Author Topic: Will Indian Bullet Gas tank fit '61 Super Meteor/Constillation frame?  (Read 9974 times)

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gunnerasch

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Thanks Rotor for the info. Ill have to try scotchbrites. I work in and around machine shops (I repair CNC and other metalworking machinery) and have some scotchbrites to be used on bench grinders. I was just worried about making everything uneven..but these castings are ROUGH as the pictures show...

https://picasaweb.google.com/104042282269066802602/IndianRoyalEnfield

Ive been puttering around with them for a bit every night or so..with little obvious improvement. Ive got a few big rag wheels and polishing compounds and ran the clutch case cover for 20 minutes..and never did get it to shiney metal. Just less pitted castings....Im not sure the result is worth the effort....shrug.

Gunner


gunnerasch

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I just checked the guy in Oz who is selling the Chief dashboards.  $450 plus shipping for unfinished aluminum casting.  Blink blink....blink....shudder....

Im afraid Im going to have to pass on that gizmo.

Oh..another question..on top of the rear shock "mounts" there is a threaded boss on one..and a burned off clump on the other. Was this supposed to be used for a rear fender mount/rear seat mount?  My rear fender only is secured with a single hoop over the fender and a single bolt through the frame near the tranny.  One assumes that if I had need to put on a pillion seat for a lady..it needs to be mounted to something. Make my own or are original parts to do this available? Ive been  unable to find anything on Ebay to match up. Anyone got a good suggestion or bits and pieces kicking around?

I really..really...really wish there were complete photographs of these bikes so a guy could compare.


Thanks!

Gunner


rotorwrench

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Join the crowd on the good pictures. Indian Illustrations were warmed over RE illustrations and there are few good ones that answer all the questions that come up. Some of the RE twin frames had the stud bungs on the top of the suspension unit mounts and some just had a rubber plug that filled the hole depending on what type of seat arrangement was used. Keep in mind that nearly all of the RE twins used the same basic frame with small changes for the individual models. The Chief frame was different in the fact that it used the longest rear swing arm and it had the first central located mount for the top of the cylinder heads. All of the earlier ones used a side pull bracket to act as a steady for the lower mount plates. This new design on the Chief worked well and was carried over to the Interceptor models that came later. None of the seats used on the Chiefs utilized the threaded stud that I am aware of. Someone probably added them for some home brewed seat application.

I've seen all sorts of "custom" stuff added to these bikes. My first one was chopped, molded, and bobbed. It had an old early 50s RE front end on it so they could use extended tubes. It was a chopped out mess when I got it. I threw the frame in the junk pile and found another original one to make a decent bike out of it.
« Last Edit: October 03, 2011, 11:42:35 pm by rotorwrench »


Arizoni

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gunnerasch

With castings that are that pitted and corroded you would be best to start with some 120 grit silicon carbide sandpaper, the "wet/dry" black colored stuff.

You can use this paper wet which will wash away a lot of the loose metal particles.  Doing this will help prevent the grit from "loading up" with the soft aluminum.

Don't be too quick to change to finer grit papers as any pits left will not be removed by the later sandings while using the finer grit papers.

After removing the pitting by several hours of sanding then start using finer grits like 220.  After the 220 switch to the 400 grit.

When the surface has a uniform look from the 400 grit paper, only then should you start thinking about polishing compounds.

Although they make 600-1600 grit wet/dry paper these are really intended for use on paint and you really don't gain much by using them on bare aluminum.
In other words, stopping at 400 grit and going directly to polishing is about the same amount of work as using 1200 grit paper which will still require polishing when you've finished using it.

I forgot to mention that if the surface is flat, use a small piece of wood to back up the paper.  If the surfaces are curved just use your hand to back up the paper.
Also, because the final finish will be polished, the direction of sanding should be changed every few strokes.  That way, the grit will be sanding off the grooves left by the last few strokes which will result in quicker metal removal. :)

If you have an electric drill that runs fast you can buy a spindle adapter that will hold a cloth buffing wheel.
These can speed up the process.
If you have access to a bench grinder with a 1/2" axle an even better approach is to buy a 8 inch cloth buffing wheel and mount it on one of the grinders spindles.

There are a number of buffing compounds that can be used with these 8 inch wheels.  You apply them to the wheel to "load it".

In the U.S. I've found  compounds and wheels made by Dico to work well.
The best compounds for polishing metal is "Stainless" and "Chrome".  The Stainless works the fastest and using it will turn your unsightly covers into mirrors.

These can be used with the hand drill buffing wheels but because of the lower speeds of the drill it will take longer than if you used the cloth wheel mounted on a bench grinder.
« Last Edit: October 03, 2011, 11:42:06 pm by Arizoni »
Jim
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gunnerasch

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Many thanks Arizoni!

Ive been trying a few things..and have found that running a moderately course wire cup brush on a die grinder, then switching to a finer cup wheel seems to work quite well, Im not to mirror shine yet, but they look quite presentable as is. The chain cover on the port side has some dings and crunches in it and the one on the starboard side appears to have been welded at one time. This was only visible from the inside after removing the cover. Whoever welded it up did a very nice job! It was either a flawed casting repaired at the factory..or the past owner had one hellacious wreck..which might account for the hints that this was made from 2 or more bikes. Frame is very square and is unlikely to have held the engine that got dinged that hard.
I posted some other questions  in a new topic, if you would be so kind as to read it and help if you can. Much obliged!

Btw..I passed what I think was an Interceptor the other day on the road..had a cafe racer seat pan..single seat with a raised Lump on the backside of it..bright red best as I could tell. They are noticable when I see them..which is rare as hell here in California. I got a half second glimps of it going the other direction and I couldnt turn around fast enough and lost the guy in the back streets of Anaheim...shrug.

Thanks!

Gunner