BSA lightning

[LifeofPhil]

So my grandad has his old BSA lightning split in to a thousand pieces, hidden around his shed. It's been in this sate for about 15-20 years.

I am keen to restore it to working order, but lack the knowledge, I have been reading Haines motorcycle basics as well as carrying out basic services on my own 125cc. I'm not sure how to make the step up and become skilled enough to start the project.

Step one - buy BSA workshop manual

Step two - ?????

Step three - shiny like new BSA

Wish me luck

[Guest]

Step 1 1/2....get a subscription to Classic Bike magazine....some very useful rebuild/restoration information in there, especially Rick Parkington's articles. Do your research first so you know what will be involved. Above all, be realistic about your own abilities. Better to have a box of bits in reasonable condition than an assembly that is fecked.

Good luck

S23.

[raesewell]

Find the BSA owners club.

[SlowBusa]

Find the BSA owners club.

 

This is probably your best option

You will get advise from people who Love them an will want to see a rebuild go well

Good Luck

[LifeofPhil]

Find the BSA owners club.

 

Golden advice! I will start looking

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

God advice to join the owners club, they'll not only have knowledge to impart but also know where you can get missing bits.

When I start a restoration I always begin by labelling everything, it makes life easier later and focuses your mind on what is there and what is missing. Do one bit at a time, it's like eating an elephant - all at once is impossible.

[LifeofPhil]

Part two a. - Box and label all parts

Two b. - find some BSA friends

[Hoggs]

Part two a. - Box and label all parts

Two b. - find some BSA friends

 

Part 3 remember to take pictures of your progress and share them with us

[Six30]

Good luck

[fastbob]

Step 2 get it all sorted , labeled, and in boxes then do nothing at all until your sure you know what you are doing. Restoring a British classic is a massively different ball game to maintaining a jap 125. You will need a set of imperial size tools for a start. All I'm saying is don't rush in and end up with the proverbial "Unfinished Project" good luck.

[LifeofPhil]

Most of grandads tools are pre dating the dinosaurs (still in good working order tho) but I should be good on both the metric and imperial

[barker]

step 4 try and get some one who knows how to put it together to help

[LifeofPhil]

Is Electrolysis an ok method of restoring old bike parts? I can't think of a reason why it would be bad, but I haven't seen any restoration projects use it before.

[dynax]

electrolysis or do you mean electroplating?,recent thread here https://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=87&t=68482

[LifeofPhil]

electrolysis or do you mean electroplating?,recent thread here https://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=87&t=68482

 

I think its electrolysis, when you remove rust buy wiring up the item and dunking it in salty water hooked up to a trickle charger

[dynax]

Yep, that'll be the one , have a google for electrolysis rust removal, some quite informative YT vids on the process, good luck