Before and after

Jeff, Thats a cracking job, how are the dampers?

Will know shortly. There are a few loose ends and general tune up items to address before the first kick.

JD

john robert bould said:

Jeff, Thats a cracking job, how are the dampers?

Click to expand...

Great looking bike.Nice colours too!

I am more than impressed. I calculate only 5 months from purchase date. I love the little mud guard on the front to protect the oil cooler. I have to ask if you did your own aluminum polishing as it as good as I have seen. You are to be commended for not stripping the thing down and doing a 4 year restore. Spruce her up, which you did in spades, and ride her. Well done!

All the alloy polishing by my own hands. 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000 grit wet sanding, rubbing compund, polishing compound then metal polish. Couple hours on the work bench each night for a week. Listended to my favorite College radio station... they've got pretty good programing and the time went by quickly.

As I disassemble the bike, that was when I cleaned up the parts (that I was going to re-use). During the time I was cleaning all the new parts were already on their way.
When I first got the bike, I did an inventory on what needed cleaning, what needed repairing and what needed replacing. I also made a list of Norton problem fixes, performance items and new consumables. They were ordered at the same time.

The bike was "almost" completey stripped as at only the engine and the frame have remained untouched. Tranny was out and rebuilt, front end was out, at different times different "sub" assemblies were worked on one sub assebly at a time. All frame bearings, bushes, seals and Iso's have been addressed..... The only thing not done was repaint the frame and rebuild the engine and head.

When the reassebly started, I had all the parts, new and old to put it all back together. This being the 4th I've done over the years made this an fairly easy Summer project. Just one job after the other as needed.
I have neglected my other projects however I have a '65 Mustang Fastback restomod that I've been dicking with for a more than a few years - it can be seen under cover in my garage inthe pics and a Rally car replica in storage for longer.

JD

The time you spent polishing sure shows up. I used 320 on an orbital to get the rough stuff off, then went right to a buffer with black and then white compound, but it didn't turn out as nice as yours. Time and persistence makes the difference.

Dave
69S

When I first got the bike, I did an inventory on what needed cleaning, what needed repairing and what needed replacing. I also made a list of Norton problem fixes, performance items and new consumables. They were ordered at the same time.

Click to expand...

Ugh if only I was as competent an organizer planner. What did you put all small pieces in, I've taken to clear food containers for short term, sealed tins for longer.

An't hardly worth putting a buffer wheel to Al until 2000 girt finish is 'achieved.

It always seemed to me that by the time you got to 2000, the buffer was just about useless. From 2000 you could go right to Mothers. But then maybe I'm missing something. I've found 2000 on clear coat and Scratch Out is about as good as it gets.

Dave
69S

If I could find it I'd sand to 3000 too before buffer wheels or polish rubbing. You might want better lighting and glasses to compare the sheen between finishing to lesser or greater anal degree. I've even taken to chasing over the surfaces with a hot flame to both burn off the carrier waxes and to melt down a tad more microscopic ridges and form a bit of sapphire anodized layer. Trouble is of course the finer you go the more the flaws stand out, ugh. Then wax wax and wax again and again or guess what is lurking, always lurking ...

I learned the secret of wet sanding on my first paint job on a 59 AC ACECA. I hate body and paint work and do it only because.I put 4 full wet coats of vivid red acrylic urethane on her. Problem was, I had so much lint and crap and bugs in the paint my buddy thought it was a disaster. I was going off to England so tried going at it with 1000 I think it was. It seemed to do nothing. Well, I got out some 600 and gave her the once over and then left. On return, I worked the system, 800,1000,1500 and not sure about 2000. Then buffed her. Man oh man. She looked a million dollars. I also learned then not to work under florescent lights as every scratch shows up. When you go out into the natural light you cannot see the scratches. I did the whole job under florescent. Then I see on the Boyd Coddington show they are doing a car with about six or seven guys all wet sanding at once and I am thinking God Save the Queen. Come and help me. I remember my dad finishing his furniture pieces with a buffer and pumice and rottenstone. I am sure they did not have 1500,2000 wet and dry then. Anyway, you seem to be more than expert at everything you have done on that bike. I bet the car is the same.

AC ACECA
https://picasaweb.google.com/1116185409 ... nYnKiMH1Ig
CYCLES
https://picasaweb.google.com/1116185409 ... 4/Cycles02

Very sweet and shiny treats acea, makes me want to get a real job someday : )

absolutely awesome difference that mate loving the colour really suits it to a tee

SWEET!!