!

Thanks Gordon:  I keep seeing this candle light at the end of this tunnel and then, it gets blown out....  I am a very mechanical person and this has just been a challenge. Mostly it is waiting for stuff that used to be available locally... now everything is order and wait, unless I want to pay some crazy shipping.  And stuff that I have kept for years, thinking it was going to work some day, and it doesn't just adds to my delays and frustrations.  Anyway, I force a little progress every day and it will roll down the road soon! 

To make juice, alternators need to be "excited" when you first spin them up. I found that out when I put the Suby in Bridget, with the new alternator. Got nothing until I touched the red wire to the case (or some such). Then you could hear the thing start working; idle actually slowed, charging light blinked off.

Thanks Ed:  Yup, hooked up a battery charger in the starter state to get it to pump some juice. No go. It has been sitting on a shelf since the mid 70's? Perhaps dirt in the regulator contacts inside?  It is not a Bosch, it has "made in USA" on the casting but no manufacturer's name anywhere.  So, to be safe, a new 75 amp one is going in, recommended by J-bugs.  What's a few more bucks at this point right? You all are so helpful! I am looking forward to this baby rolling soon. 

Our BMW motorcycle rally is in two weeks so I will be riding the bike then. I'd like to have this running as soon as I get back. Temps in the 50's here in Buffalo today, rain and it felt like another winter day after a beauty holiday weekend.  Anyway, onward and thanks again for the 'tickling the copper coil" suggestion. 

Jim

Yeah, the "idiot" light must be there to get the charging started.