Come from the shadows - the Shadowfax restoration.

[fezzick]

So it seems. At the stage of me posting that, I hadn't seen the mag, just been told about it. The article in Rabid Bikes is not about the bike, but about me...(I'm on the "About Me" page.... Apparently the UCBE article is coming soon.

[Jonno]

Bloody awesome mate, I bet you didnt think it would get this far aye, maybe ya did but still fanbloodytastic

[fezzick]

No, Jonno, I didn't, I can honestly say that. The project began as a "Why don't you kill some time by fixing up that old bike out the back." while I was recuperating from the accident...amazing the hand that life deals you sometimes.

[Gosling1]

Old Bike Australasia #33. Get your copy now !!

[born green]

Old Bike Australasia #33. Get your copy now !!

While killin some time this morn, had a sqizz at rapid mag, and yep, towards the back, there it was... cool.

[fezzick]

Tomorrow, September 8th will see the next issue of UCBE hitting the newsstands. Includes a pic of the 'Fax on the cover and an article inside together with Jason Adams's wonderful pictures.

[kawadave]

I'm looking forward to that edition Phil....
Has the bike been on any outings of late?

[Strika]

Tomorrow, September 8th will see the next issue of UCBE hitting the newsstands. Includes a pic of the 'Fax on the cover and an article inside together with Jason Adams's wonderful pictures.

Well, now you can get any future photo's taken with the "correct" front fairing on it!!!!

[fezzick]

The bike is still in Canberra awaiting a few more parts then it will come "home" here. I'm hoping to have it on display at the Historics in November, but no plans apart from that.

Not sure I understand what you mean by the "correct" fairing reference, though.

[s man]

I'm hoping to have it on display at the Historics in November,..

Thats a must do Phil,!!!!!!!!!!

[jacobb]

Hey Fezzick,

Just saw an article on the Shadowfax and your profile in Used Bike and Classic Enthusiast, great article and the bike looks a million dollars! Its also pretty cool to put a face to the name, fully appreciate the team effort behind the build and even work out the identity of Gosling, aka the Kawasaki Guru... awesome

[fezzick]

Hey Fezzick,

Just saw an article on the Shadowfax and your profile in Used Bike and Classic Enthusiast, great article and the bike looks a million dollars! Its also pretty cool to put a face to the name, fully appreciate the team effort behind the build and even work out the identity of Gosling, aka the Kawasaki Guru... awesome

Thanks, mate. Yes, I have never sought to disguise the fact that this resto was a HUGE team effort. My injuries and subsequent physical limitations was always going to mean that the bulk of the physical work was going to be done by other people, and I'll never stop being grateful for that.

[s man]

Twas a great read Phil, But I knew it all before the mag came out. Just gives the guys that donated time, money, & parts a bit of a pat on the back, & thats a great thing about this resto...IMO

[Gosling1]

The bike is still in Canberra awaiting a few more parts then it will come "home" here. I'm hoping to have it on display at the Historics in November, but no plans apart from that.

Not sure I understand what you mean by the "correct" fairing reference, though.

I can help with that reference mate - meant to let you know this morning but was a bit fuzzy-headed still

Marty knows a bloke who knows a bloke - who actually has an original MotoMartin fairing upper. Early 80's vintage - the real McCoy. I am pretty sure this fairing is located here in the ACT ? Will arrange with the owner at some point to have a look and maybe get a mold taken.....

OK - time for a bit of an update on this old girl.

As Phil has mentioned above, the 'Fax will be on display at the Historic Nationals at EC next Sunday. I am halfway through putting the original Yoshimura motor back together - a few weeks ago, myself and PC did a hit'n'run on a couple of locations in Victoria - and I got a good Z1000 cylinder head to replace the original example. In some news that was music to Phil's ears this morning - the head I got, has had a really nice port job done on it. Valve seats are all in very good nick - now the motor will have a cylinder head that should be able to take full advantage of the smoothbores and big cams ! I will take a couple of photos of the head before it gets fitted- but whoever did the porting did a really good job.

(the motor fitted to the bike back at the BSFOS was actually the motor from another one of my zeds - Cherry. Now that this motor is out of the 'Fax, I can fit it back into its own frame and get that build finished.......its like a big game of dominos in the 4th workshop )

next Sunday arvo, the 'Fax will be delivered back to Phil and all his mates will finally be able to come around and ogle the bike at their leisure - it has been a great fun project this one, I will miss seeing the bike tucked into the 4th but it is now time it was returned to its rightful home in Middle Earth.....

[Gosling1]

This will be one of the last updates from me about this bike......after some unexpected delays with the replacement cylinder head, I have spent the last couple of weekends getting the Mori motor back together. Big thanks to Shiny for dropping in this morning to give me a hand slotting the cylinder block over the pistons......this is normally a 2-man job and PC was always my wingman for this type of stuff.......

anyway - the holdup was due to a dud exhaust valve and a missing bucket & shim from the original motor. Sorted out a replacement valve and finished slotting the motor together this arvo......but it is not a motor I would be using on a track.....

The problem is simple - using all the original Moriwaki pistons was part of the rebuild specs that Phil asked for. Even though the pistons - well, 3 out of 4 of them - are in reasonable nick, the rings were all corroded into the ringlands when I first pulled this motor down towards the end of 2011.......yes they have cleaned up as well as I could clean them up......but basically the rings are way past their best. Impossible to source new piston rings for these pistons either, they are really old-school 'dykes' style rings - single top ring only (which has an 'L' profile) and then oil control rings. So the old ones have been re-used.......against my better judgement.

Here is the main reason I would never give this motor a thrashing around a track......I reckon 10 minutes at redline and this old girl will go BANG big-time......





that is the #1 piston, after it was tidied up......... it is just not a piston I would ever use in a motor that was intended to be used in anger on a track........that piston has seized up pretty badly at some point and is likely to do the same again. Together with the dropped valve in #3 exhaust which ruined the original head......I would have much preferred to build this motor with a completely new top-end....



Which sort of brings me to the next point. This bike in its current set-up, will be totally out of its depth in current P5 racing. The old slicks are just not good enough for serious track-work (despite those 7 laps last year chasing Croz ). 18" tyres are just not competitive in P5 unlimited.........

So basically, this bike will in all probability, never be used in anger. Which is a good thing. Would it be worth spending a couple of large just on new motor internals ?? Its a hard question to answer......but if the bike just spends the next chapter of its life as a display bike, then having dodgy internals is perhaps not such an issue after all.........and there was not a lot of money spent on internals, plenty of stuff donated thanks to all those who helped with the project.

Next weekend, the 'Fax will be on display again at the BSFOS on Sunday only. After the show, it will be trailered to its new home with Phil Hall down in the 'Gong. Phil will then have the pleasure of looking after this unique piece of aussie bike racing history at his place.


I'll do one more update after next weekends show.....