The restoration has begun... Now the questions!

Nice work, great project. You'll have to bring ig it up to Pavillions (Scottsdale) on Saturday nights, the old Honda's get alot of attention. Mine allways draws a bunch of lookers. I look forward to seeing your bike when you get it done.

 

Thanks for the comp CaptB! You sound like you're local, I used to enjoy taking my SuperHawk up there, up until I sold it a couple years ago... You ever check out the turbine bike that shows up every once in a while? That thing is something else! When I get the project done we'll have to hook up a go for a ride.....

 

Yes I'm on the west side of the Valley. I saw the Y2K Turbine up there twice, sounds mean, I have a original Y2K Brochure signed by Leno. We'll hook up for a vintage ride when your done. These old bikes are cool, I got Collector bike Insurance for $120 a year for full coverage on my VFR700.:thumbsup:

 

Your Shock looks like the FOX Twin Clicker I had on my 1984 GS1150ES (see pic), that's the little woman thinking she's gonna ride it. I had a CalFab Enforcer Swingarm with the Fox Shock.

 

Nice work on the rotor bolts. Ive been thinking of doing the same. Has anyone used a vibrating tumbler or table top ultrasonic unit top clean the hardware instead of blasting?

 

Hey Guys, Sorry I haven't replied lately.... busy doing the holiday thing! Capt, that is a nice GS, I always liked those, never got to see many though... Yeah, I have the Twin Clicker, I need to rebuild it though... That will be coming up soon. I finished putting the forks back together recently... As a matter of fact, I just got back today from Bullhead,Az after dropping my engine off at Dave Dodge's new shop. He is going to blueprint and and build his Stage II package into the engine. I can't wait! This is one of the biggest steps for my restoration and the most costliest but it put's me on the downslide to finishing.... I really look forward to getting this bike back on the road! I will keep you guys posted!

 

Actually, I did use a tumbler after cleaning them with the beadblaster... I forgot to mention that earlier... Then hit them with the plating... and finally.... Then polished up a bit.

 

I made a parts board the other day so I don't have to go picking thru assorted boxes looking for small parts... Took a piece of plywood and roughed in a sketch of the bike and proceeded to place the various small baggies of parts where they would typically be located on the bike and now I can see which ones I need to refurbish along with being able to find them quickly... Maybe not very exotic but quick and easy!



Now, today, I got home from work and proceeded to get busy stripping my upper fairing so I can get started on the bodywork... Got my stripper for fiberglass and the various supplies for doing the job... Here is a before shot...





So I get started doing that and something doesn't seem quite right...

I have stripped many vehicles in the past and I have never ran into what I am running into with the old paint on this bike. I don't know what the previous owners used for paint but it is not your standard enamel or laquer... The blue area has turned into a rubbery paste that is extremely tough to get off. I am going to let it dry and tomorrow I will try to start sanding it off... Needless to say, I am an extremely pissed off puppy right at the moment!!!







Any suggestions on what the old paint might be, feel free to comment!

'Til next time...

 

No comment on the paint, but that's a nice idea with the board. I also bag all my parts, but I just write what it is on the bag, and make a quickie sketch on an index card and put that in the bag, if Ithink I'm going to have trouble remembering where it goes.

 

It looks like you got that rotor bolt issue worked out, but just incase you need more, or something else, these guys say they have that part for an 85 1000R

Babbitts Sports Center | Arctic Cat OEM Parts | Can-Am (Bombardier) OEM Parts | Honda OEM Parts | Kawasaki OEM Parts | Polaris OEM Parts | Sea-Doo OEM Parts | Ski-Doo OEM Parts | Suzuki OEM Parts | Yamaha OEM Parts

P.S. That looks like some awesome work you are doing on that bike.

 

Love the board as well. Now the stripper. I is almost allways a BAD IDEA to use it on plastic. It is not only eating away you paint but the body pannel as well. STOP THE REACTION! ASAP. TRY WATER OR THINNER OR ANYTHING! Just make it stop reacting and eating your bike After that start your sanding. You can use course at first and maybe even an electric sander. Then wet sand it smooth as you can. There may be damage from the stripper. You might be looking at some body filler to repair what the stripper has done to the plactics. Hit with primer and sealer then repaint it. You don't need to get all the origional pain off. Just roughed up nuff (or in this case smoothed out) to accept paint. Your new paint will stick to the paint that is alleady there better than the clean plastic.

 

The upper and lower fairings are all 100% fiberglass.

 

good!! did an excellent job, congratulations

 

Thanks for the comps guys! I've been busy the past week or so and haven't had much time to get stuff done... but here are a couple of update pics on the fairing issue. I let the muck dry for several days and then proceeded to start sanding, it is coming off ok now. Alot of sanding is going to be required though... which leads me to this thought, Anyone ever had any "soda blasting" done on any of their bike fairing pieces and if so, did it damage the bodywork? I am thinking about seeing if I could go this route and forgo all the sanding???

I also sent my rear shock assembly to Jamie Daugherty today for rebuilding and reanodizing... I can't wait to get it back!

Does anybody have any leads on where I can get a left side, side cover for the overflow bottle area???? The black piece of plastic with the mesh on it? New condition is preferable but I might be able to sway towards one that is in good shape... I can't get anymore from the factory... I got a new right one but no go on the left.... If I have to I will repair mine but would really like to find a new one!

Here's the updated fairing pics....

 

I received some new parts today that included a new fuel cap. I can't seem to get the key out of the cap... Can one of you guys that own a 1000R please look at your locking tabs and see how far in they retract? Mine only seem to move about a 1/16 of an inch and I can't get the key out... I don't want to manhandle it and thought I would ask you guys first before going to the dealership. I would like to know, do your tabs retract all the way in or how much of the tab is still sticking out when you have turned the key fully to release the cap.... Here are a couple of pics of the cap and the tabs in which I am referring to... BTW, The key was in the cap when I opened the bubble wrap that the cap was in...





Thanks for any info guys, I really appreciate it!

I am still sanding the bodywork... I almost went to a sandblasting place to see if they could soda blast the body pieces for me but have since decided not to go that route and am just sanding all the panels... I did just pick up a tail section that is in better condition than mine on Ebay, so we'll see how that actually turns out in a couple of days...

And... have more parts coming from Holland, can't wait to receive those!

 

It should come out if you depress the rubber sealing ring.

 

Try installing it on the tank. Then push down hard on the cap. It should lock so you can remove the key. then spray some lube in there and turn the key a few times, repeat. This should loosen things up so you can remove the key with it open, and yes, push up on the ring once open. It should be easier now with some lube in there.

 

Send it to me, I'll unlock it
Kidding, as captb said, depressing the rubber should bring the key (rotation) in the "get out" position.
Where did you get it? It looks new.
I was told it was discontinued (for vf1000f) and this one looks the same.
The rubber of all the ones I have is dried out.

duB

 

Thanks guys! I never thought to try pushing the rubber ring up...! DOH!! It worked like a charm! Dub, it is new... I got it thru Motogrid.com. About the discontinued parts, I am finding that out more and more... in fact I had just ordered a new taillight lens from them and found out it had JUST been discontinued a week earlier from the factory! I guess they had run down on their stock and decided not to reorder more from their manufacturers!! Talk about sucking!!!! I might try and order the whole assembly... I don't really need it and really don't feel like spending $113.00 on it just because I am trying to come up with a new lens.... I dunno, we'll see!

I'm about to order tires and would still like your guys' input on tires! As of right now, I am planning on going with Avon Road Riders... Please chime in on what your opinions are... Thanks!

Also.... Anyone know where I can get an "Interchange Manual" for Honda bikes? Thanks!