Another New/old member intro.

[TedG]

Hello,
Let me introduce myself, my name is Ted Gail and a long time Penton owner. I also worked at the Penton dealership in Reno for many years. Actually I have been a member here for 10 or so years, just kinda forgot I was.
A while back I built a street bike out of one of my old flat track race bikes, with every intention on racing it in the Seniors class. But the thing turned out so well, too well in fact to subject it to a racetrack. Many of my friends are getting back into it and I just so happened to have a 75 Penton 400 sitting in my patio (for 15 years) and I thought that bike handled like a flat tracker, so what the heck lets see if I can give it a new life.
Well first I got out the Simple Green and soaked it down and hit it with the pressure washer and got it to at least you could see the silly thing. Then inside it went to get torn down and see if I had a viable engine to work with. So I grabbed the kick starter fully expecting it to be stuck and pushed. Is was not stuck in the slightest and there was compression. Hmm, so a squirt of WD40 down the plug hole and a Snap on compression gauge, and a few kicks the thing was reading 150.
I then decided to go for it and ordered a gasket set from PentonPartsUSA and Al over there fixed me up right away and even got me a Bing throttle stop screw I was going to need.
Anyway I pulled apart the motor and there was not any rust at all on the inside of the engine, there was a mineral buildup where some water had gotten into the tranny which is to be expected on magnesium. Other than that the thing was just perfect inside. I rode the hell out of this bike back in it's day so some things are not so perfect. But the good part is I had rebuilt the top end before I put it away and the piston is like new.
Oh yeah I still have the 3 bullet shift fork positioning pins and of course a Motoplat puller, and somewhere (can't find it at the moment) I have the vice held engine stand. And digging through my stuff I found my photocopied 125/175/250/400 service manual as well as the KTM engine service manual. And some new Bosch plugs.  
Anyway the frame is going to get modified to fit Champion flat track glass. Along with a rear disk 19" wheel. I am going to shorten the Cerianis a couple of inches but am going to leave the shocks in the cantilever position. As well as reconfiguring the pipe for a down sweep.
Just wanted to introduce myself.

[Lew Mayer]

Sounds cool. I'd love to see a Penton on a flat-track.

Lew Mayer

[hankthecrank]

Back in the late seventies and early eighties [ I think ] there was a kid named Jimmy Pappas ran a Mint 400 on the local flat track. This was a dirt stock car track a bunch of guys ran thier bikes at on Sun afternoons. I think it was called Hilltop Speedway. It was near Hilltop Junkyard right outside Belpre Oh. Maybe Gary Roach remembers this. The story was he was uncatchable.  Hank

Hank Rinehart

[TedG]

There is no doubt that this bike will work well as a flat tracker. That motor is strong, people forget how strong a 2 stroke can be.
I loved how it handled and it will have it's new life. But there is a lot of work ahead, but the engine needs more cosmetic work than anything and cleaning has been a chore.

[wade195]

You correct about the track. It was on highway 7 I think between Belpre and Marietta.

My old stomping grounds.

Doug

[TedG]

Update:
The bottom end is back together with new seals and freshly painted center cases, although I though I was buying gloss high heat silver and found it to be flat. So I need to find some gloss silver that looks like the factory paint.
The clutch cover was in much worse shape than I thought, the water had eaten away a big chunk on the bottom and when I was cleaning it a big chunk broke away. So I built it back up with a Zinc braizing/soldering rod that works pretty well on magnesium. Filled up all the holes and ground it down, then put a thin coat of JB Weld (not the quick stuff) to seal any hidden leaks. That case is going to be polished and it is already starting to look good. The steel locating ring that goes around the shift shaft had rusted out and when I went to remove it with a pair of pliers it crumpled away. So I need to make a new one because It probably is going to be very hard to find another.
Now I need to machine another spark plug hole for a compression release, I mean what good is a 2 stroke flat tracker without one?
And once I find the right paint I can put the top end back together. I am considering decreasing the deck height a bit to raise the compression, flat track duty doesn't involve long periods of WOT, lots of on and off. And I live at altitude so a bit of extra compression won't hurt.

[TedG]

Another update:
Got some clear high heat and the cases look good. I finished sealing and polishing the side case and it looks fantastic all put together.
I cleaned the cyl using Greased Lighting, but not before a few hours of scraping off years of cooked on dirt and oil. The Greased Lighting worked beautifully and is not as nasty as Super Clean. I don't think I am going to even have to paint the cyl or head, they look that good.

[TedG]

Well I got the engine done and the forks are shortened and ready to go.
Going to order the seat base so I can start cutting up the frame.
This is not blasphemy, Penton built a KR short tracker and this will be in it's image.
I have photos on facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.143804929028297.36507.100001963717291&l=5c4962da54

[DKWRACER]

Hi Ted, glad to see the flatracker idea, if you are interested, I do have one leftover KRP seatbase in white gelcoat fiberglas, pics can be seen on my website under suppliers, it is a direct copy of the original!...
Adios, Tom Brosius

[TedG]

quote:Originally posted by DKWRACER

Hi Ted, glad to see the flatracker idea, if you are interested, I do have one leftover KRP seatbase in white gelcoat fiberglas, pics can be seen on my website under suppliers, it is a direct copy of the original!...
Adios, Tom Brosius

Thanks,
I have already ordered the seatbase and pad. As well as some flat track bars. But if they don't work out I may be interested.

[TedG]

Update... Project is basically done and ready for me to ride, I tried to get District 36 to let me be a C rider (beginner class) and they informed me that if you were ever an A rider, the best they could do is make me a B rider. I just need practice.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.143804929028297.36507.100001963717291&type=3&l=5c4962da54

[hankthecrank]

Absolutely fantastic job! The sequence of pictures showing off your handiwork are spot on. We are all waiting to hear how the first ride/race goes. Again, Good Job!

Hank Rinehart

[kenbike]

great bike Ted!  How long did you spend bring the bike back to life?

[tooclose racing]

Geez. some of the guys on this site are just ARTISTS, and now I must include you, Ted.

Just beautiful work.  Fantastic stuff.  Thanks for sharing your experience.

Flat Track is on bucket list.  Never tried it.  But I will....

[TedG]

quote:Originally posted by kenbike

great bike Ted!  How long did you spend bring the bike back to life?

Thanks so much.
Well I just looked and I  first posted this almost exactly a year ago. Which isn't bad considering the shape it was in and the amount of mods I had to do. I love these kinds of projects.