Bringing it slightly back to life

[Tiggie]

I've dragged my old bike from back of Garage where it has lived for the last 3/4 years under a cover

I'm planning on lightly restoring it to sell off, basically getting it back road worthy and giving it a lick of paint.

 

 

I put some fuel in tank to try & start earlier in week which immediately started leaking out of the petcock

 

 

So thats a rebuild kit needed for a start

Good news is the engine fires up with a bit of WD40 sprayed into the airbox so thats one hurdle cleared. Carb looked cleaner than expected, Electrics seem fine, Both brakes are completely seized, tons of rust to deal with as well.

[potatobroxd]

Oh boy, ive just rebuilt my forks for the first time and thought that was hard

[JackieOWheels]

Why aren't you restoring it back and then riding it? You don't have a bike just now anyway?

[Tiggie]

[mention]JackieOWheels[/mention] Because I know all the things that go wrong with it Seriously though, I might keep it to play with for a bit but this year was meant to be the year I got my full license and a big boys bike. I have the money for the test but will use the sale of this towards a new (to me) bike.

[Tiggie]

The hardest part for me will be the repainting, I am crap at that

[S-Westerly]

Sell it as a 'rat bike' to a hipster from London. No telling how much you'll be able to skin him for.

[Guest Swagman]

Sell it as a 'rat bike' to a hipster from London. No telling how much you'll be able to skin him for.

 

Yeah and then no worries about the paint.

[Tiggie]

Just bought this box of bolts and caps covers etc off of a breaking bike on eBay for £10

Main bit I'm happy to see in there is the Generator cover plug as mine is completely rounded off (made doing valve clearances a real pain in the arse!)

I have never been able to source one outside of silly money

Other bits will come in useful as some of it looks in better condition than whats on the bike at moment

 

[Tiggie]

I'm probably going to get shot down in flames for asking this but please hear me out

The piston is completely seized in the caliper (as to be expected) and not having the tools to remove I decided to remount it and use the brake system to push it out. I then discover I have no dot4 lying around in the garage and what used to be in the cylinder is a dried up puddle on the floor

Now what I do have is 2 litres of mineral oil based brake fluid I use for my mountain bike. I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW!!!!! Its not safe for regular use as it ruins the seals etc. but just to use to get piston out seems ok. I'll be replacing the rings anyway and will remove diaphragm from the reservoir so only thing I'm bothered about is the hose being affected.

Or should I just wait until my bottle of dot4 arrives next week? (only place local that is open and sells it is an M&S garage that was charging £8 for a 250ml bottle )

[JRH]

I'm probably going to get shot down in flames for asking this but please hear me out

The piston is completely seized in the caliper (as to be expected) and not having the tools to remove I decided to remount it and use the brake system to push it out. I then discover I have no dot4 lying around in the garage and what used to be in the cylinder is a dried up puddle on the floor

Now what I do have is 2 litres of mineral oil based brake fluid I use for my mountain bike. I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW!!!!! Its not safe for regular use as it ruins the seals etc. but just to use to get piston out seems ok. I'll be replacing the rings anyway and will remove diaphragm from the reservoir so only thing I'm bothered about is the hose being affected.

Or should I just wait until my bottle of dot4 arrives next week? (only place local that is open and sells it is an M&S garage that was charging £8 for a 250ml bottle )

 

On a pushbike site it advises against mixing mineral and DOT as damage to the seals can happen.

HTH

[Tiggie]

I'll leave it I think until I get the dot4. Still plenty to be getting on with anyway.

Its funny the little repairs and things I have done to this bike that I have completely forgotten about until I come across them again now. For instance I was taking apart the handlebars as they need a good clean up and rust spots removing when I couldn't no matter what I tried remove the left hand rubber grip

Then I remembered that it used to be far too loose so I fixed it into place with a ton of strong superglue

The cable threads on the clutch lever have a helicoil in them as well which I barely remember doing

[Tiggie]

Had a painful couple of hours in the garage this afternoon

 

 

To be expected I guess but its still not fun!!

Can't decide whether or not to reuse this chain

 

 

And some good news in that my box of bits turned up

 

[JRH]

Had a painful couple of hours in the garage this afternoon

IMG_20200430_130955.jpg

IMG_20200430_124527.jpg

To be expected I guess but its still not fun!!

Can't decide whether or not to reuse this chain

IMG_20200430_130925.jpg

And some good news in that my box of bits turned up

IMG_20200430_125010.jpg

 

Chains fine. Quick squirt of WD40 and all’s well.

[Guest]

I'm the last person to advise on mechanical matters but I'd tend to go along with this assessment.......

[Tiggie]

[mention]XTreme[/mention] engine still runs at least

[Six30]

think you'd be better putting it outs of its misery.... kill it with fire

[Tiggie]

Pfft, couple of cans of wd40 and some autoglymn and it'll look brand new

[Tiggie]

Busy day today

 

 

 

 

The back mudguard is still on as the bolts aren't coming off without a huge fight. Snapped one already Same with The rear light, all the screws were rounded off. I think I'll just tape it all off when I repaint. Will be easier than drilling and retapping 9 holes

[Guest Swagman]

Can you weld new nuts on the heat will help loosen them, or are they too near plastics.

[Tiggie]

[mention]Swagman[/mention] thats certainly an option. I would like to get it off as it'll make it easier to paint.

I might give it a go tomorrow

[Guest Swagman]

@Swagman thats certainly an option. I would like to get it off as it'll make it easier to paint.

I might give it a go tomorrow

 

[Tiggie]

It's off

I left the bolts soaking in penetrating fluid overnight and used my bolt grip sockets. Made it easier having the engine out as I could stand the frame up to give myself better visibility and grip

 

 

 

 

The rear light was a bit more difficult. The screws were rounded off and as soft as cheese. My screw extractors might as well of been regular drill bits

I gave up in the end and ground them off

Had a big fight getting the rear brake pedal, rods and arms off too, felt like they were welded into the frame

Tomorrow I'll give the frame and engine a good clean up in readiness for painting, By the look of the frame I think the grinder will be coming out again