Now that there has been a sensible decision about the direction of travel with the chrome etc, that has started a bit of a change of thought on a few other areas as well.
Firstly though, I've sent off various bits of "tinware" to my tame mechanic to have them sand-blasted, ready for painting. They all seem to be in good condition so I'm hoping that these will come back needing minimal preparation before I can repaint them.
Carrying on the thinking about the chromework, and particularly around what I want to end up with from this project - i.e. ...
".. a presentable old bike that I could happily roll up to a classic show on and display, safe in the knowledge it would never win a prize for best in show, but also that I won't be afraid to sling some camping gear on the back of and head off to the Classic TT or on a weekend camping trip"
... I've decided that I am not going to throw money at the bike where I don't need to and not going to get hung up in the pursuit of originality.
So decision 1 has been to hand paint the frame and swinging arm etc with black enamel, rather than get it powder-coated. I reckon that I can get a decent finish with a brush and it will protect it just as well, if not better, after having heard quite a few horror stories of flaking powder coating. Plus, if it does chip I can just touch it up. That decision will save me over £100.
I was going to see if I could get the frame sand -blasted but it's too big for my mechanic's blasting cabinet and other local places are either too busy or won't take on non-commercial work. I decided that I was spending so much time chasing around trying to get this done; then having to drive some distance to deliver and collect etc, that I could just do it myself with a drill and stripping wheels! I don't particularly WANT to do it, as it's a bit of a messy horrible job, but I like that I am in control of it again and also again that there will be a lot more of "me" in the end result 🙂. I did some experimental stuff for a few minutes and it's coming up fine - I reckon if I set aside half a day I'll have it done. (Of course I am taking dust precautions - mask / outside etc - as it will probably be lead based paint.)
Before:
So, some other areas of "new approach" this weekend:
1) I had a go at cleaning up and polishing the headlamp rim and bezel. Rechromers wanted £60 for these and reproductions are available for about £30. My version below is about 50p worth of chrome polish and half an hour of my time and I have the benefit of retaining some '60's "patina".
2) I stripped the paint off the battered old number plate and tail lamp mounting and hammered out the worst of the bends and dents, ready for a repair to the top part, where it has previously been very clumsily hacked about to fit the "wrong" light unit. I've ordered a new light unit so that I can get the shape of the top of the mount right.
3) I was in two minds about refurbishing the old shock absorbers (see here). I realised that I was going to have to spend at least £40 on new bushes and chrome covers before I even started repainting etc, and they would still be 60 year old shocks which are, in reality, a wear item like brakes etc. I found some new Girling reproduction ones for £95 from NJB Shocks
and was moving towards getting those, but then I came across some "new, unused" Armstrong shocks on EBay which are for a Bullet 350 but will fit the Crusader as well. I got them for £35 🙂 - not the original style, but they won't look out of place either.
I'm feeling much happier about the way this is going now - like I've got a really solid plan of attack.
I also ordered new swing arm bushes and axle at the weekend. The old bushes will need pushing out with a press, so once they arrive and I've stripped the paint, I'll get Paul to push the old ones out and the new ones in.
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