Almost impossible restoration

[Freedom]

What's been your most difficult restoration but turned out very successful?

 

[pidjones]

None have been really "easy". My first GL1000 restore required shaving cylinder walls with a single-edge razor held with a hemostat to remove rust from the walls plus several PO issues. Then the '79 CB750F had wrong forks, bad and wrong cam caps. The next '78 GL1000 hd all 16 float bowl screws stripped out and required a lot of massaging to get the starter clutch working reliably. My RD400c was a basket case - plus my first 2 stroke restore. All of these came out fine. Right now the '72 Triumph T150V is kicking my tail. Someone used High-temp RTV all over it. Many other PO issues plus missing parts. The British forum experts are not quite as friendly as the GL1000 board folks are. I'd say that first GL1000 (turned out to have a '75 engine and '78 frame) is the best although they all came out well. I still have it and except for a plug of RTV that a PO had used to glue in valve cover gaskets (plugged the right head oil restrictor and cost me a cam and head) it has been pretty trouble-free.

 

[Freedom]

WOW. That must be a gift and a good amount of patience, doing not one but five very challenging restorations? I bet they're all rewarding.

 

[Lowrider Bud]

I believe 'pidjones' summed it up pretty well, "the most difficult part of an ol' bike restoration is finding and fixing the poor repairs done by the POs."

I'll add that POs are not real good about telling all they know about what's been done, what needs to be done. Some are just short on factual information.

Later, Bud...

 

[Old Fogey]

I'll add that POs are not real good about telling all they know about what's been done, what needs to be done. Some are just short on factual information.

There is a saying in the car trade - 'buyers are liars'. Applies equally well to sellers. Caveat emptor always.