Sprint ST Modifications
Rear Fender Chop

Thanks to Lance LaCerte (LACPSYD@email.msn.com) for doing the fender chop and getting the pictures to me. He also wrote up some instructions (below), but if you have some questions, please let him know.
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The short stalk "racing" turn signals are from Lockhart Philips - picked them up at a local cycle shop for around $15US Click to expand The rest is a combination of Dremel with reinforced cutting tool, some careful measuring, a Stanley sureform for finishing the cut edges and a little bit of patience.
All work was done with the fender on the bike.
 
I purchased a pair of Lockhart aftermarket short stalk turn signals (see pics) for $15.00 from my local scoot shop. I pulled apart the stock ST turn signals and cut the connectors off of them, then cut off the connectors on the Lockhart and soldered the ST connectors onto the Lockharts so that they would push right into the ST wiring harness outlets for the turn signals. I held the stocks of the Lockharts up against the sides of the fender just below the painted tail section to get an idea of how much of the fender I could chop and still leave an area to which I could mount the turn signals.
 
Using a drill bit slightly larger than the turnsignal threaded stock, I drilled through the side of the fender and continued through into the plastic squared section under the seat (the open area under the seat release mechanism where you can store some small items). I then threaded the wiring through (thread the nut through the wiring first) and tightened up the tailights. Using a ruler (also used to measure equal distances from the tail section to ensure that the new turn signals were equidistant on the sides) I traced, with a thin magic marker, a perimeter line just below the stalks of the new turns signals. This would become my 'chop line'. I actually then removed the new turn signals so I wouldn't damage them.
 
Using the REINFORCED cutting wheel on my Dremel, I cut off the 'bulbous mass'. I went to Home Depot and found a rectangular piece of galvanized roofing flashing for something like 29 cents that was slightly bigger than my license plate. I traced the plate on the flashing and cut it/rounded it to the exact size of the license plate. I drilled the two upper holes of the plate into the flashing piece. I then popped out the rectangular reflector still left on the remaining section of tail piece. This exposed two holes which I measured and transfered their measurements to the license plate mouting piece (the flashing) and drilled two corresponding holes---- I figured the postion of these two holes by holding the license plate directly up under the tail light to ensure a snug fit. Using two flat headed nylon screws with nuts I affixed the backing plate through the two 'relfector holes' and then used two wing nuts to attach the license plate to the affixed backing plate.
 
Voila!!!! -- a basically simple task, with, what I believe are striking results --- what a great rear end!!!!

 
 
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