Doing it yourself

Try living in western Canada in the early 90's with a 1200 with the bad centre  bearing that went bang at 140kmph. Fixed it myself, parts (bearings, a few valves and guides, gaskets etc) from Slater in the UK and Wolfgang newly established in Canada I think at the time. Sent the crank and C3 bearings to a snowmobile shop in Winnipeg well known for doing snowmobile roller bearing racing cranks (cue in Ron!). The local Harley shop had a guy with his own Cosworth valve grinder (did racing valve jobs on the side for local road racers) who did a 3 angle my head, and a local machine shop owned by an old no nonsense German guy (who had an immaculate Mercedes 300SL Gull Wing he brought from Germany) who was able to re grind my 4C cam lobe that was damaged back to original, keeping the original base circle. He had a cam grinder, made a cam profile from a good lobe, welded up the damaged cam lobe, and re ground it, absolutely first class work at a fair price. Most of my time was spent looking for the out sourcing mentioned above. Little or no internet then so not a google search in those days. Got it done in my garage ,at night ,by myself after the kids had gone to sleep. Runs like a champ today.

Stu
 
Dellortoman said:
I've sometimes heard people say "It doesn't work in theory, but it does in practice", or words to that effect. It's a concept that I find annoyingly fatuous and perhaps a little delusional.

The simple truth is that if a theory is unable to explain something that happens in reality, then the theoretical model is inadequate.
Click to expand...

Yes Cam,
That?s all very well in theory  :D :D :D



Sorry
Could not resist  :D
Totally agree though!
J
 
... without hijacking the thread (too much)

I'm contemplating some fixes and mods. to the 1200 and the most troublesome will be stripping the tank on the inside

It has been epoxied (no idea what with) but being chemically stable (?) what would be a good starting point to remove it. Now, the reason is that the adhesion doesn't appear to be good as it's fractured and flaking on the section over the bike's spine.

A peroxide / organic bath might be an option ... but wondering if anyone has experience.
I'm OK with totally stripping the tank (inside and out) and plan a re-paint anyway.

As to re-paints - planning to re-style and use the Laverda font on the tank .. so has anyone got a link to a supplier for decals / transfers in ORANGE.

Also I'll be looking for a rear guard (old is OK) ... but in the USA.
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2020-09-02 LAVERDA.jpg
    Screen Shot 2020-09-02 LAVERDA.jpg
    190.3 KB · Views: 172
Engine building shops anf radiator repair shops use a gadgrt called a pickaling tank.There sre pro car stripprrs eho do as well. They remove rust paint and bog.Do it once and do it right.
 
  As to re-paints - planning to re-style and use the Laverda font on the tank .. so has anyone got a link to a supplier for decals /                  transfers in ORANGE.

If you can't find orange use the decal as a mask over orange paint.
Tis what I do and painted decals look so much better than stickers. Same goes for pin stripes IMHO
Stickers are just tacky :D
 
If solvent can't shift it then you have to open the tank and blast it out, then re-weld the section you removed.
Some folk remove the underside but the weld marks are visible.
Other folk remove the top section and after repainting you can't see where it was opened.
 
Vince said:
Engine building shops anf radiator repair shops use a gadgrt called a pickaling tank.There sre pro car stripprrs eho do as well. They remove rust paint and bog.Do it once and do it right.
Click to expand...

Yeh ... hoping that's the case. We used to have a metal bin we called "the de-carboniser" in the aircraft workshop and it would take the sh*t off everything, I just can't remember what was in it? It would sludge just about anything and then pressure wash away.

A specialist would be a good choice!
 
Grant said:
If solvent can't shift it then you have to open the tank and blast it out, then re-weld the section you removed.
Some folk remove the underside but the weld marks are visible.
Other folk remove the top section and after repainting you can't see where it was opened.
Click to expand...

... always wanted a good excuse to buy a TIG !

(I hear your mods have worked very well ... and I do like that Gold 1000)  :P
 
cut the whole bottom of the tank out about 15mm inside the ladder welded double skinned edge, brace the bottom with at least two struts before you do this to hold the shape, then blast inside and out, I knew I had a badly repaired area at the right front, but after blasting, it showed up pinholes in all four of the lowest areas of the tank, weld in the bottom before you repair the damage, I will gas weld mine, but if you cant weld lead with oxy/acet, don't try that!
CLEM
 
1200 JOTA said:
Yeh ... hoping that's the case. We used to have a metal bin we called "the de-carboniser" in the aircraft workshop and it would take the sh*t off everything, I just can't remember what was in it? It would sludge just about anything and then pressure wash away.

A specialist would be a good choice!
Click to expand...

Carbon Tetrachloride- my old man used it a lot , been banned  because it gives you kidney failure.
 
Thanks for the last two posts - emphasises what i already know - I will NEVER use tank sealant on anything I own or work on. I'd rather find other ways to clear rust!!!
 
Tank sealer is an absolute last option I reckon. Heard too many stories of delaminating and fuel contaminating. Not sure what I'd do with the SFC fibreglass tank if we had ethanol in our fuel here. Guess I'd be buying a carbon tank from Boba if that was the case.
Methylene chloride is really dodgy shit. Spent most of my working life as a model maker sloshing that stuff around gluing acrylic sheet and styrene. Would use an artist paint brush or syringe to apply it. Often the brush handle would end up in my mouth while using my hands to hold things together and I would taste the stuff or the brush would be behind my ear with the hairs only cm from my eye. It's actually quite sweet to taste :o Heard stories of an old model maker who used it to sweeten his tea :o. Little wonder I'm still alive let alone healthy!!
I still use it but with much more caution these days.
 
Is that another name for MEK?
But like Clem and others said, cutting it open and sandblasting will show you exactly what you?ve got (or haven?t got).
I took a rusty old trailer to a sandblaster once. He said ?Hmmm. Ok I?ll blast it and we?ll see what?s left?. Turned out there wasn?t enough left to repair...
 
helicopterjim said:
MEKP is methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, which is the catalyst for polyester resin. MEK is methyl ethyl ketone. These two are quite different. MEK will not work as a catalyst for resin.

Jim
Click to expand...

So it's the peroxide that makes all the difference then. What is MEK used for? After a lifetime of using MEKP I've never come across MEK, Learn something new everyday.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top