What is the consensus. Clean it, or clean it and paint it? I plan to ride this bike.
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- Thread starter jetmechmarty
- Start date
What is the consensus. Clean it, or clean it and paint it? I plan to ride this bike.
if one part of the bike is a bit cruddy, (meaning the second hand parts are 10-15 footers), depending of the other parts condition then the engine has to match........
Last I knew, you were gonna powdercoat the frame.... right?
You have new paint on the tins...
Paint it.
"I plan to ride this bike"... doesn't mean it can't look good when it first goes back on the road.
I spent a ton of time making my SG look like new.... always with the intention of riding it. Yeah, it did look like new. It doesn't now.
That's a long way of saying the two aren't mutually exclusive... make it look great, then ride the wheels off it.
You have new paint on the tins...
Paint it.
"I plan to ride this bike"... doesn't mean it can't look good when it first goes back on the road.
I spent a ton of time making my SG look like new.... always with the intention of riding it. Yeah, it did look like new. It doesn't now.
That's a long way of saying the two aren't mutually exclusive... make it look great, then ride the wheels off it.
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The aluminum looks in good shape from the pics - you could go with either and look good. I sometimes save the paint or cerakote for cases that would take a lot of refinishing otherwise. I'm no help
Clean it and paint it. If you only clean it you’ll reassemble the motor, get it in the frame and say “damn, I should’ve painted it”. As is tradition.
are they darkened Silver or faded black?
either case ;^) I'm for a quick rattle bomb with engine paint.
either case ;^) I'm for a quick rattle bomb with engine paint.
The engine came out of a 1981 Special II. I already painted the jugs and top cover black. I painted the cylinder head in silver. I have plenty more silver paint. So, I'll use it.
May as well send all the acorn nuts for a quick replate....
At a distance they look fine
I would clean them and inspect and most likely not paint them ..
Partly because stock factory paint can be better than other .. And I also like some wear giving it Authenticity.
No one here complains if an " Old " motorcycle shows some dings and a non perfect surface.
Stock is good....
Cars was regularly Re Painted ..back in the day. Not always now ..even if the paint is almost non existent ..
And it is also expensive ..to do it properly.
I would clean them and inspect and most likely not paint them ..
Partly because stock factory paint can be better than other .. And I also like some wear giving it Authenticity.
No one here complains if an " Old " motorcycle shows some dings and a non perfect surface.
Stock is good....
Cars was regularly Re Painted ..back in the day. Not always now ..even if the paint is almost non existent ..
And it is also expensive ..to do it properly.
The case got paint. It’s going together with a stainless kit. At the rate I’m going this will take an eternity.
I got a complete set of stainless. The four stud tappet cover nuts aren't JIS, so.....
I hate this part. If I pull the cam bearings, I'm not sure I can get them back on. I'm going to get more aggressive with the .032 safety wire. All while keeping the timing.
A long #3 phillips screwdriver in the cam gives lots of leverage.
You can also use deep well sockets for spacers and install the head nuts to suck the head down a bit.
IME, the cam bearings slide on/off fairly easy at that point (likely only one side needed) to "walk" the chain to get the master @ straight-up - if that's what you're trying to achieve
I hope it's OK to leave right here. I'm out of time for today. Thanks for the help as always.
Happy New Year friends! I hope to ride this thing in 2023. I got a title and a plate! All I lack is finishing up. 
Looks great Marty !! Nice work.
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Yes, that came out nice. The rivet job on the cam chain master link looks great, and the cam timing (slightly ahead of vertical) is perfect. As the cam chain stretches out (a little bit rather quickly at first), the cam will roll backwards and come into perfect time. The only thing I see that may be amiss is the cam bearings. Did you push them on each end of the cam as far in as they would go? In your last pic, they don't look inset much. I know it looks wrong when you're assembling it because the inner bearing on each side hangs off the seat area in the head, but that's how it's got to be so the bearings sit in enough to allow clearance for the points/advance housings and also to keep the cam centered .....
