Sorting Stuff Out

Nov 2016 - what's next for this Moto Guzzi?

So, with the bike reassembled and the project goal accomplished, I've had the opportunity to put about 250 miles on the 850T.  A few things quickly became apparent, as one might imagine; nothing unusual or troubling, just the routine experiences and observations which come from daily living with such a mechanical entity.  While I can live with it just fine as is, a little attention to the following will enhance the reliability and rideability.  The forks are quite undersprung and the front disc brake is very poor, like a block of wood against steel.  I also found a small leak at the base of the right cylinder and the rear drive leaks as well (minor leaks are a major reason for maintaining a clean bike so, first, you are aware of a potential problem very early and, second, you can more quickly pinpoint the source).  Minor issues are par for the course on a 40 year old bike - note, I do not expect it to handle like any of the other decades-newer bikes in my stable.  Nonetheless, these are correctable, and things that I'd like to sort out.

The first thing is getting the cylinder leaks taken care of (leaving tiny, misted droplets on my boots after a 30 mile ride).  Some brief research implies that this is normal for big block Guzzi's, and should be rectified by re-torquing the cylinder heads.  After sorting through various forum exchanges I determined that the torque needs to be at least 32 lb/ft and no more than 34.  Unfortunately I only have a torque wrench in inch pounds, which tops out at only 3/4 of this range.  Oh well.  Pictured below are the rockers under the valve cover over the left side cylinder.  Another 'unfortunately', the rockers have to come off for access to two of the six bolts holding the cylinder head down.  It was not difficult or all that time-consuming, but I had put it off for a few weeks as the first time doing anything carries with it a little trepidation.  I could feel that the six bolts loosened fairly easily (not easy, just easily enough) - judging that they needed more torque and not having a torque wrench, I simply marked each bolt with a tiny scratch so I could confirm that it had been snugged a tad (technical unit of measure) more than before.  All buttoned up again, the left side is ok but the right still has a little pool of oil collecting on the lower inside.  I've since borrowed a larger torque wrench to get to this job again shortly.  Ugh.

The next thing to warrant attention are the fork springs, since I'd like to correct the saggy feel and dive before addressing the disc brake.  I'd removed and serviced the forks during the rebuild, and put the stock springs back in; whether they ever were in the first place, they are not quite up to the task now.  I called Progressive earlier in 2016 looking for springs with a heavier spring rate for this bike.   I purchased the recommended springs (0.68 kg/mm) but they were 60mm too long.  Or at least they were 60mm longer than the stock springs and I was sure that they could not be compressed enough to fit.  Past 90 days from purchase I could not return them, but the tech told me they could be cut down a few inches.  Consulting Guzziology, it was noted that a spring should generally not be much more than 1.5 inches above the top of the damper shaft at full extension (or spacer length if setting preload).  The stock springs sit at exactly the top of the shaft when not compressed.  Feeling that the Progressive springs would be stiffer than stock, I elected to cut the Progressives down leaving about 1.5 inches.  This was a mistake!  Whether they are stiffer than stock or not, I still cannot really say.  The sag is better and they are compliant and not springy, they still sag several inches under bike and rider weight and then bottom out under heavy braking.
To Resolve - the cut piece can actually be used as a spacer; either with the stock spring or the Progressive.  Although the total length of the Progressive spring may be prohibitively long.....  I just hate to take these on and off in a trial-and-error fashion.  But I cannot identify what the spring rate of the stock spring is.... Ideally, for a bike weighing about 500lbs and a rider (me) weighing about 200lbs, a spring rate of 0.95kg/mm is called for.

above = stock spring (420mm); below = Progressive after cut (total 480mm)

