Pink Taco Update

Duane Ballard and I had big plans for Easter weekend. Yesterday we drove to Dennis Trudelle's in Hemet to pick up my CB450 motor. On our way to his shop, DT called and said he needed a few more hours to button everything down. To kill time, DB and I went to Harbor Freight in Hemet and picked up some cutting disks, dog leashes and $1 gloves. Next stop: Hippy Killer Garage. Kutty Noteboom and friends were prepping his 1.5-acre spread for the hundreds of motorcycle riders who will converge there next Thursday, so Duane and I didn't get in their way. Instead, we drove back to Duane's shop to work on his Pink Taco project.

Duane's plan was to install a MoonEyes alloy oil tank beneath the integrated fuel cell, right behind the frame's vertical upright. After installing the wheel and motor to assess clearances, it became obvious no ordinary oil bag will fit Duane's machine. After geetering out on donuts and Dr. Pepper, Duane handed me an X-acto knife and some cardboard and we mocked up this:

A second monocoque that follows the lines and function of DB's crazy skinned fuel cell/top tube. Chain clearance is no longer an issue, and the finished vessel will easily hold nearly a gallon of oil.

While Duane and his neighbor Alex—another CB750 fiend—blasted through 14-gauge steel sheet with a dozen Russian-made chop disks from Harbor Freight, I plowed through a meatball sub and ate two more donuts. I'm handy with cardboard, but I know my limits. Alex, on the other hand, could make an engine block with a Dremel tool and an antique C-clamp.

There's ample space between the curved front of the monocoque oil bag for dual carbs and foam cleaners, and the oil bag bungs will be neatly hidden at the bottom of the triangle. Next challenge: creating a filler spout for the oil bag that doesn't mess with the smooth lines on the steel skin. 

Duane and Alex have an idea that involves brazed vent tubes, secret compartments and medieval daggers. Stay tuned for more…

And what about the Street Tracker? Well, my motor guy called six hours after the assigned pick-up time to say he needed another day. Duane will have to skip his family dinner on Easter sunday to help me pick up my motor and install it in the CB frame. I'm still not giving up hope that my bike can be running by the Bash. We'll see…