Sky's restoration begins...

Here you can write about your restoration highs and lows and hopefully final success
Skyguyz
Posts: 145
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:53 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV. USA

Seat done.

Post by Skyguyz »

Seat done. The hardest part was the plastic-chrome trim. The pan was in good condition and the media blasting & powder coating made it better than new.

So much more to go... :)



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Steamer,
(yes, that is my Norton in the house.)

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*All re-zincing done in-house
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Skyguyz
Posts: 145
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:53 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV. USA

Batt box, etc.

Post by Skyguyz »

I installed the battery box with all new fittings, rubber mounts and pad, etc. Looks great. I polished the stainless steel rear grab bar and got the gas tank and side covers back from paint. The OEM emblems will have to be redone before I mount them back open the tank. Any suggestions to the correct fasteners for the emblems?

The wheels will be back from the chrome shop with new spokes this Wednesday as well as all the side cases and bits from the polish shop. The rest of the chrome to follow. The engine is ready to have the case halves joined but I am waiting on a transmission oil plate from flea bay. I did break down and bought the Delkevic pipes as one of my OEM pipes was too far gone to repair and the selection on flea bay is dismal as well. More to come.


Sky

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User avatar
PaulD738
Posts: 3962
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2014 6:57 pm
Location: Warrington Cheshire

Re: Sky's restoration begins...

Post by PaulD738 »

That looks stunning 8-)
They're rubbish them Jap bikes lad they won't last five minutes! you want to get yourself a nice Royal Enfield!
A quote from my old dad 8-)

I started out with nothing and I’ve got most of it left!
Skyguyz
Posts: 145
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:53 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV. USA

More bits and pieces and issues

Post by Skyguyz »

So, I was ready to seal the two main case halves and doing an inspection of the components and I noticed the oil pump drive gear worn and about to fail. Grrrr! Oh well. I found a really good used one on flea bay for about 19 quid. A really good price. Will be here soon. I got back some bits from the polishers and the wheels from the chrome shop. They all look first class. I went to my local big motorcycle shop and explained the fresh chrome OEM rims that needed special attention. I have had these guys do many tire mounting and never an issue. Well, you guessed it. They scratched the rear wheel! So, it's off with the new spokes, back to the queue at the chrome shop. Unbelievable!

Doing some more in-hose re-zincing and such. More parts coming from Japan, Canada and England. More to come.

Old drive gear
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New/used drive gear
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Before re-zinc
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After
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Polished aluminum bits
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Chromed wheels with new bearings & spokes
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Rear wheel with scratch from tire mounting machine.
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Skyguyz
Posts: 145
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:53 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV. USA

case halves together, etc

Post by Skyguyz »

I had to wait on the oil pump drive gear as well as the shim that goes with it. The PO left out some critical things in this engine and it amazes me what people think will work when rebuilding the things. No worries, press on, keep calm. The case halves went together without a hitch. All bolts re-zinced and torqued up, (Yes I included the little green "O"ring for the water system.) All the kick start bits are in and works perfect. All new seals throughout. The clutch went in with new springs because the old ones were under spec. New clutch plates as well. Some people say to soak the fiber clutch disks overnight in oil before mounting them. I have never done this and never had a problem in the past. I always motor the engine and use assembly lube in other areas before starting it up for the first time. Got the oil lines in and primed as well. Starter clutch is on and just waiting on OEM lock washer to nip it up. I had to buy the plastic gear from Japan. All the used ones had cracks like the one I took out of my engine. It will be here when it gets here. Rebuilt, re-zinced, repainted the seat lock and water tank cover hinge as well. Did some clean-up on the front brake line holders as well.


Lots more to come.


Sky




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New springs:
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Old springs:
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swarrans
Posts: 284
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2014 9:03 pm
Location: Maidstone Kent

Re: Sky's restoration begins...

Post by swarrans »

That is going to be a thing of beauty!

Simon
Skyguyz
Posts: 145
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:53 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV. USA

Setbacks and disillusioned.....

Post by Skyguyz »

So the restoration was going along at a pace I was comfortable with, not rushed but a lot of patience involved. Still with many bits coming back from the chrome shop, etc. I digress.....

