to recommission not restore

[Rocket Racer]

There was a fair bit of discussion on the for sale thread when a very rusty looking but unmolested very early road rocket went on flea bay last year.
Now as the owner of a replica '55 RR track only machine, a genuine unmolested early as RR from the first year (the 128th made of a few hundred) rang my bell.

Now I'm a great believer in preserving the stories these bikes tell and the '54 was a one owner bike with low miles still sporting the original dealer decals.
So the plan is to quietly strip it to replace all the bearings and seals, inspect and unless I find disasters retain all the original "features". I won't be in a hurry, I have the super rocket mobile but this bike is a keeper. I can live with the peeling chrome.

This bike will (all going to plan) just be mechanically worked through and preserved, then ridden!
Twin port head/10TT9 carb as standard 

I'm currently just enjoying looking at it...

[Klaus]

Hi Tim,
my congratulations to this awsome bike
For preserving the authentical look,the best results were given with Owatroloil.
I found an english translation about in net. Here is the link.

http://owatrol.com/en/all-our-products/7936-owatrol-oil.html

May be its availalable in NewZealand.

I still wait for my set of enginecases coming back, to make the promissed engingestand for you.
So you can split the cases and build up the engine without falling off the bench or using a vice.

cheers Klaus

[Tomcat]

Thats just perfect RR, I believe it's called patina and if it was mine... The car mobs in AU are fixing the mechanicals of barn finds and clear coating the paint, IMHO a great look.
My '48 Longstroke needs a cosmetic make over, but will prolly never happen as I like the way it makes it look older. Always a great conversation starter too, one mate says when are you going to restore it?, another mate says don't you Fn touch it! 
As ever, it's your bike so do it as you wish. Cheers TC

[KiwiGF]

Well I'm very interested in how you get along Tim, and I guess so will be quite a few others.

I'm trying the "preserve" approach on my old Armstrong (car) - the effort in retaining "patina" is not always appreciated!

[Rocket Racer]

Thanks guys, they sell owatrol oil in Oz, so maybe I can get a can sent over.
I still have a lot of clearing up to do from moving house and this bike needs some space so I can quietly go through it.
It certainly won't happen overnight but I will keep the forum up to date and Klaus that engine stand could be just the ticket.

Hoping to take the super rocket for a coffee run this weekend over to Helensville, the national BSA rally is in a four weeks down to New Plymouth (Inglewood) and looking forward to some good riding with friends over the summer.

[Angus]

She looks great Tim.
I had my A7 restored back to how it was when I bought it in 1976, it was shiny then and its quite shiny now (lots of chrome and paint done in the 80’s but never used). I then bought the A10 because of its history and it continues to grow on me, it’s a lovely bike and rides really well. its a joy to tell its story when asked if I am going to ‘do it up’. On the subject of one owner bikes, the Norton Model 7 I bought, was a one owner bike. The problem is the owner knew it so well and ‘used’ it so he did not care about using metric nuts and bolts and just making things work. Then as he aged and used it less he just kept patching things but never tested them on the road. She is back in one piece but I think maybe I should have stripped her and checked inside as well as out. Again she has never been restored and to me looks great.

[jachenbach]

Looks good to me as is, Tim. Much to be said for riding an unrestored bike, IMO. I've seen too many restored bikes that people then didn't ride because it was a job to clean them after, afraid of scratches or other damage, etc. Especially with multiple bikes, it's too easy to spend time cleaning/polishing rather than riding. Nothing wrong with that, if that's what you enjoy, but I'd rather just ride!

[coater87]

 Over here they call it un-restored/restored.

 Mechanically everything is gone through and works very well.

 The looks of the car (or bike in this case) is only ever altered to keep the vehicle stable from deteriorating further, or to keep it safe to use.

 I have never done this, but I understand it takes a lot of effort to pull off well.

 Its not hard to imagine what the bike would look like with one brand new shiny rim or a new set of mufflers.

 Kind of the opposite effect of a dent in the side of a brand new car.

 Lee

[Rocket Racer]

Lee, I know what you mean. much of the chrome could readily be redone as the parts are not painted, but of course the tank as a central piece cannot without repainting. The mufflers are totally stuffed, the rims have completely peeled and some of the stays have little chrome left, yet the guards are still really good. The front of the tank on both sides has lost or will lose chrome as its all lifted.
I took the seat off and the base was sound, not the slightest issue .
A full respray and rechrome would be much easier.
The control cables I've looked at are badly corroded. But looking in the primary inspection and GB inspections no sign of corrosion inside.
The header pipes are really good.
This bike will give me a lot of head scratching; the barrel for example, should I repaint it. The battery case is sound but no paint left so may make sense to paint things that are not visible.
The garage does need some more organising before I properly start on this ; now whats that adage about the road to hell being paved with good intentions.
Tim

[Tomcat]

The garage does need some more organising before I properly start on this ;
Tim


So just sit in the big comfy seat in the garage, grab a beer, and contemplate the new direction of this Man Art
Cheers Peter

[Rocket Racer]

yes the garage does have a beer fridge...
am going for a ride tomorrow.

[KiwiGF]

Tidying the shed, putting up shelves, making lists, cleaning the bike, are all good ways of keeping the progress going when stuck for ideas and/or motivation I reckon.....

One possible approach to rusty parts, or those with bad chrome is clear coat them? I'm not sure how long that lasts but there are some very rusty looking cars about, that have been clear coated to keep them semi preserved that way.

Quite a mind set change to try to retain rust, rather than automatically remove it!

[Rocket Racer]

Did some preliminary investigation today: took off the exhausts, tank, sump plate, oiltank drain and magneto.
plenty of sludge, little oil but no rust and everything came off without any forcing.
The rh footrest is a bit bent as is the footrest bolt and some scraping under the rh pipe. some evidence of a wiring issue near the regulator and battery.
One of the pipes is stamped A10RS, they have a clear kick up towards the rear. Both mufflers are totally shot, one fell off when I removed the pillion foot rest and the rh pipe had a baffle extension in the header  hadn't seen that before 
I didnt photograph the tank underside, but the unfaded red is stunning.

[coater87]

 I know that with things like the barrels, you dont completely repaint them. You clean up the rusty spots and then paint those spots with the closest match you can get.

 Thats the preservation part.

 Its never going to match, but anyone who knows what they are looking at will be able to see the original paint was left and the barrels are being well looked after. Same thing for any other painted surface. You do the best you can to save all the original paint that you can, but foremost must be the preservation of the machine as a whole from further deterioration.

 I know you are still mulling over what to do with the bike, and the above is a metric-ass-ton of work.

 You could still completely restore the bike using all the original parts, get all the original hardware cad plated, get the tank rechromed, etc.

 Or just rebuild it, and only replace parts that fall off or fail.

 Whichever way you go its a beautiful bike, and its going to be fun. 

 Lee

[Rocket Racer]

Have been quietly investigating and this morning lifted the head.
Sadly it has been stored with either a plug out or a valve open as one bore is clean the other rusty and stuck.
But some interesting observations: the bore looks like its still std, which might be the case for a bike with a claimed 11k on the speedo and only used for 9 years. However the pistons are 7.25:1 flat tops    and the rocker box to head gaskets are thin alloy and nicely made.
The cush drive on the crank is also 4 lobe.
The primary was all in good order, no corrosion, but the clutch nut wasn't tight and once I'd flattened the tab washer was able to undo it without a spanner. Have yet to remove clutch centre, I hate doing those they have fought me on so many bikes.