Le Mans restoration

[daylyons]

Hello all. I have embarked on a restoration job on my 1978 Le Mans (after 30 years of faffing about with BMWs) and need various parts beadblasting. I am in Kingston/Surrey and wonder if anyone has had experience with any shotblasting firms in west or south-west London. The few I have seen advertised seem to specialise in large industrial jobs. God knows what they would do with small bike parts.

Would post some photos but am too stupid to know how to.

Cheers

day lyons

 

[Motivlack]

Hi. I am nearly at the end of a mark 2/1 restoration. Its worth spending a little extra on proper media blasting. If bead cleaning engine parts go with aqua bead blasting. Although an engine will need to be stripped for this... If you are only blasting frame and brackets for painting, stay away from heavy shot blast or any one using course sand. It will pit the metal surface and takes a lot of paint fill. Use a fine bead blaster.

Here is the engine aqua bead blasted..


Frame after glass bead blasting..


Frame painted with engine in..


Bike today..need to get wheels on..


Here's the link to the resto pictures on pix.ie

http://pix.ie/motivlack/album/412547

If you need any help with refinishing or anything pm me. I work as a painter(bikes only) as my profession. Good luck with the restoration! Sean.

 

[cookie]

very nice. did you get the discs skimmed, or are they new?

 

[Motivlack]

Discs are new and stainless from Stein dinse in Germany. I was going to skim them but they were under tolerance.

 

[Damien]

That's lovely

 

[cookie]

Discs are new and stainless from Stein dinse in Germany. I was going to skim them but they were under tolerance.

they do seem to wear rather easily.

 

[ianboydsnr]

Hi. I am nearly at the end of a mark 2/1 restoration. Its worth spending a little extra on proper media blasting. If bead cleaning engine parts go with aqua bead blasting. Although an engine will need to be stripped for this... If you are only blasting frame and brackets for painting, stay away from heavy shot blast or any one using course sand. It will pit the metal surface and takes a lot of paint fill. Use a fine bead blaster.

Here is the engine aqua bead blasted..


Frame after glass bead blasting..


Frame painted with engine in..


Bike today..need to get wheels on..


Here's the link to the resto pictures on pix.ie

http://pix.ie/motivlack/album/412547

If you need any help with refinishing or anything pm me. I work as a painter(bikes only) as my profession. Good luck with the restoration! Sean.

that is rather good, is it a lemon2?

 

[Motivlack]

that is rather good, is it a lemon2?

Yep, mk2.

 

[Oldrat]

Sean, it taken me ages but I've just made it through your album. Thanks so much for documenting each stage, it'll be a really useful reference for me.

You've done a grand job, well done m8y

 

[ianboydsnr]

Yep, mk2.

What's the Ral code for the le mans red?

Might have a use for that

 

[Paul C]

Looks good but mine has different rocker covers?

PS... Try the dishwasher for casings... When she's out!

 

[cookie]

the rocker covers on motivlak's bike are V7 "soup bowls".

re: paint code

AFAIK there is no correct as used by the factory paint code for the mk1 le mans. if you're referring to a code for the mk 2 which is a very different red, then i just don't know if such a thing exists, but there is a ford colour that is near as dammit the same - Fiesta Red possibly?

 

[Motivlack]

the rocker covers on motivlak's bike are V7 "soup bowls".

re: paint code

AFAIK there is no correct as used by the factory paint code for the mk1 le mans. if you're referring to a code for the mk 2 which is a very different red, then i just don't know if such a thing exists, but there is a ford colour that is near as dammit the same - Fiesta Red possibly?

Bang on..rocker covers off a v7. They were on the bike when I got it. I think they look fine..old school.No code for the red. Honda racing red is an exact match to the old paint on the bike. I'll dig out a few more close matches

 

[cookie]

my mk1 is painted in one of the myriad shades of Ferrari Rosso Corsa. i reckon it's a good match for the original paint.

code: 300

ref: JW81

the red used was quite dark when the bikes were new, but many people remember them as lighter, often with a trace of orange. that is because the factory paint was utter rubbish and it faded very quickly.

mk2 red was a totally different shade.

 

[ianboydsnr]

Did you re wire it?

Just about to re wire mine, to many choc a block connections and one of the wires fell off the starter button, I will be changing out the switchgear