1978 OR 390 Out of the barn and into the race!

Would sure like to find a guy who can weld our magnesium cases. The early 430's had a real problem, and I'm running out of good ones. If anybody knows a mag welder please let us know.

Finally got my engine and shocks back from Motocentre.
Engine rebuild with wossner piston and used crank snub $696.83
Shock rebuild using one of their bodies as mine was bad $369.65
They have a great reputation, I just hope the parts work better than they look.

"A fella in Boise Idaho can weld them in certain cases. Post a pic of the crack and I'll forward it to him!"
I will try to get to that soon.
Here is a roller pic. Holy crap it is tall now!

Looks good!

The old "fat-skinny" tanks look good on a Husky. Is that a Don Vesco model?

Yes it is, thanks to Guy R. for that! He had it sitting on a shelf and decided to give it to me. I love the black original tank and now I can send it off to be repainted.

Looks like you painted the springs gold (pictured on the bike), looks good! Next time have your friends and Motocentre bead blast the shock bodies,can't imagine that would cost much more than $20 or $30.

Mine are out right now with a local shock guru, decided against doing it myself, just not worth the hassle.

The estimate I got of $130 for labor and $100 to $150 for parts was supposed to include painting the shock bodies, and you can see that they aren't even very clean let alone painted. And that was after my work was a month late getting done and almost $100 over the estimate. To say I was dissapointed is a gross understatement.
I have to do my bike work on the deck so this time it is a rattle can refurb. Next summer when it is too hot to ride I am planning to tear it down again and have it all blasted and painted correctly. Handlebars, shock springs and fork lowers all VHT engine gold. Just some fun experimenting don't know if I will leave it or not, a can of paint is only $7. If I do I might try to match the gold on the rims. Rustoleum aluminum on the frame was too cold to paint but better than before. Can't wait to ride it!
Geary

Well due mainly to my parts getting done so late I missed the Desert 100 this year. I was still working on the jetting Saturday night with hopes of riding the vintage race on Sunday but no go. To add insult to injury when I finally gave up Saturday evening and tried to get into my borrowed camp trailer I discovered it was locked and I had no key. So after some unprintable rantings I loaded up and headed home. I will see what is on the camera tonight.

I was wondering about you guys. I didn't go but was thinking about you. Sorry to hear about that after all your hard work. Next year?

Didn't get to the camera yet. But next year is as absolute as we can get. My brother Jon rode the poker run, Jim was sick, Joe was busy, and I was wrenching and watching riders go by. Still better than being home watching sports center. Also planning to attend the NW Nitro Nationals on Apr 30. East of Yakima on HWY 24.
http://www.nwnitronationals.com/Default.htm

That looks like fun, may have to meet you (guys) there!

A whole lotta people in a itty bitty area!

Well it has been a week and I am mostly over being depressed about not riding in Odessa. This story will be funny in an oh crap! sort of a way.

March 26th got engine and shocks from shop. A month late, over budget, and still dirty. Grrrr.... Not much time to get ready so took whole week off to work on bike. Monday - take kids to doctor. Tuesday go - pick up a dishwasher. Wednesday install dishwasher and work on bike. Thursday - take one of the kids to biological parents for a visit. Friday - at last work on bike, should have left in the morning but waiting for phone call from my brother Jim. Got ahold of him at 11 am, he is not feeling too good. Keep working on bike. At 2 pm load bike, parts, tools, camping gear, food, clothes into truck and hook up borrowed camp trailer. 4 pm call brother, he is asleep. Brother Jon won't be there until morning so no point going today. Barbecue steaks with wife and enjoy a quiet evening with foster kids on a weekend visit. Up Saturday morning and off I go. Get 5 miles from home and realize silencer guts are still home in cleaning tub. At least it wasn't 50 miles. Jon got to Odessa at 8 am and started his poker run at 9 am. I got there at 9:30 and looked for his truck for an hour then said *#$ and found somewhere to park. Unloaded everything except bike, tools, parts and continued to put it back together. At this point the engine was in and it would roll so just needed some time. At 2 pm I went to pit row because my new $100 xring chain shipped with a rivet master link . While i was there I had my front tire changed out. $20 is a deal and I had enough other stuff to do. I couldn't get the link on so Webb powersports got their press and got it on for me. OK getting close! Lofted off the stand and started to push back to truck. 3' later master link hung up in chain guide. Xring master link will not clear chain guide. Go to dirt tricks and buy $65 non ring chain which works fine. Back to truck, so frustrated decide to go to town for a burger. Just finished eating when in walks my brother Jon to eat on the way home. Had a nice visit then back to camp. Phone beeped (no service at camp) so I listened to voicemail - Geary I forgot to give you the keys for the trailer, I can run them down if you want, let me know. Brian . Get back to camp and unload bike. fires up and i fiddle with carb for a few minutes. After letting it warm up I go for a 200' ride before it pukes, way too rich! Won't start again, now my foot hurts. Why don't they make a tennis shoe with a steel arch anyway. I decide I have had enough and load up to go home. can't wait for next year.
Today I finally got to work on bike again. Pulled carb and installed Q8 needle jet with 6f15 needle. I still need a 50 pilot, had to settle for a 45. 2.0 air jet. Getting a 2.5 slide also. Went from a 410 main to 390. Got it running and rode up and down the driveway a few times. I will post in the main section for some jetting advice. Now to retorque everything. It has been a very good day!

What length shocks are you running on this bike?

17" and they are too long. I forgot to have a limiting spacer installed. The swingarm contacts the top of the chainguide so i need to address that. I am thinking of having the swingarm extended an inch as that seemed to be a common mod for these bikes. BTW the itc shocks off my 84 xc500 are 18.5"

I think the OR's came with a different length swingarm and Curnuts but not sure what length all the rest for that year were 15 inch.

I have a set of curnutts, will try to get them measured tonight.

The curnutts I have are 16" Came in a box of parts from another 78 390 OR.

Thats the shock that came on the OR's I think the bottom shock mount was either forward or back an inch or so for your bike.Whats the distance from the back edge of the swingarm to the edge of the shock mount? Looks like you have 40mm forks on it also.