Just another doodle.

#1
I been looking for a bike to buy/build for a while. I finally found this diamond in the ruff on the local craigslist so I went and picked it up.

Its the older style doodlebug from northern tool with ~6 coats of different colors of paint with the topcoat being chrome:confused:, a stock honda gx200 mounted and a lawnmower gastank zip tied on. :thumbsup:

Its pretty quick, but fast it is not. Maybe 25mph tops with the gearing, but it gets there quick.

on to the pics






Luckily my family is big into cars so I learned how to cut/weld and machine at a young age. I like to tinker and I had a cone air filter already, so I whipped up an adapter for it to fit the stock carb. I drilled and tapped the carb and with a small #2 screw I attached the choke lever. I also cut the stock exhaust flange off the factory muffler and welded up an exhaust out of some 1" tube. It was straight pipe at first but its too loud, so I added a muffler. At this point I also cleaned the carb very well . It was leaking gas and fuel washing the cylinder/ filling the crankcase. I also drilled the jet to a #90. This setup was fun while I figured out a build plan.











I also changed the stock chain tensioner from the sacrificial piece to a sprocket on bearings. I machined a spacer of the right thickness to reduce the ID on the bearings and put everything on using the stock spacer to stand it off the frame.






A buddy found me a wheel on ebay after I complained to him about how much a rear doodle bug wheel costed since I want front brakes. It's a wheel from a Chinese dirtbike is all I know, probably a XR50 clone. I wanted an offroad wheel/tire that also had a selection for on road tires, this was perfect. I'll run the stock rear caliper on the front and I ordered juice brakes for the rear.

It was already setup for a 12mm axle. All I did was a little machining to shorten and provide a surface for the seals on the stock doodle bug spacers. Then it just bolted on. The rotor that came with it is too wide for the doodlebug rear caliper so I'll narrow it on the brake lathe at my dads shop.

here is the wheel next to my brothers doodle



got it mounted. You can see I flipped the front fender around so the wheel wouldn't hit it. I'll probably trim some of the fender off to shorten it later on. It works for now.






Next I'll get the rear manual caliper mounted on the front. And build/mount a gastank.

general build plans are to strip/paint it, and build the engine. That's about it. Simple.


also if you guys want the pictures without the rambling just LMK:smile:
 
Last edited:
#5
thanks guys. I dig the spoked wheel as well. if i can find one for the rear that is wider than the front I'll snag it. I don't know of one off the top of my head.

got the bike ripped apart tonight and a bunch of the paint removed. Will post pictures in the AM.
 
#7
some pics of the stripping process. All chemical so far. Took about an hour and a half two guys so far, so its not a quick process at all.







I'll start the sanding process soon to get it ready for paint. Got a bit more to strip off first though.

I want to paint the engine shroud red since it is a legit honda but I'm not sure what color to do the frame and wheels. maybe a silver frame and anodize red wheels with a metallic red shroud. We will see.
 
#9
that's what I'm using.

it only eats thru up to the orignal powdercoat in most places. So one more time around the frame and it should be good.
 

ADRO

New Member
#10
Sweet, nice ride.:scooter:

Really awesome that you have the ability to fab up pieces like that intake adapter and the exhaust. I really need an adapter for my carb!:grind:
 
#11
yes, having ability is a blessing and curse. :grind:

no night is ever spent just watching tv. Instead I work 8 hours for the man, then 6 more for myself:bowdown:

I put 3 more hours by myself on stripping the frame. Its real close. A pressure washer will finish it up then I can prep it real quick for some etch primer. Hoping to strip the forks down to this point tonight and maybe the back wheel. Then I can pressure wash everything tomorrow or Thursday.



my brother ended up cutting my rotor for me when he went down to my dad's shop. came out nice.





I'm hoping to get everything stripped and in primer. Then I can fix all the battlewounds and finish welding on all the brackets for the gas tank and front brakes.

I imagine based on my current thoughts towards painting and paint prep I'll be tired of it as soon as I get everything in primer, so I'll probably set all the metal on the side and build the engine for something refreshing. Then come back to the paint part and finish this thing up.
 
#13
I pretty much finished stripping paint. Its much cleaner than it looks, most of the red silvers are just there from being removed from another location. I'll pressure wash everything tomorrow probably then go from there to get everything etch primed.





I took the head off the engine as well and cleaned it. Plans are to run by the machine shop today and shave it. With my flat top piston and .020 over arc rod I'll shave it .025". I have to account for a little thicker head gasket as well so it will actually be a hair more than that but I'm shooting for as close to 11:1 as I can get without going over.

my motor is super nasty, Im sure it has lived a hard life.



after some elbow grease I got the head all cleaned up. I used purple power and eagle one wheel cleaner for mag wheels with some different sized stiff brushes. I thought the eagle one cleaner would shine up the aluminum but it didn't, its just really clean. Maybe I left it on too long? Im not sure...



 
#15
the head is cut. I took .035" off. .025" to get the comp I wanted and I went another 10 even though I only needed 8 to accommodate a thicker head gasket.

with the .020 over rod, flat top, and this head I'm hoping for as close to 11:1 as I can get, with out going over. I think I've said this before? anyways I took a video of the super exciting process of knocking a head down :thumbsup:

the setup



the video of cutting the first .004" off.



finished..



 
#16
Small but big update. Besides fixing road rash and a busted fender it's ready for paint. Ofcourse a few things here and there need attention but everything for the most part is done. I'll order all the stainless bolts I need tomorrow so I'll have them Monday for assembly.

 
#18
Front brakes are done...









And then got the frame, forks, and fenders finished prepped, primed and painted. Color is real tricoat Cadillac white pearl. Ended up having some of it sitting in the cabinet so it worked out well. Rims and engine will be red.









 
#20
I really like it as well.

got all the rims painted and other misc pieces. Turned it back into a roller. I started to layout the brake line as well.











I love the way its coming out. If AGK will ever ship the rest of my engine parts then I can really have some fun!:thumbsup:
 
Top