been awhile

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Hello,

been awhile since i've been on this forum,
and been awhile (5 yrs.?) since my '69 Fastback has
been out of the garage. My main scoot is
a '74 HD shovel, owned 26 years, the '69 has
been with me since 1977 however.
sure would appreciate some suggestions-
course, have to do the obvious, carbs.,
batt., TIRES. Should i take them (wheels) to a shop,
(acutally an authentic orig. Norton Triumph
dealer !!!) to have bearings, races, seals etc.
done ?, or refer to the 'BOOK'. i am an upper
average wrench, but to my old eyes, sure
appears to be a classic case of English Over- Engineering
for the back wheel... ! spacers aplenty....
BUT i do have a good bro with a motorcycle tire
machine, that we are proficient with...

has anyone used/had experience with a battery eliminator,
i have dual point mag....
or is a gel cel the way to go ?

sorry for the ramble, just one more...
i am going to repaint, what is presently on there is IMRON...,
i'm sure it'll be fun... what are my options for the
fibreglass i.e., tank, rear fender, on stripping the
paint without damage....
why i ever decided back in '78 or '79 to paint the dang
thing WHITE ???? !!!

i appreciate your 'eye time'.
don't be surprised to find another question or 3 in
the future.
sure appears to be some very "get along" people here..

69fb
IOWA, USA !
 
All the things on your list plus, You know all those female bullet conectors in your harness they are all toast from age count them buy new here http://www.britishwiring.com/ and replace them. Also the pod switches on the handle bars take them down to the ety bitts clean and rebuild them watch the kill switch carful it stops alot of running bikes at the worst times. Check that the grond wires to the frame and coils are good and replace your rectifier with the ratio shack one.
 
A '69 won't have the pod switches, but the Wipac Triconsul. This one is a little trickier to take apart to clean, but I find it is more robust, so if you aren't having problems here, you might want to not take it apart.
Replacing wheel bearings and seals is pretty easy if you are somewhat proficient. Use sealed bearings where possible. If you have access to some machine work, you can even replace the double row bearings with sealed ones.
I'm not a fan of battery eliminators, but a gel cell battery will keep the acid fumes down while providing good voltage for an electronic ignition (highly suggested).
Stripping Imron (polyurethane) from fiberglass is a chore. I'm afraid your only option is to sand it down. Don't use chemical strippers as it will soften the resin in the fiberglass. Media blasting might damage the fiberglass as well. Since the tank resin-based material, just sand it down until you get a well bonded layer and re-prime.
Seal the tank on the inside before you repaint. I suggest RedKote or Caswell platings epoxy. Caswell is the only sealer I have found that claims it works on fiberglass, but I have witnessed several fiberglass tanks lined with RedKote that are working perfectly after 5-6 years.
Tires. If you ride spiritedly, try the 100/90-19 Avon SuperVenoms. If you have the stock front fender you may need to use a Roadrunner 90/90-19 to clear the fender braces. If you would rather keep the stock look and ride more conservatively, the Dunlop K81's are still available in 4.10H-19 and tho scarce, you can still find the 3.60H-19 fronts.
 
Thanks Ron,

I appreciate you taking the time for the
detailed advice. So, essentially what your'e
sayin' about the tank is if I can get it
flat, (not necessarily take all of the white
off...?) I can get away with it?
Definitely not looking forward to it, but
what's on there now is certainly not
overly-becoming...
Am thinking if I get her roadworthy over
the next couple of months, I'll paint
during winter.

My budget will be doing well to get that
accomplished what with new rubber and all...

There should be some type of 'grant thing'
available to us diehards tryin' to keep our
English machines on the road, don't You think ???!!!

Be safe all.
69fb
 
69fb,
Yes, sand it flat and check for any "soft" spots that will cause the paint film to lift later. If all is smooth and solid, then prime and paint. If you have bubbles in the fiberglass, then you might need to grind deep and fill with fiberglass resin (polyester) or some hard setting epoxy. A friend of mine swears by wicking superglue in these areas. Definitely line the tank to prevent future bubbles.
 
Excellent, Ron. That gives me a little
bit of reassurance at least !!!

Like I said, I'm lookin' @ winter type
project. I hope I can get it to the
road- ready stage sooner than later.

Very much appreciate your time.

dave
69fb
 
Imron paint

69fb: Imron is an epoxy type paint, ie: two part. Unless there is a problem with it, such as lifting/peeling, you should not have to remove it. The only concern would be clearance for proper fit of the badges in the side of the tank of the fastbacks. This you may have to sand, bearing in mind the thickness of the new paint (and primer, if used). There aren't any sharp lines or edges that need to be defined on your bodywork. That being the case, the only reason for sanding the tank would be fixxing chips and scratches, shaping areas that were not corrected before the Imron was sprayed, and the overall sanding for surface prep before spraying. BTW, use a dust mask when sanding, as the Imron paint was toxic when sprayed, and the fine particles may cause some lung problems. ( not positive about it )

I think that all the new automotive paints are toxic, ie: two part, with hardener, with catalyzer, etc., especially paints that are used in the HVLP paint guns. They should be sprayed with a proper resperator/air supply and a full suit, as you can absorb some of the stuff through the skin.
 
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