The original wheels were sent away to be re-chromed them and the other shop to vapor blast, clean polish, re-spoke, true the rest. The results were nothing short of stunning!
I went to my local "Big motorcycle" shop to have the tires mounted. They assured me they will treat these with the upmost Care and we discussed the attention that these special newly chromed and polished wheels needed... They gouged the rear wheel badly. The brand new spokes that were trued were disassembled from the wheel and the wheel was sent back to the chrome guy and is "In process" of being fixed. The shop that damaged the wheel is of course paying for it all but the time setback is great. I have to have a rolling chassis to mount the engine...

# 2 setback. The original cylinders were sent out to be vapor blasted and bored another .5 mm over. I bought the $$$$ Wiseco pistons for the new jugs. The shop noticed an "Off center bore" on #2 from the factory and sent them to a high end special motorcycle machine shop that specializes in re-boring, machining of cylinders. The said it looked iffy if they could be saved and would cost quite a lot to re-sleeve them and had a low probability of success. So rather than waste time and money I purchased a used set of cylinders on Ebay that had been allegedly bored proper with new Cruzin image coated pistons included. I discussed at length the requirements for me to purchased this set and the shop had good reviews and was a well established motorcycle shop.

So, I unwraped the set had been allegedly bored ok along with the Cruzin Image pistons and I attempt to install the cylinders and the rings will not compress into the cylinders. I examined the base of each steel sleeve of the cylinders and they were not chamfers at all and the rings are impossible to collapse on a 90 degree hard edge. I have asked the Ebay seller for a refund and that is where I sit. Setback and disillusioned. I have two sets of cylinders I can't use, New Wisco pistons that I can't use or return and the engine build at a halt and awaiting a fix on my wheel.

I got back the original jugs and Wiseco pistons from the first shop and they used a magic marker on the pistons rendering them un-returnable for a refund. Wiseco and the high end machine shop would not help me and now I have New Wiseco pistons I can't use and can't get a refund for.....


I expected some setbacks, issues etc but this incompetence by others is almost too much. I will solve this issue eventually but the wind is out of my sails for now. Thanks for listening to my rant and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

PS: The new Motobatt battery showed up today and it fits and looks great.



The base of one of the cylinders I bought on Ebay that were allegedly machined correctly.

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What the chamfered base is supposed to look like:
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The rear wheel assembly before it got damaged:

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The scratch / gouge that the careless shop did:

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User avatar
Alan H
Posts: 12104
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 6:38 am
Location: Wombwell, Republic of South Yorkshire

Re: Sky's restoration begins...

Post by Alan H »

Looks like common sense is getting less and less there. How do people like that stay in business?
Proof that four strokes are over complicated
Skyguyz
Posts: 145
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:53 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV. USA

Re: Sky's restoration begins...

Post by Skyguyz »

Well here is some good news. The eBay Seller agreed to take back and refund for the botched cylinders and a machine shop locally said the original cylinders can easily be machined to work with no issues. So I will be able to use the Wiseco pistons and original cylinders. Still waiting on word about the botched wheel.
A much better outcome than I could have ever hoped for.
Sigh......

I think I’ll go for a ride today. The weather in Las Vegas has cooled a bit and the Kawasaki H1 needs a whipin’!
Skyguyz
Posts: 145
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2019 6:53 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV. USA

Back in the build....

Post by Skyguyz »

Decided to get back into the build today. Started on some wiring and electrical. Replaced the ancient rectifier & voltage regulator with a all in one modern unit. Mounted it to the left side plug plate. Installed a 20 amp blade fuse rather than the old tube fuse. Using a proper crimper and period correct electrical connectors. Sure makes it "Sanitary." Tackled the coils as they just needed cleaning up. Started the cleaning and painting of the forward rear fender. the other fender part is coming back from chrome soon. Mounted a "Little Boy" trickle charge wiring for the new Motobatt. The sandblasting of the rear fender took a while as well as the sanding and prep for paint. The amount of crud was monumental!


Any opinions or ideas would really help.....Dive in!



Progress continues,

Sky



Coils before:

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The coils after:

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Signal flasher cleaned up:

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New combo rectifier & voltage regulator:

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Side electrics:

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Engine progress:

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