I started with a craigslist find a bit over a year ago, when this sorry piece of motorcycle history found its way to my garage:
The engine was stuck, but the bike was mostly complete. It was covered in several coats of poorly-applied paint, but the front fender was the only mangled part. I spent a few evenings carefully working the rings and pistons loose. Once they were free, I spent some time checking to see if it would run (and get a freshening) or whether it would get stripped for parts.
It ran, I rode it twenty miles or so, and decided it was worth putting some more money and effort into it. I stripped the bike down to the bare frame, and started cleaning and painting parts. Then re-assembly began:
I found and mounted a set of trials tires, planning to use the bike in my pastures and in the forest nearby:
I spent countless evenings cleaning, polishing and painting parts:
The engine came apart for a fresh set of gaskets and rings. In the end, I had to replace the cylinder block, as the rings had rusted to the cylinder wall and left a large pit, too large to machine out.
No wonder the electric starter didn't work. Someone pulled the guts out of it:
I pulled some miscellaneous parts out of the oil pan, including a master link from a previous cam chain change an o-ring, a broken piston ring and a wrist pin retaining ring:
With the engine reassembled, and mounted in the bike, it was time to paint the tin. Three layers of old paint came off (Original white, then rattle can green, then rattle can black)
The tank went from this:
to this:
After an hour of hammer and dolly work on the front fender, I applied a skim coat of Bondo to most of the fender. Also used some small amounts of Bondo on the side covers.
After spraying tin, and sewing up a new seat cover, I got the bike reassembled today, and went out for a ride:
