Preparing for 2026; Preparation H

 Hill climb preparations that is.

I also do discount plumbing. Plumbed the radiator form the ol Pontiac Grand Prix stockcar onto the side of the Coyote like some colostomy bag appendage. It might not make Collin Chapman approve but as Johny Cash said: " It didn't cost me a dime". Hopefully it does not end up burning my face like a scalded boiled potato at an Irish potluck. Everybody river dance! Hey, if it was good enough to cool the big ol Pontiac with the same engine I am hoping that the fans will make it happen even if direct air flow is about as good as trying to light a fart through gor-tex trousers. Now all I need is some sheet metal to enclose the side pod and create some ducting or at least make it look like a proper side pod. But I'll be damned if I am going to spend $150 on a sheet of aluminum. Thanks Chief peder-ass! Hoping somebody will donate some ol road signs so I don't have to skin my ol camper's siding. State of the union... help!

Onto things more within my control, with two wheels and parts I know how to harvest from trash bins;

The Honda I was given last year in trade for some suspension work. The joke was: I bet that will be your next race bike. Sure, why not. I need another Honda CRF450. This one will make 6 and that is half way to a dozen. I think I posted a picture on here last year of me draining the rusty rain water from the crank case. Laying around in my stash pile I had an old Racers Edge ported head with epoxied port floors that came off a TRX450 four wheel that raced pikes peak. As far as I could tell the only difference from a CRF head was the giant thermostat housing so I chopped that off and welded a normal spigot on. Cast aluminum left as many seeping little holes as my 16 yr old acne ridden poc face when I lived on gas station piza and Jolt cola. So JB weld did the finish work. The other big difference is the intake is a straight shot center port making the carburetor and rear shock share the same air space. My first plan was to benefit from the straight flowing intake tract by removing the rear shock and welding up a sub-frame to accommodate twin shocks. Old school and cool. But I am lazy so for now I just made an intake manifold to turn the carb to the side and utilize the stock air box. Hoping to at least try to rig up a proper center mount eventually if nothing else for dyno testing...

In another amazing feat of cheap skate zip zero nada I fit up a homebrew exhaust system utilizing the stainless steal oversize header Gary made me along with some of his beautiful titanium for the mid pipe and to trifecta the metallurgy an old school aluminum super trap I have been hoarding for over 15 years.

First time I have ever ground the valve guide flush with the inside of the port. Just the intakes. Using my favorite seat grinder on this head. Notice the epoxy not only in the intake ports but also blocking the coolant passages near the intake...

But I did give the exhaust guides some Tommy Lesortor weight watcher treatment because we all know thin is in.

Back cutting the valve face.

My math only works out with correct ratio of cheap and fancy beer. The PVC spacer goes inside the intake manifold to match carb to intake port size.

This required taper boing the inside diameter. I only hope the pvc will not melt when playing with gasoline...

Fits better than OJ's glove. Life in Mack is good. At least at the motorbike shop. Peace.