So git 'er Done

[DaveO]

Mine was an aluminum tank, 2.5 gal., not sure why the clean out?

Definitely steel. Definitely some rust. I already had the vinegar and I've never done it before.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/315111279008

 

[Adamc]

I've not heard it run yet.

I bought it last year and it's been in the garage since, hidden under lots of other stuff. We moved house back to the North East (North Shields, Tyne and Wear) and the house is smaller and the garage is too. Garages in the UK are much smaller, in any case. I've just dragged it out.

My middle son bought me a pillar box red triumph t-shirt. I remembered seeing a Triumph 250 for sale on Facebook Marketplace nearly a year before in the same colour. So, I took a look, and it was still for sale. No offers. Kismet.

It was a genuine barn find. The man was a farmer, and it was in the barn. He'd had it for a while but hadn't had it on the road since 2016. The tank, mudguards and side panels were all freshly repainted about that time. But he didn't get it all back together and there it sat.

No battery
No chain
Throttle broken
No handlebar grips
Throttle cable hanging down (It didn't seem to reach the throttle and i looked for a decompressor lever. But it was connected to the carb so I don't know what went on there.)

It's a rebadged BSA a TR25, I think. Triumph made a trail bike out what was the BSA Starfire and most of them, I think, went for the export market. As far as I can see it is completely original apart from a Domino twist grip, Boyer Bransden ignition and the after-market "air strainer". It kicked over with loads of compression so I took a chance.

Its OIF (oil in the frame). There doesn't appear to be a damaged or rounded nut or bolt anywhere. So, it's not been apart, I guess. The speedo odometer reads 8,000 miles and I think it's the original.

Its 1971. I still haven't stopped grinning.

Gotta do a build thread. Plenty of pics please.

 

[DaveO]

Gotta do a build thread. Plenty of pics please.

I'm not sure it would be much of a "build" but I'm happy to oblige with some more photos @Adamc .

I'm keen to continue with my XS650's development. It's running but very scruffy. It's got lots of scope. But at the minute I'm space and garage challenged.

 

[DaveO]

The vinegar I had didn't smell that potent when I poured it in and on examination turned out to be only 5%. Up to 40% is available for cleaning driveways and killing weeds. So. thought I was wasting my time. Pressing on. I used an overnight soak then roof tacks and a good shake. Several good shakes in fact. Great core exercise. I feel quite sore.

I had to rinse and repeat several times until no more rust particles came out. Used bicarbonate of soda (baking powder) to neutralise the acid and then dried it out using a fan heater. I wasnt sure this was going to work but the metal gets quite hot and it dried out brilliantly. Gave it a quick swill out with petrol that had some two stroke oil in it.

Not sure if all this is all good practice, but just reporting what I did.

I've not done this before and was surprised how much muck came out. And now my XS650 tank is going to keep me awake at night. (I have filters fitted, though.) Still wet, cold and windy. Still working outside. Carburettor tomorrow.

 

[Raymond]

Sounds like good practice - I've certainly heard of people rinsing an empty tank with petrol-two stroke mix to coat the inside and keep rust at bay.

 

[46th Georgia]

Sounds like good practice - I've certainly heard of people rinsing an empty tank with petrol-two stroke mix to coat the inside and keep rust at bay.

Perhaps kerosene or diesel mixed with 2 stroke oil. Higher viscosity (clings to vertical surface better) safer than gasoline and the residue will mix with gas when you are ready to use it. Just a thought.

 

[DaveO]

My thought was to prevent flash rust until I got it back on bike with petrol in it. (And I had petrol with two stroke oil in it to hand).

 

[jetmechmarty]

Fogging oil is what I use.

 

[Raymond]

Fogging oil is what I use.

No need to be offensive!