Front fender, harness, and the rear brake pedal

Biggest photo session yet. Engine exposed with everything off, harness routing along the backbone, front fender off, horn off, and the rear brake pedal out.

The biggest photo session so far, and the one that turned this from a carb job into a real teardown.

Engine exposed

With the tank, airbox, carbs and exhaust header gone, this is the clearest view of the RFVC engine in the frame I’m going to get without pulling it. If you need to see where a bracket, a cable or a wire goes on this bike, the top end and electrical regions of the atlas have today’s photos.

Harness

Photographed every connector cluster along the backbone before unplugging, with blue tape labels. The cluster at the ignition coil had one connector loose when I found it, which may or may not have anything to do with why the bike didn’t run.

Front end

Front fender off. Horn and bracket off. The headlight stay is now bare, which means the next step up front is the fork.

Rear brake

Brake pedal came off its pivot, which took the ratchet and some words. Return spring, rod, clevis and the brake arm at the drum are all photographed from both sides so they go back the way they came off.

Rack

The rear rack went into the vise for rust removal. Not glamorous, but it was there.

Photos

Engine in the frame with the tank, airbox, carbs and header all off. RFVC head, left side. Front fender still on at this point.
Top endDuring

Wider from the left. Bike on the lift, most of the front end bare.
Tank, plastics & seatDuring

Harness along the backbone above the head, left side. Spark plug cap and the connector bundle.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Same area from slightly behind, showing where the harness dives under the tank mount.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Head from the left, exhaust port open. Yellow rag in the port to keep things out.
Top endDuring

Engine from the left, three-quarter. This is the clearest shot I have of the whole engine in the frame.
Top endDuring

Harness and connectors at the front of the backbone: the ignition coil mount and the bundle of bullet connectors.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Closer on the connectors behind the steering head. Note which colors pair up before unplugging.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Cable ties and routing along the backbone near the top shock mount. The harness runs under the frame gusset here.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Ignition coil on its bracket on the frame downtube, plug wire exiting downward.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Connector cluster at the coil: cream two-pin and the black relay box. Pink, green and black wires.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Same cluster with a finger for scale and for pointing at the connector that was loose when I found it.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Rubber-isolated mount for the box on the downtube. The bolt goes through a rubber grommet, not straight into the frame.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Front fender off. Bracket still attached, showing the four bolt holes that go to the lower triple clamp.
Tank, plastics & seatDuring

Fender from the top. Faded but straight, no cracks at the mounts.
Tank, plastics & seatDuring

Headlight stay with the horn and its wiring, after the fender came off. Blue tape labels on the connectors.
Electrical & wiringDuring

Horn bracket bolted to the lower triple clamp, connectors behind it. Green and orange wires.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Closer on the horn connector and the wire bundle it sits in.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Whole front end wiring bundle with the big white connector block (the one with the arrow) on the left.
Electrical & wiringDuring

Horn from the front, two spade terminals on top, before it came off.
Electrical & wiringBefore

Horn and its bracket off the bike.
Electrical & wiringDuring

Right side: rear brake pedal, brake rod, and the brake light switch spring, with the right engine cover behind.
Cables & controlsBefore

Rear brake arm and adjuster at the drum, with the return spring. Adjuster wing nut still turns.
Wheels & brakesBefore

Rear hub, drum brake arm and the chain adjuster. Chain is rusty and due.
Wheels & brakesBefore

Rear brake arm and torque link from the left, showing the rod and the cotter pin.
Wheels & brakesBefore

Closer on the brake arm, spring and rod end. Note the orientation of the spring hook.
Wheels & brakesBefore

Ratchet on the brake pedal pivot nut, with the right footpeg bracket above.
Cables & controlsDuring

Brake pedal off its pivot. Return spring still hanging on the frame, pivot stud exposed with its washer. The clevis at the end is where the rod attaches.
Cables & controlsDuring

Rear rack in the vise for rust removal. Rotary tool and sanding pads.
Tank, plastics & seatDuring