Downunder Dream - '64 C72 Restoration

[Muddy]

The original fuel tank is in good condition.

[Muddy]

The original wheels are also in pretty good condition. Not sure what to do with these, but I'm really impressed with what 3BeanCrispy achieved with his wheels.

[Muddy]

Well took a few parts to the local chrome platers (most of the original chrome pieces including bolts etc but excluding the wheels) and nearly fell over backwards when they quoted over $500 for the plating.

Coupled with this, the local bike spray painter quoted $450 to do the frame and $350 to do the tank.

This got me to thinking that I reckon I can buy lots of cans of spray paint for $800 and also got me considering what I can do instead of chroming.

So the powder coater up the road tells me he can strip the old flaky chrome off various parts and powder coat them if required. So much aghast to the purists, I've decided to rattle can the frame and tanks plus get a lot of the chrome bits and pieces powder coated.

The frame, wheels, hubs and various other bits are at the powder coaters now being quoted up - expect around $600 mark. I'll just get the frame gently sand blasted and them spray can it so that I don't lose the original frame stickers during the powder coat baking process - these will be heavily masked up during sand blasting.

I've lined the 2 fuel tanks with red coat and rattle canned these satin black. The tanks were in pretty good condition so I didn’t really fill any small dents or scratches. I'll also do the frame satin black with a lot of the trim powder coated gloss black and gold - hoping this will look pretty good.

I did learn something important today – I’m not much of a spray painter, but the satin black is relatively forgiving and does hide a lot of imperfections. The finish is a little orange-peeled, but will be just fine for the “rider” I’m planning to end up with – it certainly won’t be show-bike material.

Attached are a couple of photos of the (nearly) finished tanks. Yes there are 2 different tanks I’m preparing and thanks to mike1969 I’ve got another set of tank rubbers.

[e3steve]

Well took a few parts to the local chrome platers (most of the original chrome pieces including bolts etc but excluding the wheels) and nearly fell over backwards when they quoted over $500 for the plating.

Coupled with this, the local bike spray painter quoted $450 to do the frame and $350 to do the tank.

This got me to thinking that I reckon I can buy lots of cans of spray paint for $800 and also got me considering what I can do instead of chroming.

So the powder coater up the road tells me he can strip the old flaky chrome off various parts and powder coat them if required. So much aghast to the purists, I've decided to rattle can the frame and tanks plus get a lot of the chrome bits and pieces powder coated.

The frame, wheels, hubs and various other bits are at the powder coaters now being quoted up - expect around $600 mark. I'll just get the frame gently sand blasted and them spray can it so that I don't lose the original frame stickers during the powder coat baking process - these will be heavily masked up during sand blasting.

I've lined the 2 fuel tanks with red coat and rattle canned these satin black. The tanks were in pretty good condition so I didn’t really fill any small dents or scratches. I'll also do the frame satin black with a lot of the trim powder coated gloss black and gold - hoping this will look pretty good.

I did learn something important today – I’m not much of a spray painter, but the satin black is relatively forgiving and does hide a lot of imperfections. The finish is a little orange-peeled, but will be just fine for the “rider” I’m planning to end up with – it certainly won’t be show-bike material.

Attached are a couple of photos of the (nearly) finished tanks. Yes there are 2 different tanks I’m preparing and thanks to mike1969 I’ve got another set of tank rubbers.

Oh yeah?

Never mind, Muddy, good luck with what's going on there!

[Muddy]

G'day Guys

Well finally got to the rolling frame stage. I'm pretty happy with the way things look, even though it is a bit rough in places. But given it is a combination of powder coating and rattle can - it looks OK.

Still a few little things to fix up with what you see, but on the way to looking alright.

I will put the rest of the frame components back on and then start on the engine. Really just want to lift off the head and check the rings and valves.

[Muddy]

A couple more.

[Muddy]

G'day Guys

Well finally got all the bits and pieces reassembled. The engine looked good, with the pistons, barrels and valves all in good condition with no real work required, so just reassembled her with all new seals, o-rings and gaskets.

Yesterday I had some problems with the 2 fuel taps I had, as they both leaked after being re-kitted and the fuel tank filled, but eventually got one to work after a bit of fiddling. Unfortunately, the fuel leak did damage some of the high temp crankcase paint (that I thought would have been fuel resistant?).

Anyway, I wheeled the old girl out into the open today and gave her a crank with fuel in the tank, and what do you know after a quick second she fired up and ran just like new. I let her idle then gave her a couple of low revs and she sounded very sweet - just like my other old girl all those years ago.

After a couple of minutes I noticed a pretty savage oil leak from around the head gasket area. Looks like a drip or 2 a minute from the LHS and a drip every 2 - 3 seconds from the RHS. Looks like I'll need to pull out the engine and check it out. At least that will give me a chance to fix up the crankcase paint.

I'm just amazed the old girl runs, idles and sounds so strong for a 250.

Any thoughts and/or suggestions on the oil leak most welcome.

A couple of photos below of how she looks - still have to fit the lights, indicators etc.