1992 3ld Complete Strip & Renovation

[stevep10]

Greetings all, thought I'd share my re-build with you.
I had this off my brother in law about 18 months ago, he wasn't using it and it was stood outside unloved but covered up.
It was a bit sorry for itself and I had to do a little bit of work to get it through the MOT; new tyres, pads, fork seals, electrics, bulbs, wheel bearings, steering bearings, a few loose bits and bobs, new bars, etc etc.
Here it is when I got it home:

https://imgur.com/MY2eENL

I remember my brother in law calling me up and saying he'd had it painted a nice blue colour. Well, the blue is OK I suppose, but the finish...............whoever did it needs to be dragged over white hot coals very slowly.

You see this patch on the tank? That's where the paint lifted in the sun because it hadn't been keyed properly under neath. That white colour is the original paint and it still has the shine on it. Not a sign of any rubbing down at all. Small wonder it lifted and peeled.
I did ask him whether he paid for it to be done or was it a favour. He didn't answer that one.



The rear caliper may as well not have been on the bike for all the good it wasn't doing, and as for the front calipers...........well, lets just say that I'd have been doing a Fred Flintstone down the road to try and stop it.

Filthy Caliper:



The crap that was inside the caliper due to not servicing them brake system..............ever!!!!



And the now stripped and re-furbed working end product:



All the calipers had to be done, plus new pads all round but I'm still not 100% happy with the efficiency of the rear braking so that will get looked into throughout this re-build. Maybe a master cylinder upgrade from something else will sort it out, normally does.
Once all that was done, along with replacing the tyres for something with tread on them, I moved on to the electrics. No headlight, no tail lights, brake lights only on the rear pedal, indicators on one side only, the stuff of nightmares for some people, but for me, I LOVE IT!
I knew of the problems with the reg/rec, over heating and burning out the plug, so that was a point of interest for me. Glad I did. Look what I found.



One burnt through connector bock. The reg/rec was still working albeit about 1.5 volts down on standard output, but with the bike idling for 5 minutes in the garage it was getting really hot to the touch, so it got changed for an updated finned model with a new connector block both ends; plus the rated output went up to the recommended 13.6 volts at 5000rpm. Happy days there then.
Bike all sorted, it sailed through the MOT but I did find the seat a bit on the slippy side. It will get recovered during this build but good enough for now



Using it for about 12 months, playing with running and stuff, the take off wasn't as crisp as I'd like, I stripped the carbs, changed the emulsion tubes and needles, made it a bit better, replaced the air box with open pod filters but it was a bit too loud for my liking and it felt like it wanted a bigger main jet at around 70 mph, seemed to run out of puff. Working away in my garage, my mate pops round, having a chat, can smell petrol. But nothing is running......................quick look and I've got fuel leaking out the carbs. S-O-A-B!!!!
Stripped the carbs out AGAIN and found the choke slides are shot.



On to NRP carbs for a new pair, sorted that out.

Anyway, the MOT and insurance ran out in October last year and I thought that it really was looking very tired and needed a cosmetic overhaul, so I parked it up. Now I have the time and space to strip it and bring it back to it's former, if not better, glory.
I've given myself 5 weeks to get this sorted, stripped right back to bare metal where it's needed, zinc coated and re-sprayed. The plan is to have it ready for the 22nd April, BIKE4LIFE weekend, so I'm on a mission.
Started stripping it a few days ago and I'll post the progress as I go.

This is where we're at now:

Body work off



Engine out



Completely stripped



That's one grubby engine



I've got a whole weekend to finish stripping the frame and swing arm and get them painted...............at least!

[jibber]

, having the whole of the front cradle came away like that must make removing/refitting the motor so much easier

[stevep10]

It does, and you're right, so much easier to man-handle the lump. It was the same when I did my ZZR1100, dropped it straight out in the cradle.

On to today's work then.
Spent the last few days stripping the frame and swing-arm back to bare metal, hung them up to get them into the first coat of primer,
nice coat of paint all over, left it to cure for an hour, went back in the garage,
and promptly started to call myself every knobhead under the sun

I'd only gone and used the wrong activator in the primer. It had cracked all over the place and left me no option but to strip it all down again.
Can't believe I did it, but heyho, what a plonker.

[Mezo]

Why not have it powder coated? they normally sand blast it as part of the service.
You could use paint stripper at this stage to get in the nooks, just make sure you pressure wash it clean after.

Mezo.

[jibber]

How are you cleaning it back? It looks like you are maybe sand blasting it?

[stevep10]

I have all the necessary tools to get into the nooks and crannies, plus I don't have to wait for the powder coaters to get round to doing it, which with my lot is about 2 to 3 weeks at a time. They do a good job but they are always really busy due to powder coating everything else like shop fittings etc.
I can get just as good and tough a finish using 2 pac paint. And I have it in the first top coat now, just about to go back to the garage and check it over.
If I had decided to give myself more time on this project than I have, then maybe I would go down the powder coat route for more than just the frame and swing-arm. I did all that on the zed a few years ago. This is just my commuting bike that was doing it's job really well, it just looked very tired and un-loved, hence the strip and re-paint. We'll see how I get on, whether I hang on to it or sell it and buy something else I've no idea, but I just want it to look better than it was. Get it back to where it's supposed to be if you know what I mean.

[stevep10]

How are you cleaning it back? It looks like you are maybe sand blasting it?

75mm wire cup brush in the main, fits onto a 4" angle grinder. Gets all the paint and any rust off without digging into the metal. I've used them on so many occassions, they're priceless and under £4 each. I first starting using them to get into the difficult channels when I had the Porsche years ago and found them really good; removes the paint, polishes the metal and no deep scratches. Then various sized other wire brushes in a die grinder and a dremmel.
The other bits on the bike that need stripping will go into my own shotblast cabinet, it's just not big enough for the frame unfortunately

[stevep10]

Here's the first look at the first coat then. Obviously it will get a rub down and flatted with at least 2 more coats before it's finished. Happy enough so far, I'll do some more tomorrow.

[jibber]

Obviously it will get a rub down and flatted with at least 2 more coats before it's finished

[stevep10]

One frame, 2 coats gloss black, 2 coats clear laquer..............finished!
Yeah baby
Swing arm tomorrow, same again, gloss black.