Jennifer's Makeover

[pete]

Nice work on those discs Flyboy! And yeah... rolling frame is where the fun begins

[Flyboy]

Finally, a little more to update, not much, but a bit at least.
After some good sound advice from the good folk here, I tackled my fork stanchions, I started sprucing them up a few weeks ago, but as I went along, things changed, and I landed up trying to polish them to a mirror finish, well it did not come out that great and the shine was patchy and uneven, Lord only knows what I was thinking, I think shiny chrome like forks would have been a bit too much bling and not really suited the bike.
Anyway, sanity prevailed whie deciding how to sort out the problem, and I decided to go back to the original brushed aluminium look, well actually somewhere between the two, more of a satin finish.

After close examination it was clear that tere were quite a lot of stone chips and deepsh scratches that would need to be removed as well as a good few nicks from careless wrenching.
So I decided to start with 120 grit to speed up the process of removing the deep chips and nicks.
All the old clear coat was removed from the last attempt to polish so I filled my bucket with clean water and a few squirts of Cleen Green as lube and also to keep the job degreased as I progressed.
Well so much for speeing up the process, it took the better part of the whole day to sand the first one down, to the point where I was happy to go to the next finer grade paper.
While I was busy with the 120 grit I took advantage of its cutting power and removed all the casting seams and irregularities at the same time, to give he fork that moulded look.
So as she stands now, one fork sanded down to my satisfaction with 120 grit, now starting the second sanding with 380 grit.
The plan is to go 380 grit, 600 grit, 800 grit, then I will access the job and maybe give it a final going over with 1000 or 1500 grit and then finish with steel wool, we will see what it looks like after the 800 grit.

Anyway enough of my yapping, here are the pics.
you will see how I have sanded out the casting seams and Suzuki embossing.

[pete]

Definitely an improvement! Keep at it, you'll get 'em like Ed's in no time

[Redneck]

Flyboy those lowers look awesome. Tell you what if it were not for my access to PC at the time I probably would have gone that route myself. I am not a big super chrome fan. As if my bike is not evidence to that fact. Keep up the good work.

Paul

[Flyboy]

Thanks Paul, unfortunately I am only a quarter of the way there, if that, still 380, 600 and 800 grit to go.....then we do it all over again on the other one
I am told each one takes less time than the previous...we will see, otherwise I think I have my next 15 Sundays booked up, well at least it keeps me occupied while I am financialy embarased and putting money aside for the fork seals, steering head bearings and the chrome trim that goes over the lower triple, so I can get the front end on.
The bearings and seals are no problem, a good mate of mine owns a bearing supply, but Lord alone only knows where I am going to find the trim piece.

I wish I had access to powder coating, you are so lucky, I have two cans of paint called "fine silver" on the rack, it is the most awesome silver colour, I must admit, more than once I shot a more than passing gaze at those cans...but I held strong.

[pete]

Thanks Paul, unfortunately I am only a quarter of the way there, if that, still 380, 600 and 800 grit to go.....then we do it all over again on the other one
I am told each one takes less time than the previous...we will see, otherwise I think I have my next 15 Sundays booked up, well at least it keeps me occupied while I am financialy embarased and putting money aside for the fork seals, steering head bearings and the chrome trim that goes over the lower triple, so I can get the front end on.
The bearings and seals are no problem, a good mate of mine owns a bearing supply, but Lord alone only knows where I am going to find the trim piece.

I wish I had access to powder coating, you are so lucky, I have two cans of paint called "fine silver" on the rack, it is the most awesome silver colour, I must admit, more than once I shot a more than passing gaze at those cans...but I held strong.

Haha well done! I was lured by the POR15 Blackcote and gave in instantly...

[psyguy]

Looking good Flyboy!
That lower tripple tree chrome cover/trim comes up every so often on flebay, that's how i got mine. Or in the FS section here on the forum when bikes get parted.
Good luck with the search!