And last, the seat.  I somehow knew that this saga would end with me actually fabricating a seat for myself.  After the shop which made the first cafe seat (too low and interferes with rear fender) promised to replace it, and then waiting another 2+ months, they won't do it.  Options include buying a stock seat just for the pan, or using the cafe pan I have.  I can't use the seat that came on my project as it is not original and was fabricated from aluminum, thus it doesn't hold its shape well and presents problems for attaching the seat cover.  So cannibalizing my new cafe seat for the pan will be my approach.  I also think I can cut off the top of the foam to retain the shape of the cafe seat, as they did quite a good job of this (and it requires patience and skill, two things I have only in limited supply).
Two dense foam pads from Home Depot (gardening kneelers) will serve as the base on top of the pan.  Then the cafe padding, then I bought a roll of 1/2" foam to cover and smooth the underlying layers.  From eBay, I found a Moto Guzzi V7 replica seat cover that has the words 'MOTO GUZZI' in block letters across the back.  The hump is not the same, but close enough that I'm confident that it will fit (and still look "cafe") with a little tuck here and there and extra foam if necessary.

slightly photoshopped to show where it would sit higher after modification

Shifter Fix

Oct 2016
Which brings me finally to the shifter.  Since last February, I'd spent hours deciding how the shifter and brake levers were going to work using the Tarozzi rearsets* (and levers) I'd purchased for the project.  In brief, the stock foot peg bracket on the right of the project I'd purchased was bent, and the foot peg itself had been cut off, replaced with a threaded hole.  Replacement either on eBay or new would be costly, and the aftermarket rearsets suited the cafe-style project better anyway, so I went this route.  But the 1975 frame and drum rear complicated matters.  I thought I had both figured out, but putting the solutions into practice turned out to be easier said than done.

Tarozzi brand aftermarket rearsets & levers

This issue has hung over the project since the beginning, and it took on a more urgent nature once the bike was actually finished and ready to ride.  A few short test rides quickly revealed just how much torque and force is going through the shift lever.  My prior solution (see earlier posts) became more and more sloppy, and the hole I'd drilled in the stock left block plate was actually cracking.  This plate is composed of some composite alloy and would not weld.  My neighbor Jerry suggested fabricating a plate with a spline shaft from scratch, and although I dreaded such a drastic approach I ended up concluding that this was indeed the way to go.  The alternative was to buy an $80 replacement stock block plate and return to the stock shifter (by cutting it down and adding the toe piece from the Tarozzi).

So it was, I sourced a steel plate and 5/8" ID steel bushing and drew out the required measurements.   Then drilled and cut until I had a rough bracket (as below, shown with stock bracket)

Jerry provided welding expertise and after a few hours we had a finished bracket incorporating a very snug-fitting bushing for the spline shaft.  All holes lined up and a test ride revealed positive shifting up and down through all the gears.  Success!  So now just have to dismantle, clean it up a bit more and paint before re-installing.

*footnote: the folding pegs stick out more than an inch wider than the non-folding pegs.  these were far too wide for the bike, and Jim at FFTP graciously agreed to swap my pegs for a new set they'd made which were shorter.  installation proved these to be a much better way to go.

Finishing Touches

Quick Update - Oct 2016.
Following completion of this project over a month ago, there remained several aspects to still address; some for running and driveability purposes and others for aesthetics.  I'd not been sure if I'd add signal lights to this bike, preferring to keep it closer to the stripped-down 'cafe' look.  And it had no signals when bought.  But the wiring harness has signal leads already included, and the left bar switch accommodates turn signal operation; and its a safer way to ride.  So a lot of searching and thinking arrived at a set of mini-stalk marker lights from BikeMaster, which were fairly cheap and actually look pretty good.  The round (closer to oval) lens and flat black housing do not look out of place on this bike.  And at 23W each, they put out a lot of light.  One of the four arrived not working, so I bought a few spare bulbs for the inevitable next time.

Also, a mirror was in order, and I'd looked exclusively at bar-end mirrors.  The left grip had already been chewed away at the end by something or someone, so cleaning up the hole for a mirror on the left did not damage anything further, assuming it did not work out.  Good thing, as it has not quite worked out.  The mirror I bought (BikeMaster again) looks the part, but includes a chunky mounting point which interferes with the clutch lever at full disengagement.  So to rotate the mirror to where it does not contact the clutch lever makes actually viewing traffic behind pretty difficult.  Oh well, I'll keep it for looks for now as I can no longer return it.  I may get another style or go with a bar-mounted mirror.
EDIT: I replaced this with another bar-end mirror which is much smaller yet fits well, looks good, and does not interfere with the clutch lever.

