Restoration questions

[Moocher]

Just pretend I am deeply ignorant. ( I am)
Forks, Frame, Swinging arm. - Are these sand cast aluminium and lacquered?
What's the best way to clean them up and bring back to new looking.

Oil cooler pipes are rusted to hell should I strip off and paint or renew with chrome ones?

All must do, don't do tips welcome.

[MacV2]

Forks is easy, wire brush on an electric drill.

Frame & swing arm don't fek about get 'em sand blasted...IIRC they are coated with some sort of lacquer that takes some getting off by hand.

Oil cooler pipes are shite chrome, not a lot of point in cleaning them as they will go the same way over time. You can get braided ones made up but you need the fittings off each end grafted on to the new ones.

[leevtr]

Forks is easy, wire brush on an electric drill.

Frame & swing arm don't fek about get 'em sand blasted...IIRC they are coated with some sort of lacquer that takes some getting off by hand.

Oil cooler pipes are shite chrome, not a lot of point in cleaning them as they will go the same way over time. You can get braided ones made up but you need the fittings off each end grafted on to the new ones.

Only the fork bottoms ffs !!

[Moocher]

Yeah Yeah I was talking fork bottoms ....
After de-crudding can they be re lacquered with spray on lacquer ( like Halfords sell) or is something 'posh' required?

Oil pipes look like they're covered in chrome cornflakes ....

Given that the bike has been standing for a couple of months has the oil drained out of the pipes / cooler enough for these to be removed?

Dave

[Wicky]

Here's a thread from when I did my fork legs > http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=16127

[sirch345]

And here's a thread from when I did my fork legs, see my post:-
http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic ... ds#p151954

Chris

[Moocher]

Thanks Wicky and Sirch345.
Great posts and I love that 'gallows' lift.
And you have answered another query ( does Nitromoors melt aluminium and it seems to not do that).

I hadn't thought too much about colours yet.
I like grey as it looks 'original', I like black as it feels 'practical' and I like gold as it looks 'modern'. But not pink in case it suggests 'ladyboyk'

How do the plastic thingies on top of the lower legs come off?

[sirch345]

How do the plastic thingies on top of the lower legs come off?

I just knocked them up and off gently using a piece of wood (2x1) and a hammer, just knock them up each side of the fork leg so they they move up fairly evenly. If it's very cold where you are warming the plastic first with a hair drier or heat gun (go careful if you use a heat gun as you don't want to melt them) will make removal easier,

Chris.

[MacV2]

Yeah Yeah I was talking fork bottoms ....
After de-crudding can they be re lacquered with spray on lacquer ( like Halfords sell) or is something 'posh' required?

Oil pipes look like they're covered in chrome cornflakes ....

Given that the bike has been standing for a couple of months has the oil drained out of the pipes / cooler enough for these to be removed?

Dave

I knew that you meant Fork bottoms, done a couple of sets of mine like that, just sprayed them with gloss black Plasitcote spray from B&Q IIRC.It will chip from stones but I just freshen it up once in a while.
http://www.plasti-kote.co.uk/Product/pc ... ode---6751



One down one to go...

[Moocher]

macv2 said.
"I knew that you meant Fork bottoms,"

I knew you knew you know

Hmmm! Plasticote. Easy on and easy touch up. Got me thinking.

Yes I thought the plastic thingies were a push fit but I didn't want to bust 'em finding out I was wrong.

Thanks to all.

[fireballxl5]

Juat another angle on the forks, refurbed mine about 15 months ago ended up using brake caliper spray paint from halfords (no comments please).
Fair selection of colours, finish was hard wearing and had that original satin look if thats what your after worth thinking about.

[tony.mon]

Juat (no comments please).

Ok, I'll pretend I didn't notice. Don't tell the others.

[VTRDark]

I primed mine first with an etch primer and then used calliper paint which is heat and chemical resistant. I used the following which is Black but has Greyish hue to it when you catch it in the light.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAKE-CALIPER ... 3f167027d5

(:-})