[rustybronco]

and putting money aside for the fork seals, steering head bearings and the chrome trim that goes over the lower triple, so I can get the front end on.


but Lord alone only knows where I am going to find the trim piece.

Why yes he Does!

I sent the original one I had off to Andre', when the platers buggered up his old one. so I decided to replace it just in case someone, someday, would want to put my '80 back to stock. I've a few dollars into it, but as usual, 'to me' money, isn't everything...

does that help?

[Flyboy]

Dale, you never fail to rise to the occasion when someone needs help.
I will take you up on that, my goal is to get my bike back to "as factory" new, and I am afraid that any one I find in a wreckers yard will be less than perfect, which kind of defeats the object of the entire build.
Just let me know what you want for it, including the shipping and I will have the money over to you in the blink of an eye.

[rustybronco]

Stan, it's missing the decal in the center of it and it isn't the best one out there; still she faces up nicely. should be able to get through RSA customs as a small package.

fresh off the press...

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d44/rustybronco/IMG_2481.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d44/rustybronco/IMG_2482.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d44/rustybronco/IMG_2483.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d44/rustybronco/IMG_2484.jpg

[psyguy]

Dale, you never fail to rise to the occasion when someone needs help.

Yup, I'll second that


The center decal should still be available from Suzuki.

[MotoX]

Wow, you have got to love the devotion put down in a restoration like this! So nice to see somebody realy taking their time in to every little detail of the bike and making it look the way it normaly only looks coming straight out of the factory.

I will have to adapt the usage of the wire wheel, I see that it is constantly making wonders! Keep up the excellent work!

[Flyboy]

Thanks for the kind words MotorX, we have come a long way together and she really was looking tired, so I guess it was time.
I draw most my inspiration from the guys on this board and the beautiful bikes they build, without the guidance and excellent ideas one gets here, I am not sure how far I would get.
Glad you enjoyed it so far, I know it has been a bit boring up to know, I guess the prep work is really boring, but as soon as I get to the point where I can starting bolting stuff back together it should become a worthwhile read.

[MotoX]

Glad you enjoyed it so far, I know it has been a bit boring up to know, I guess the prep work is really boring, but as soon as I get to the point where I can starting bolting stuff back together it should become a worthwhile read.

Not boring at all! I especially loved the way those carburators came out. I have allways liked to get contrasts in there by having different parts in different color, so the way the carb-bodys and the hex-nuts contrast against the black tops look great! Will probably do something like that myself when I take my carbs in for dissassembly.

[Flyboy]

Well, made some amount of progress on the forks this Sunday, not too much, my 6 year old wanted his daddy's attention, so it cut my day in the garage short. Got one done.
I was going for a satin, natural, brushed aluminium look, well after going over the fork with 120, 380, 600, 800 grit, wet, I just could not get an even tone all over the entire fork, more wet sanding, still no, so went further to 1000 grit, still could not get an even tone all around.
It was not bad at all, looked quite good, but just not even and uniform all around.
Then climbed in with steel wool, still not good enough, now parts, here and there were starting to shine already, so stuff it, gave up on the look and just carried on polishing it up.
Anyway, the long and short of it is, we are back to polished forks.





Well, I guess shiny forks it is, not to phased about it, it will still show up good....I think?

One of the problems, was not having a vice to hold stuff while sanding or polishing, but of course a plan can always be made, drill a few holes in your work bench and bolt the forks to it









Then tonight I get home to a letter from the body corporate of the complex that I am renting in.
Something along the lines of;

RE: Major Repairs
Complaints were recieved regarding "Major Repair" in the garage of unit xx (motor cycle rebuild) This is an infringment of the Conduct rules of XXXX Body Corporate, Rule 5, Para 5.3 and sub para 5.3.1
The trustees therefore request your co-operation in this matter to stop this practice immediately.
If more complaints are recieved, there shall be a penalty of R500.00 induced............and yadda yadda yadda....

So it would seem that has effectivly brought Jennifer's makeover to a grinding halt. F&*king SOB's