For the brake lever, I ended up tossing the Tarozzi lever and cut down the stock lever instead.  It already fit on the brake spline shaft with no modification or linkages (which were getting somewhat cumbersome to assemble).  Just past the curve I cut, ground and smoothed the end of the lever.  A hole drilled in the end accommodates the Tarozzi toe piece so it still has an integrated look.  Note gray PVC spacer between bracket and folding part of foot peg to take up the space that the Tarozzi lever occupied.
Also, the shorter lever reduces leverage on the rear brake shoes meaning less ability to lock up the rear.

Next, the shifter and seat are all that remain.

Lessons in Restoration

During the course of this project, I definitely came to points in the build where I'd regretted a timing or decision from an earlier junction, or after making the same mistake for the fifth time, wished for a more efficient approach.  For example, I purchased several parts very early on which should have been no-brainers, but found out too late to return them that they would not work or were not right (fork springs and m/c rebuild kit for two).  All in all, however, the timing and cost were not too far off my estimates.  The effort required was maybe a little more than I'd hoped for.  But even after much detailed planning, nothing is ever exactly what you think it will be.

Your project may be more or less involved, or may require more sophisticated design and fabrication.  This 850T project called for significant disassembly and cleaning, polishing or de-rusting and painting of almost every component.  Minor brackets were fabricated and solutions required for a host of aesthetic and functional elements.  These are some thoughts I've had on the project as it unfolded, where I frequent uttered the words "next time", before I even knew what I was saying.  Then glanced around to check that my wife was not over-hearing me, as for this one there is no such thing as a next time.  I'm thinking there may be, however....!

So here is my list of lessons following this build.  Not necessarily in any order of importance:

• be able to summarize your project goal in one or two sentences (there are many decisions to make and this enables a more clear focus on the path forward)
• have a plan before you pull the trigger on parts, etc
• know exactly what you are looking for before buying the project base motorcycle (between barn-find, basket-case, survivor, or already partly/mostly restored); your time and effort and final cost will vary significantly.  it can be better to pay more up front for a better starting point
• do your research in advance; then do some more
• decide early on what direction you plan to take, between how stock, period, historical vs new, custom, unique, etc
• start with the most functional, well-sorted bike possible; if it is not functional and well-sorted, get it that way before tackling the major project elements (esp cosmetic such as blasting, painting, etc)
• ensure all engineering and fabrication are thought-out, executed, and working on the bike before final/complete disassembly for paint, etc
• new parts - check fit and function on the bike as early as possible after purchase/arrival (if it's wrong you can save time and money in getting it right or exchanging/returning it before 3-4 more months have passed)
• don't assume because a part is made for the bike it will fit or connect or work as expected; put it on and try it early on
•  expect the project to take 3 times as long as you first predict, and cost twice as much (in my case, paint alone was over half the entire project build cost, after purchase of the bike itself)
• use many bins and boxes, with good labels, for parts as they are removed; organization and ensuring parts don't get lost is key
• cluster similar components together
• use egg cartons or similar small compartment container to label and track nuts and bolts
• write down sizes, pitch and length of all bolts (sounds like over-kill, but many times when fitting a new bracket or tossing an old part, a new length bolt or washer or nylock will be needed and this makes it easier to obtain from your local hardware store quickly, with less guessing or trial-and-error)
• identify parts (esp many nuts and bolts) for de-rusting, de-greasing, cleaning, etc in batches when possible.  this is dirty work and requires chemicals to which you can minimize exposure if you tackle this job fewer times
• if you're already in there, go ahead and do it now (ie, replacing bearings, seals, o-rings, washers, filters, etc)
• avoid leaving 'easy' things to the end; they aren't always as easy as you expect them to be
• buy the right tool for the job and use it; even if one time, chances are that you will need it again
• wear proper eye and hand protection when doing any task that calls for it
• don't simply trust any 'expert', 'professional' or other tradesperson with your project outcome or expectations because they've done it before; when specialized work is required, micro-manage every aspect of it.  I had an issue (mostly minor, some not) with every single bit of outside work that I had done (except for paint).  
• there is a first time for every technical job or task; check the forums, YouTube, etc and try something yourself; trust your past, however, and don't bite off more than you can chew (or be prepared for the cost of replacement)
• have lots of shop towels and a well-stocked, well-organized tool cabinet; keep it that way by returning any tool as soon as you have used it
• spread a sheet of paper (such as the rolls painters use) on your work bench; it helps for dirty parts and to have a place to write down sizes and measurements as you go along.  periodically replace it with a new sheet to keep work area clean

