So much cleaning!
Cleaning of wheels, plastic bits, electrical bits; cleaning of everything which came off the bike and will be going back on at some point.
My aim after fitting the head race bearings, is to attach everything to the frame which it needs to stand on its own two feet… by which of course, I mean tyres.
The tyres themselves will need replacing as I don’t think either of them have enough tread for an MOT, and after the best part of 20 years, I would replace them anyway.
So a few days were spent hunting down all the parts needed, cleaning them if need be, and replacing them if too damaged.
Eventually, after using a whole bottle of Fairy liquid, and many bowls of water… ruining 2 nylon brushes, and exhausting a can of brake cleaner, there she stood.
The new Stainless Steel swingarm spindle is about 8mm longer than the original, so a couple of large thick washers were found in the parts bin, and used as spacers.
The handlebars are clearly not original, but are the right shape, albeit with an added clock protector. I think this will remain on the bike until the cosmetic rebuild.
I did have a sidestand from the donor bike, but as the bracket was in the wrong place, the sidestand was both too long, and a bit home-made. a new one was invested in.
All new bolts and fixings were used to fit an original LC shock. the spax which arrived on the donor bike was too damaged and rusty to rely on. I may see if Spax can rebuild it at a reasonable cost.
The front wheel has remained uncleaned for now. the disk has been fitted using Allen bolts, which clearly cannot be secured with tab-washers. I consider this unsafe so went to remove the disk, and replace the fixings with standards bolts and tab washers.
however, I can’t move the Allen bolts at all! They are stuck, probably with threadlock.
UPDATE:
I purchased a forged steel Allen key and tried again.
SUCCESS!
The removed bolts show evidence of threadlock or corrosion. I’m not sure either way.
Regardless. I can now clean the wheel and fit the disk properly.
Anyway… there she is… up on her wheels.
Electrics next.