The front wheel assembled, only the hub is original.
The back wheel is now reassembled, everything has been stripped and cleaned, I still need to get some thin locking wire to go through the bolts that hold the sprocket on. I am quite pleased with it so far, I need to make some sort of paddock stand for it before I go too much further, it will make working on it so much easier.
It's been properly wet, properly dismal and properly busy just recently so my restoration projects haven't had as much attention as I would have liked. I had ordered new wheel rims but when they came they looked too thick and clumpy compared to the originals so I bought some more that are more in keeping with the lightweight nature of the little beast.
I had to order spokes and nipples, which was a bit of a challenge as the originals were only 2mm thick and the holes for the nipples tend to be too large in modern rims. The Takasago ones I found were fine though and went together with no issues. I still don't enjoy putting wheels together, I find it far too time consuming, I have got much better at it now though.
My workshop is a mess as I have had to bring a lot of stuff in from my other workshop to give me space to work on the hot rod. I always have an excuse for the state of my waork space.
The hubs were fully polished before I started assembly, I have done them so they are probably a bit more shiny than when they came out of the factory but I haven't gone full Harry on them. Full Harry refers to a guy called Harry Overton who runs a company called Briteworx and is probably the best polisher in the country. I have no idea how he does it but he can make the roughest piece of ally look like chrome. If you want the best finish possible and don't want to spend days doing it for yourself then get in touch with him, he really is the business - 07861 778841
It was a good while since I had taken everything apart so it took a while to remember how it all hung together but it get there in the end. I forgot to order some new inner tubes and I don't see the point of putting the old ones back so I am a bit held up again now. I am also still waiting for the gear cluster that I ordered 6 weeks ago, I checked in with them about 10 days back and they hadn't even started it then so with having to send it away for hardening I guess I have at least another week's wait on that. I will ring them on Monday and see what gives.
Originally the bike had a side stand but that was removed for lightness, as was the tang on the frame that it used to pivot from. I guess it was another weight saving measure, this bike really is a proper lightweight, as it needs to be with under 2 bhp from it's 49cc 2 stroke engine. It's all very primitive, I think it may have been ported for a bit more power but it has never had an expansion chamber, which any 2 stroke needs to get sensible power. I shall keep it as original as I can, I don't intend to race it and want originality over performance.
I am rather annoyed to have realised that the tube welded to the frame is not for the rear of the tank as I had presumed, which means there is nothing for the tank to hang from. This gives me a dilemma as it means I have to remove some paint so I can weld a tube on and then repaint it - not where I wanted to be going really. Totally my fault, I made an assumption and it was the wrong one. I believe the tube that remains on the frame was for the tool box that the road going bikes had, but was removed for racing. Why that tube is left and the tank mount one has been removed is anybody's guess.
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