Worst/Hardest things:

• degreasing is much harder than it first seems; it takes longer and more effort than you think
• derusting is actually much easier and quicker than you might expect; use the right products
• repeatedly getting hands full of grease and/or chemicals, requiring washing over and over
• going back to the same store for the third or fourth time in a week (or a day!) for something you forgot, or did not fit as you had expected
• putting your faith in a part or fitting and finding it does not work, so you have to go back to the drawing board (and/or you wasted time and money on a thing which you'll never get back)
• waiting
• waiting
• waiting
• spending stupid money on the one thing you can't do without

One final bit of advice - don't be too anxious to finish the project, or move on to the next step.  It can consume you and alienate those around you.  Have faith that it will eventually be complete, and resist the urge to rush the process.

Before and After

Now that the project has reached 'near final' status, its not too early for a before and after comparison.  A short test ride this week highlighted a few issues to chase down, however.  These include optimizing the shift linkages, sorting the rear brake, and working on the throttle response/fuel delivery.

right side, before

right side after

 

Final Checklist

These are the last items on my (hopefully!) last checklist before a first ride is possible.  Now that they're almost all checked off, I'll be riding the Moto Guzzi again soon!

Getting Closer !!

A test ride is just a few short steps away:

• When replacement pegs and linkages come in, fitment of fabricated shifter and brake required.....
• When clutch cable is cut down and a new end stop fabricated....
• When seat pan is cut and reshaped to allow for rear fender.....
• When carb float bowl o-rings come in......

In the meantime:

On Wheels Again

The project is finally back on its own two wheels again.  The engine stand is gone!

Shifter (&brake) Linkage

Since the start of this project, nothing has puzzled me more than how I was going to set up the brake and shift levers. 
I have spent hours in research and more hours in thought over the best method for achieving efficient shifts, drawing diagrams and mashing various possibilities together.  On a few forums there appeared to be little worry over the shifter side when replacing stock pegs with rearsets, but concern on how to set up the brake.  I felt the opposite problem, since the brake side has a spline shaft to which a shorter lever could be fit, or some other linkage arm attached.   There are no rearsets which accommodate the rear drum setup on the 850T; they all seem to pick up from later models (while almost identical have differences), leaving me with the task to engineer a linkage.  Part of the problem is in the frame plates designed to support both the brake rod as well as the shifter rod.  As I had to keep the brake rod (drum rear) I could not simply toss these frame plates, or come up with a way to also keep the shift rod (it is attached to the shift pedal).
I decided on the Tarozzi brand rearsets and picked up a set of pegs and shift levers from Fast From The Past (as shown below).  Jim substituted one linkage arm for the idea I had in mind.

Tarozzi brand rearsets and levers

For the shift side, I finally settled on running a spline shaft through the frame plate/bracket and connecting it to an arm to activate the transmission input shaft (but not without going back and forth dozens of times as to whether this was really the best path).  Part of my concern was in introducing any slop in the linkages, especially side to side or up/down movement when transferring a down foot movement into a forward linkage movement, then into a downward transmission shaft movement.  
First called for buying a drill large enough to accommodate the size of the spline shaft provided with the rearsets.  Unfortunately (which I still find hard to believe) 16mm is the smallest spline shaft size they make.  This meant finding a 5/8" drill bit to go through steel (grumble, grumble, $25 later - all in all I spent $100 more in tools and linkage parts in addition to the $300 original cost of the rearsets).

