Well, its been three months since I got the Sandcast so I thought an
update was in order. As usual, the project has taken too long and
overrun the budget.
I don't know how anyone can buy a bike sight unseen off Ebay. I inspected
this bike and there were still all sorts of surprises. As it was a bike that had several
prior owners....I probably shouldn't have been shocked by this.
Anyway, to list some of the things I have done...
1. All the chrome was stripped and re-chromed. This was the most expensive
restore cost....but the results were excellent....probably better then the factory
job.
2. The frame and all the iron parts were powder coated. This stuff is thick and
so unless they carefully mask off all bearing surfaces and bolt holes you will be
sanding a lot of powder coat away. In my case they masked all the threaded holes
but missed the thru holes and a lot of bearing surfaces....such as where the engine
mount bolts go through the frame. I had to grind it off and recoat with a thin coat
of rust preventive paint.
3. All the steel bolts and other steel parts such as the rear hub brace were stripped
and replated....cheap and looks nice. I threw all the nuts and washers away and
replaced them with stainless or in some places chrome. The engine covers now have
allen head bolts....please no more phillips head screws.
4. A lot of parts were just replaced....cables, fork boots and seals, engine seals and
gaskets, a coil, tires and tubes, pipes, stainless brake lines, etc. PIPES..
5. I decided to change the spokes to polished Buchanon stainless as i think they look
nice and are maintenance free. If anyone wants to hire a wheel lacer....find someone
else.
Six times on two bikes is enough.
6. Polished all the aluminum....by far the most labor intensive job. You can easily spend
days doing this and still not be happy with the results...especially if the aluminum is in bad
shape. Whatever people charge to do this is not enough.
So this will not be a true restore but it will be a lot better than a few months ago and as
someone said....I am the one that has to be happy.
If i could offer one suggestion, it would be to take lots of pictures as you take it apart.
The parts manual is great but leaves out many details. And take pics of everything you
send out to make sure it all comes back.
The parts to be painted are at the painters.....the carbs are in rehab...and I still need
a few small things. But will it run? Stand by for the next chapter.
A few pics follow....the bike as I got it....thirty years of neglect...bolts out of rehab...as
it sits now.
