Oh dear.... what have I started.

[(RIP) maverick]

Wow that looks nice and shiny, how long will it stay like that

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

well I suppose it took twenty years to get like it was soooooo!
dont suppose it will worry me then

 

[Padmei]

well I suppose it took twenty years to get like it was soooooo!
dont suppose it will worry me then

Looks great.

Were the bits originally coated when they left the factory I wonder or au natural? Hmmm I wonder if there's a coating that could protect the look but not peel off or get manky? Following your rebuild with interest.

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

Yes, very good question. I have no idea if there was a coating, I would suspect not. bearing in mind the time these bikes came from I cant think of any that would have coated the alloy. the sand cast finish was seen to aid cooling as it provided a greater area exposed to the air. There may of course be some expert on here who would know. I suppose regular cleaning after a ride will help to extend the "clean look" but hey this is a bike, not an exhibit in a museum.

 

[Devon]

Yes, very good question. I have no idea if there was a coating, I would suspect not. bearing in mind the time these bikes came from I cant think of any that would have coated the alloy. the sand cast finish was seen to aid cooling as it provided a greater area exposed to the air. There may of course be some expert on here who would know. I suppose regular cleaning after a ride will help to extend the "clean look" but hey this is a bike, not an exhibit in a museum.

I am not an expert but I keep polished or shiny metal parts clean with a regular coat of Auto Glym Super resin Polish. It dull the finish a little but seems to stop corrosion and keeps alloy looking nice. Obviously it won't protect metal that gets really hot like cylinder barrels.

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

Well , had quite a good day on the RT. Finished off the swing arm, got the cam followers out, all in very good nick and then replaced with a good coating of graphogen( proff will be pleased). I cant get on with the barrels until next week when I should get them back so I decided to sort out the battery box and then the air filter housing. Had a vmajor senior moment then when I tried to fit the top engineb cover. Barsteward would not seat no matter how hard I tried. I even released the bolts through the airbox to move it back, still would'nt seat. after a lot of swearing I realised that I was trying to fit it back to front, well the BMW was the right way round wasnt it.
turned it roiund and it dropped into place.
I then dismantled the reat frame and got the subframe out. Again in pretty good condition considering the age, cleaned it all up and got the smoothright out again. Ordered a few more bits so all going well.

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

I was going to post a couple of pics but the system dos'nt want to let me

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

Anyone got any ideas as to why my pooter wont let me attach photos. Ive done as I usually do but it just comes up with "error on page" at the bottom.

 

[VAL. H.]

Anyone got any ideas as to why my pooter wont let me attach photos. Ive done as I usually do but it just comes up with "error on page" at the bottom.

They're not too big are they? Have you tried to resize them?


Val.

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

yes, done that.

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

Seem to have sused it .... a bit.So here are some pics of the bike so far.

I must say the decision to paint the frame with Smoothrite was a good one. Out of the tin the finish was pretty good but after a light T-cut and a polish it looks pretty good and very like the original . the pics dont really do it justice. Anyway just waiting for the heads and barrels and then its down to the last bits, the fairing lowers, still hav'nt decided whether to do them myself with spray cans or get it done professionally.

Oh the first one is a chap I met yesterday, said he would give me a hand

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

Bugger!!!!. Got my barrels and heads back yesterday, nice new valve guides and valves fitted. Barrels also honed so nall ready for fitting..... Ha!
Just fit the nice new stainless pushrod tubes, Pots in the oven, tubes in the freezer and in they go up to the marks I put on them after measuring the ones I took out...Int I a smartass.. Piston fitted with new rings and nicely installed in barrel which is pushed onto studs and piston connected to conrod.

great .. pushed barrel onto crankcase and locate pushrod tube rubbers into the holes. Oh shit big gap, looks like I should have driven the tubes deeper into the barrel. Oh well it looks like I will have a bit of pissing about to do tomorrow, cant put the barrels back in the oven as Rosie might not like the sunday roast smelling of graphogen

still, Ive all the bits now so the rebuild should be back on track

 

[VAL. H.]

Bugger!!!!. Got my barrels and heads back yesterday, nice new valve guides and valves fitted. Barrels also honed so nall ready for fitting..... Ha!
Just fit the nice new stainless pushrod tubes, Pots in the oven, tubes in the freezer and in they go up to the marks I put on them after measuring the ones I took out...Int I a smartass.. Piston fitted with new rings and nicely installed in barrel which is pushed onto studs and piston connected to conrod.

great .. pushed barrel onto crankcase and locate pushrod tube rubbers into the holes. Oh shit big gap, looks like I should have driven the tubes deeper into the barrel. Oh well it looks like I will have a bit of pissing about to do tomorrow, cant put the barrels back in the oven as Rosie might not like the sunday roast smelling of graphogen

still, Ive all the bits now so the rebuild should be back on track

Tony,
We didn't heat the heads up at the Gentlemens weekend. I did the tubes on two bikes and one of those didn't fit after we measured them either. I pulled the gudgen pin, leaving the piston in the head and made the adjustment on the bench before refitting. No need to worry Rosie in the kitchen.


Val.

 

[bubbles]

Good to see its all coming back together Tony.

As Val said when I did my push rod tubes, at the Wee....kend no heat or cold needed and if you go too far, just knock em back a bit

 

[(RIP) Proff]

As Bubbles and Val have both stated..
Don't need heat, just push them in or out with the tool

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

Tool? I just used a FO big hammer and a piece of wood..

No actually I did just go back to the bench and knocked them in a bit. they were pretty tight though. anyway made good progress today, barrels and heads on. same with the carbs though I did have to do a bit of dismantling of the airbox to sort the fuel line out. Exhausts are also now on so its really just the bodywork now.. I did decide in the end to paint it myself with aerosols from RS paints. I recon I had made a good enough job of the side panel so I thought I would have a go ( Im like that.) Then I ran out of top colour before I had got the right shade so Ive had to order more. wont work out much less than having it done for me but sooo much more fun.

Gotta make a good job of it as it looks as if there will be some very tasty bikes at the Wee-kend

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

Oh ..just a couple of pics

 

[PW Cymru]

Looks great, your putting me to shame

Really would like to get me heads overhauled

 

[Devon]

Yep. Looking good

 

[(RIP) pastyman]

Some pics of where I am up to now having painted the lower fairing panels and the tail piece using aerosols.