Taking the leap with any irreversible step is the hardest part; once started, you are committed and it gets easier to keep going.  I leveled and secured the plate for drilling the 16mm (5/8") hole.  It took a while but after roughly 30 min of drilling the hole was made.  I stopped just short of the end since I could see that the 16mm hole left very little steel remaining on either side of the cupped section (which was for the stock shifter rod).  I figured I was going to have cut off some of this cap anyway, to ensure the length of the spline shaft aligned with the transmission linkage.
So cap end cut off; and notice in the photo below the arm that had to be shortened as well (cut above where new hole marked with Sharpie).  Just a new hole still to drill in this to accept a linkage rod end.  And cutting of bushing for tight 16mm fit.

The final linkage set up (without rod ends yet) is below, along with an 'exploded' view.  I bought a bushing that I modified to fit snugly over the spline shaft, as well as butt against the bracket and the linkage arm to minimize sideways or up/down movement.  All fits very snug; as long as the leverage provided by the shortened arm is ok, will hopefully work great!  At this point, a few rod ends are on order to complete both brake and shift sides before they can be mounted on the bike, adjusted and tested.

Finishing Touches

Several additional tasks have been left to the end on this build.  These are somewhat routine restorative or rebuilding items which were earmarked originally for the earlier part of the project.  As they had not yet become rate-limiting, no urgency was yet allocated.

So the cleaned and drilled disc will now get new pads, and a clean, rebuild and paint of the Brembo caliper.  This was a fairly straightforward job; I like when I get to blow a piston out of its seat using compressed air.  I didn't get carried away, as I wanted to ensure both were moving and not seized before proceeding.  In the past I've shot a piston (slave cylinder) the length of the driveway and into the street....
The calipers were functional but dirty, and in need of paint.  Upon cleaning them up I briefly toyed with leaving them as is, but the dull black wasn't quite acceptable for this project build quality, so a coat of primer followed by two coats of semi-gloss black was the next step.  And after inspection and grease, new seals were installed, an o-ring and the calipers were re-assembled.  The pads and pins popped in easily; they are now ready for lines to be attached and bled with fresh brake fluid.
I hit a small snag with the brake master cylinder.  It seems that the old cast style 15mm m/c no longer has a rebuild kit.  The one I bought for a 15mm m/c at MG Cycle is for a different type.  I will have to simply put it back into service as is.  Despite a lot of cleaning and inspection, there appears to be no circlip holding the piston in and the kit pieces I bought do not match.

cleaned, with new seals

fresh paint; prior to pins and pads going in

The instruments (tachometer and speedometer) have required attention for a long time.  After service by a local San Diego business for a broken speed cup and a missing gear, the pointer needle was broken off.  This has sat as a repair item for me for about 5 months now.  A dab of superglue seems to hold the pointer quite well, but I also added a very thin strip of paper soaked in glue to the bottom of the pointer to help ensure it did not snap again.  Next up was trying to position and mount the pointer on the speedo face where I'd marked it previously; not so easy when the speed cup has to be moved independently before the pointer is affixed above the stop so that it is still within a few % of calibration.  I'm not so concerned about accuracy, but I would like it to at least start turning before actual speed gets too high...!
The other issue pending has been the bezels.  I'd purchased aftermarket bezels from Euortrash Jambalya; pathetic business.  The bezels advertised as chrome were not even close.  Then after spending an extra $10 each for chroming I find that they do not fit.  There is no way to fold the edges over the lip of the instruments, thus I had to go back to the old dented ones that came with the bike.  Worse, one was cut off by a previous owner rather than being pried off the lip.  Some strategic hammering with an old screwdriver and hammer knocked out most of the dents.  A little primer and semi-gloss paint has them looking acceptable again.  I will have to glue the one which was cut off, but the other can be re-positioned.  Before doing so I painted the pointers white again, and added a dab of red paint to the tip of each pointer.  They are looking pretty decent, actually.

