Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - January 2009 - (Page 106)

RESTORATION STORIES THE ART OF DISMANTLING The Art of Dismantling Your Restoration Project A Play in Three Acts By Mike Brown should be removed or ver wonder where all covered in plastic) with a those damaged used good cleaner/solvent and parts and busted up then pressure blast it. basket cases you find There are many cleaners floating around at swap that work well. I meets and in cyberspace frequently use Simple originated? You know, the Green as it’s inexpensive, parts with “only a few non-toxic, and works very busted fins” and the project well when compared to bikes with way too many some cleaners containing defects and serious damage more health warnings that got it cast off into the than a Ralph Nader dark corner of a garage for speech. If you don’t own ten years. There are A project like this Indian will not come apart easily. a pressure blaster, a trip to multiple answers, but a Judicious application of rust busters and tools will be the local car wash is major one is that the parts required to prevent damaging many valuable parts. advised. were damaged during It’s a good second step to position your new disassembly, usually by an inexperienced hand. While restoration project so that it is easy to work on and hardly rocket science, dismantling an old motorcycle inspect. This is where a table lift is ideal, but the prior to restoring it is part art and part science, but occasional restorer can be well served by a cycle jack mostly a matter of common sense with a good or even a simple stand made of wood to elevate the sprinkling of patience thrown in for good measure. project to a comfortable working level. Make sure Patience is often the biggest problem for you firmly secure the bike once it’s elevated. An beginners. Let’s face it, most of us restore old extremely low buck security measure is to wire it motorcycles because we enjoy the challenges and from the frame to the stand or jack. This way the love to indulge in mechanical mysteries. The eager anticipation of discovering what lies inside all that rusted steel and chalky alloy can build up into emotional overload. Emotions frequently cloud reason. Impatience with an old nut or stud, for a good example, has many times proven costly to both the machine and often the mechanic. Our objective, then, is to avoid both broken parts and trips to the emergency ward for stitches as we break down a new project to begin the restoration process and rebirth of another gorgeous classic motorcycle. E Act 1: Preparation The first step to take with any old motorcycle is to thoroughly clean it. The process will vary according to the decrepitude and value of the project at hand. On one extreme, if you just won motorcycle’s equivalent to the lottery and stumbled on something like a Crocker, this sort of machine means every tiny piece has almost absurd value and one is best advised to go at even cleaning with extreme caution. On the other hand, if you just dragged a $50 Honda 350 out of Joe’s Sales and Salvage, one of the best bets is to soak the whole wreck (minus electrical parts that Rust busters come in many brands, one you can even drink! No kidding, many old pros know the old Coke trick and have used it to free up stuck engines by pouring the contents into cylinders through the sparkplug holes. Commercial products tend to work better, however. PB Blaster is a very good rust buster and easy to find. Also extremely effective is Aero Kroil, sold only to industrial accounts and pro shops and kindly provided by grandson Cody Thibodeaux who uses this on his oil field jobs to free stuck parts. WD 40 is also a moisture dispersant and for this reason alone should be in every shop. 106 January 2009 | WALNECK’S CLASSIC CYCLE TRADER® I WALNECKS.COM http://www.WALNECKS.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - January 2009

Classic Cycle - January 2009 Contents American The Buzz with Buzz Walneck 1970 Harley Davidson FXS - Low Rider Motorcycle Tips with Mike Brown 1970 Harley Davidson Super Glide Cal Rayborn’s 1973 HD SRTT 1978 Harley Davidson XR 750 Bench Racing with Mark Zimmerman Events Listings & Advertisements British Chain Anyone? Barber Vintage Review Biker of the Month Parts, Accessories, Want Ads The Art of Dismantling Why Do We Do It, and When? Buffing Metal Old Blue, Deja Blue and the California Hot Rod A Fat Daddy I Call Friend 7th Annual Concours European Teacher Knows Best … Mike Brown The Midnight Whizzer … Mark Zimmerman Madman … Somer Hooker Buzz Japanese Motorbikes & Scooters Memorbilia Antique Cycle Clubs Competition How to Place a Word Ad How to Place a Photo Ad Area Code Directory How to Subscribe Let Us Help with Your Event

Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - January 2009

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