The Project Has Started...

[James]

This is what the bike looked like at the start of the project:



















So far I have managed to get the front wheel off the bike and stripped down ready for shot blasting!

I had a hell of a job trying to get the pin out of the front axle nut and then I had difficulty getting the bolt out!

Managed to get the rims apart which was quite easy but the tyre was being very stubborn!

Quite a few parts will need replacing. All the nuts, bolts and washers for definite.

Couldn't get the screws out of the mudguard (the ones which hold that metal cable bracket on). All stripped down and ready for blasting now

[Waynus]

A small step for mankind, a giant step for James!
Good job!

[James]

Thanks!

Had a couple of hours to work on the bike today. Not a lot achieved really and have come across my first problems.

I can't get these screws out of the mudguard:



They are screws which hold the wire cable tidy in place. Any ideas on how to shift them? I let them soak overnight in WD40 and can't get them to budge

At the moment I am stripping parts of the bike which I am going to get shotblasted. This includes the rear mudguard but once again I am having trouble with it. I can't find my socket extender so have limited depth on nuts etc making it hard to remove them. Also, the bolts that hold the rear mudguard in place are very rusted and hard to get at:



The frame is very rusty so I am not sure what I am going to do about it. I was only planning on getting the wheels and mudguards resprayed but at this rate it's going to be a full restoration

Look at the condition of the front forks:



If I am going to get the wheels resprayed and make them look like new I might as well get the forks done too! I might be getting someone else to do the shotlblasting because the guy who was going to do it was only going to do a couple of bits and the job is just to big.

I started to clean up the bottom of the forks today but will have to do a proper job on them when I take them off:



You may notice the two brackets on the wheels which are welded on. That's a bit of a shame because I have been thinking about getting a raised front mudguard/fender but might have to stick with the original now (if it comes out ok when its sprayed)!

Also, one last thing, what are these two wires hanging down? Are they for rear indicators?



I am going to carry on with the bike tomorrow afternoon but really need some kind of stand so I can get the rear wheel off. Any ideas?

Thanks for reading

[Waynus]

As for the screws, try a vise grip, combined with lots of WD-40:

If you still can't get it out, drilling is the only possibility left.

I'm afraid the frame is indeed too rusty to leave it like that.
The sooner or later, real problems will occur. So I suggest you deal with this now.
I'm afraid the project is going to cost you a lot more money and time as initally intented.

You could still use a raised mudguard (Belgian style) as it attaches on the fork, under the horn.

And the wires are indeed for rear indicators.

As a stand, lots of people place a beer case under the engine.
Works perfectly to remove your rear wheel. Or... use the standard double stand of your bike.

[James]

That's not good news about the frame. In places it's in an ok condition but in some places it's quite bad.

I tried mole grips yesterday and they made no difference. They just kept slipping so my brother-in-law is coming over tonight with an impact driver in the hope to remove them.

So it's ok to rest the whole bike on the engine without it causing any damage? I don't have a beer box but might have a milk crate somwhere!

[Waynus]

The enigine is strong enough to support the whole bike.
It's possible that you have to remove the stand and exhaust.

When I look at the worst rust spots, I think it might be necessary to install new bearings in your fork, check the fuel tank for rust (inside) and check the inside of the fork legs.

For the screws, I would drill off the heads of the screws.
You've got to install new screws anyway...

[James]

The enigine is strong enough to support the whole bike.
It's possible that you have to remove the stand and exhaust.

When I look at the worst rust spots, I think it might be necessary to install new bearings in your fork, check the fuel tank for rust (inside) and check the inside of the fork legs.

For the screws, I would drill off the heads of the screws.
You've got to install new screws anyway...

Ok in that case then I might see if I can find something to prop the bike up.

Whilst I was posting that last message the doorbell went and these came:



I'm off into town in a few minutes to see if I can get some nuts and bolts which are the same size and in stainless steel because Honda charge too much in my opinion.

I think the the forks need a complete overhaul. The steering isn't very smooth and you can feel it going over each ball bearing so something is not right there.

I was hoping to be on the road in a few weeks... Don't think that's going to happen now!

[Waynus]

I was thinking, it might end up cheaper if you bought one of the bikes off Ebay, you showed on the forum.
Make a good one out of the two, and end the uneeded parts afterwards.
I'm pretty sure you'll end up spending less money.

For example, if you'd go for Belgian chrome fenders, you can use the ones from the ebay bike.
Same for the frame, which seems to be rustfree.
Yours can be easily sold afterwards.
Just my 2 cents...

And enjoy the new parts!

[James]

I don't think I will do that myself because I want to keep the bike complete.

However, there is good and bad news. I can't find anyone local to do the shotblasting now

Found another place who will do it all for £35 but it's a 10 day turnaround which isn't too much of a problem. However they are 80 miles away (1 hour 40 min drive)!

For £70 they will shotblast and powdercoat the lot!

Going to get the parts stripped off the bike and ready to take to them on Wednesday (I think).

[James]

Had another busy afternoon working on the bike.

Managed to get the screws out the mudguard at last

I have the rear wheel off and in bits, the swingarm has been removed and is going to get blasted and powder coated. I have cleaned some of the frame up and it's coming up quite nice.

I have decided not to respray the frame for the time being but pretty much everything else is going to get resprayed. I need to draw the line somewhere and the rust is only bad in places that you can't see anyway...
Structurally the frame is alright and I will treat the rust and touch up the rust spots which are visable.

This is turning into a big job and my idea of getting it all done in 3 weeks is a bit of a no-go! I imagine it's going to take months to get it ready for the road which is a shame.

I went into town and bought a new socket extender but it doesn't fit my socket set I think I need to try and find my other socket set but where it is I don't know!

Tomorrow I am going to work on removing more parts which need to shotblasted and then on Thursday or Friday drive the 80 miles and drop them off.

I don't think it's going to be ready for the summer but at least I will have saved the bike from rotting away!