Wheels; need tires

The wheels could have been tackled at any time, really.  Truth is, it entailed so much effort in cleaning and polishing that I really didn't want to tackle this job until I had to.   These two wheels took more than a day's work to complete.  But the project is now ready to roll on its own two wheels and get off the engine stand finally, so this has been left near to the end.

The left above (front) had seen a little effort prior to this photo, so it is not as 'before' looking as when I purchased the motorcycle.  The right (rear) has now been cleaned and degreased, followed by soda blasting of the hub to get rid of some of the more crusty residue.  Steel wool and paint thinner ate through my gloves three times, so I ended up soaking in chemicals most of the day.  Oh, and Aluminum dust too.  Cleaning was followed with both red and white polishing compounds on a cloth wheel, then metal polish (Blue Magic).  The polish looks decent from more than a few feet away, although it is not the finish I'd hoped for.  The surface oxidation is deeper in some places and the effort required to really smooth out the finish is more than I want to exert.  Also, the middle rim area where the spokes attach is brutally hard and time-consuming to get at effectively; this area really lets down the effort.  Oh well.  Time to get rubber on these things and get them mounted to the bike!  Restored and drilled front disc also mounted to front wheel, along with new wheel bearings.

Almost There

While it may not entirely look like it, the 850T project is finally ready to be started for the first time.  The fuel petcocks have been attached to the tank, and the carbs are on with new lines waiting for the tank.  After the headers are attached, it can be started.  Should be tomorrow.

Completed so far (~60-70%) are:

• frame mounted to engine, along with center and side stands
• U-joint installed, bearings replaced and greased and swing arm mounted
• rear drive attached, with shocks
• headstock bearings greased and triple trees attached
• forks serviced and attached
• all electrical (new harness) laid out and connected, including coils, rec/reg, fuse box, relays

Brake Disc Drilling

This project always seemed to call for a balance between 'factory cafe' and 'custom cafe'.  Thus drilling the front disc had always been part of the project plan.  However, the small risk of creating an un-appealing design or instigating some other disaster kept me from tackling this until now.  Using a neighbor's drill press and a fresh new 1/4" metal drill bit, I finally got started.

First, the pattern and total number of holes; I'd planned on a slightly curved forward arch and more holes, but as I devised a way to mark each hole prior to drilling, the accuracy of each hole placement became a concern.  I thus decided on a slightly more uniform or symmetrical pattern similar to that on my Triumph 675 front discs.  This helped ensure that spacing was uniform.  30 holes will not save a lot of weight nor make the bike stop faster, but I did it primarily for the new experience as well as aesthetics.


Marked the holes with a Sharpie

 Then scored each with a Dremel















Setting up the drill press; mostly wanted to ensure that the disc was flat and that it was fairly secure to the press before each drilling.  This set up worked to accomplish this and still made it easy to rotate the disc and line it up for the next hole.  I also scored each hole mark first with a Dremel tool to prevent the drill bit from wandering (although using a press this was not likely).  Either way, it worked well.

Each hole took only 20 seconds or so, applying intermittent pressure and some cutting oil.  I went around once skipping every other hole, then finished the rest off.  With a total of 30 holes, the whole process took me roughly an hour and a half; much faster than I'd expected.  That includes slightly counter-sinking both sides (60 total) of each hole to take the sharp edge off.

I later ground off some of the rough inner casting with a Dremel tool; then taped off the swept area and painted the inner disc with some semi-gloss black paint before mounting the disc back on the front wheel.

Hand Lever Fix

The Tomaselli clutch lever had experienced a drop at some point and had a bend in the end near the ball (as seen in the photo below).  The brake lever drooped a little also and both needed some attention.  I did not want to buy new ones as I like the way the stock levers look (especially with the Tomaselli grips), so some straightening was required.

