Well the bike "fixup" is going slower than I wanted..but its coming along. I sprayed the frame and swing arm with a good primer..and then after a week, sprayed it with a quality red paint. Real quality..or so I thought. $18 a quart should be good..right? After letting it dry for 5 days, I picked it off the hangers..and the paint felt soft..so taking my thumbnail..I raked the paint right down to the bare metal for 3". Rustolem Clear Metal Primer and Sherwin Williams Alkyd paint dont seem to be compatible in the slightest, yet the $%#@@ !! at the paint store told me it would work farking GREAT!! Sigh...so I resandblasted it all off (some places were fine..others..the stuff came off like lint) and sprayed the bare frame and swing arm in Rustoleum Satin Black (what I had on hand). 5 days later..its hard as a dictators heart, wont scratch with a thumbnail..hell..it doesnt show I scratched at it with my thumbnail. So Its gonna be a black frame. Sigh.
Big question for you laddy boys.... Should I convert this beasty to 12vts..or leave it 6 volts? To convert it to 12, I only need a new coil. This will simplify my lighting issues to a large degree, but is it a Good Thing (tm) or a Bad Thing (tm) to do? This will allow me to use the square regulators etc etc one can buy from Inja, one assumes? Or should I stick on a Zener Diode etc etc etc and fly her with vintage electricals? Lucas..Prince of Darkness.....cringe...
Secondly..anyone have a headlight and housing that is 7" and gently used, for sale? Id prefer a side mount, at least British looking <G>..Id prefer HONDA to not be showing in big letters...chuckle.
Turdly..Im looking for a good Usable gas tank. The little one on the bike is simply too small. Ive seen a number of them in the UK for a reasonable price..but when you add in shipping from the UK..or India...gackkk! Way way too much money.
Forterly <G> anyone got a centerstand for sale? A usable used one cheap would be right up my alley. The kickstand is not in good shape and I much prefer a centerstand most of the time. Anyone got a proper kickstand? Big nut(s) welded to the frame holds a bent chunk of pipe as a kickstand. It works..mostly..but is a pain in the tush to use..and it tends to go too far forwards..and then the bike falls down.
The bike is Mostly Whitworth..but odd bits here and there are SAE. The previous owner must have been a bit of a cheapskate and stuck in whatever he had on hand.
And the primary chain case gasket..the black "rope" or Really BIG O ring..is pretty darned stiff. What do I replace it with? Im afraid she will piddle oil like a Harley when I fill her back up.
Ive been polishing the engine bits, using a moderately course cup brush on a die grinder, then a finer cup brush, then doing the Blue Magic aluminum polish. While not a mirror finish...doesnt look half bad for a bobber made 54 yrs ago.
Thanks guys. Back to the grind.
Gunner