Commando dilemma - what's a guy to do?

pkeithkelly · Sep 13, 2009

I have a dilemma, and maybe some of you on this forum have faced this exact situation before - what should I do?

Is the glass half full or half empty?

Is this a bunch of spare parts? Or is it a bike with parts missing?

What to do about this? Sell parts? Put them back in the corner? Scrounge up what's missing?

Here's the situation. I have a pile of spare parts (plenty more than shown) and have to decide what to do next .....

It's a Mark 3

Who has faced this quandary before? What did you do?

I thought it would be sensible to ask the wise members of this forum before discussing with my wife. You guys understand this stuff - but her........... you know what I mean.

Thanks

Keith

grandpaul · Sep 13, 2009

Couple hundred bucks and a week or two with your head down, and you can have that sucker running!

Chris · Sep 13, 2009

Hi
I usually start with less than that.
I do try & make a point of selling everything I have left over from a project (unless its needed for spares) If I dont it becomes another project!
The bits look good. I;d build it.
all the best Chris

TPV · Sep 13, 2009

That looks like fun! I don't like to sell or throw away any spare parts; sometimes you can make a good part out of one or two bad ones. I'd say finish it and ride it.

rbt11548 · Sep 13, 2009

You know you want to!, we all know you want to!, all it takes is the first turn of a spanner and you're off........... go for it!!!!

, ok you'll be skint but go for it, just think what you'll have at the end of it, (apart from no money!)

pkeithkelly · Sep 13, 2009

I wasn't fast enough putting the frame and other bits back in my shed after I took the photos.

My wife just cornered me and (predictably) said: "You better not be planning to build a bike!" "The last thing you need is another bike, blah, blah...."

Me: "Of course not dear, I was just playing around "

I already have a Mark 3 that I ride regularly, and I'm sure that it would take at least $5K to $7K to fill in the blanks on this frame - so maybe I will stick it back in the shed and pull it out a couple of times a year to ponder the possibilities.

But if an engine/ gearbox were to magically appear in my shed in the meantime, hmmm....... who knows?

Cookie · Sep 13, 2009

Just collect parts as you find them. Finding bits is part of the fun.

Scooter62 · Sep 13, 2009

The glass is 95/100ths empty.

Scooter

dave M · Sep 13, 2009

This looks like the basis of a fine project. If you have paperwork with the frame I would definitely build a bike around it. If you're not in a hurry you can start to collect parts at reasonable prices as they become available. I have found that if you are in a hurry for something it always seems more expensive than the same thing with less urgency attached.

Cookie · Sep 13, 2009

If luck goes your way you might find a project that needs a frame due to a wreck or loss of documents. Why hurry if you have a runner anyway?

bpatton · Sep 14, 2009

Keith,

You may be in for a struggle with the DMV if you don't have a VIN for that chassis. They've got no heart whatever. It might be a good idea to beat the bushes for a total writeoff and just buy it for the VIN. It sounds like you're already biked up, so the purpose would be the build itself. Which is, as you know, a total blast. Great site, BTW.

chris plant · Sep 14, 2009

hi keith,got to agree with the rest of the guys,its ripe for restoration,go for it

BrianK · Sep 16, 2009

dave M said:
If you're not in a hurry you can start to collect parts at reasonable prices as they become available. I have found that if you are in a hurry for something it always seems more expensive than the same thing with less urgency attached.

This to me is very sensible advice. Troll ebay etc at your leisure and pick up bits that don't attract a lot of bids. The process itself is kinda fun (and I HATE most "shopping" - this is different, somehow). Bike may take a different direction than you foresee at first if some funky parts come your way - cafe tank, rearsets, whatever.

grandpaul · Sep 16, 2009

For what it's worth, the only Mark III specific parts you have there are the footpegs, easily replaced.

Commando dilemma - what's a guy to do?

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