Following the obligatory YouTube video review, I grabbed the blow torch and bench vise and got going on the clutch lever.  You can skip the soap trick - all it does is confirm that slow heating for 4-5 min is key for aluminum to ensure it is soft enough to bend and not snap off.  And otherwise just gets black burnt crap all over your lever.  There is no magic temperature, just enough heat and time and care.  A long wrench for feel and leverage found the right application of pressure to slowly bring the ball end back into position.  Using the brake lever as a guide, I first drew an outline of the lever on a large piece of paper (photo below).  This way there was a template to match the shape to so I'd know when to stop.  Worked great and returned to shape just as I'd hoped.  Just a little polishing later and the levers are beautiful and functional once again.

I'd also had to pull out the blowtorch one other time, since the side stand was tucking under the exhaust header too far, making it very difficult to deploy.  I discovered that the open end which clamps the frame had spread open.  Clamping this end in the vise followed by repeated heating and clamping closed the gap back to vertical.  Now when the sidestand is installed, it rests on the lower frame rail tang perfectly, and does not rub against the header.

Sneak Preview !

Since my last post 3 weeks ago, there has been progress despite travel and other obligations.  Much of it, however, provides little to show as it involved long due cleaning and final painting of parts as well as assembly of the shock bushings and forks.  But with the frame back from powdercoating and most other parts ready now, reassembly has finally begun.

Above the photo shows the seat and tank mocked to the frame and engine, near enough in final position.  It should be clear how the direction of the final project, although there are many painted parts (both fenders and side covers) and chromed or polished parts (handlebars, headlight bezel and stator cover and wheels) yet to be added for the final look.

The swingarm and triple trees and forks have also been installed.  Since this photo, both carbs are cleaned and ready to go on (thanks, PJ!); new spark plug caps and wires have been added; the wiring harness has been laid out on the frame and connections are being made.  Not long to go!

Other, misc

July 2016 - Some progress has been made on the fork sliders - I found that they had been painted sliver at one point, and then just the outside side stripped and polished (a little).  Thus all the old paint had to be stripped and the sliders cleaned.  Polishing began with steel wool and Marvel's Mystery Oil; then some fine grit sandpaper; then white aluminum compound on a buffing wheel; then some Blue Magic polish followed by a microfiber cloth for buffing.  Whew.  I've stopped short of a mirror polish, and am very happy with how they have come out.  Both photos below are the same, except for one using a flash; post-steel wool but pre-polish on the left and polished on the right.

This is an example of the kind of grime I was dealing with.  Hours and hours of scrubbing and detailing have been required on essentially every part of this motorcycle (including nuts and bolts!).  I have also tried more than a half dozen cleaners and degreasers along the way.  As well as scrubbing brushes and cloths and scouring pads; geez, my hands hurt.  In the end, several parts (including the two below) got a coat of 'cast aluminum' paint as the staining was so difficult to eradicate, and more extreme measures could affect the dimpled surfaces.

Misc painted parts - the oil breather was painted over several times; a quick strip down to metal and a few coats of "chrome" paint returned it to presentable condition (chrome in quotes as spray paint cannot even come close to replicating the look; but the 'silver-esque' appearance is fine in this instance).  I also got some new radiator hoses to connect each oil line as needed.

Parts going back on the engine; just need the frame now!  When I went to pick it up this week, some parts were painted over that needed to stay clean, so it has to be redone.

Some other frame and related parts returned from the powdercoater.  Yes, I know you can't see them through the plastic.  I also finally picked up the parts being chromed; wow, they came out great - photos later.

Almost finished the tank badges.  I had to strip them bare to start with.  Painting was very tedious work, and despite patience and care with a small brush and a magnifying visor, I often could not paint inside the lines!  What would Miss Hamilton from pre-school say?  Fortunately, the undercoat of metallic gold spray paint is more robust than the black and white Rustoleum brand paint I'm using for the letters and background.  Once dry, any over-brush can be carefully scratched off with a fingernail.  This makes me wonder whether I should clearcoat them now too....?

This is about where I plan to affix the badges on the tank.  The stock position is immediately below the break in the tank and a little further back.  Given the knee indents added and the expansive 'real estate' available on the tank, I like the higher and more centered position.