Ole Rusty

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MelloYellow

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Hello all -
Brand new member, with a story (and reason for joining):

A non-biker friend informed me in December his father-in-law had a "Norton-something, Commander?" rotting away for the last 30+ years under his deck in Boulder Creek, Calif. (home of the redwoods, almost jungle-like rainfall). I immediately insisted we go to rescue it, to not let it rust away into oblivion.

Ole Rusty


Sure enough, it's a 1970 Commando Fastback with a Dunstall fairing and rearsets, all with a beautiful corrosion-resistant patina of rust.
Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders, WD-40, carb cleaner, and Gunk everywhere else, fresh plugs, oil and oil lines, and a lot of giggling wires, and GLORY BE! IT RUNS!

Ole Rusty


We've decided to just get it to a point where it's (reasonably) safe to ride, so: new tires, chain, etc. I've put 20 gentle miles on it already, it suprisingly runs pretty well (after I boiled out the Amal 930s). The charging system even works (!)

My question: fiberglass tank - does everybody use Caswell sealer these days? Has anyone written up a step-by-step of how to do this? Alternate methods/products? Thanks in advance for any info.

The cool thing about this bike is it has THE SOUND: rolling off the gas going downhill in a canyon is a beautifull thing!

Cheers
MelloYellow
 
WOW! The bodywork looks very nice for having sat so long!

Very nice find.. I'm incredibly jealous..

I would definitely recommend sealing the tank. Caswell is good, from what I hear.

-Jordan
 
nice find!
do a search on caswell's or fiberglass sealers - there's pages on it

for my 2 cents worth i think its pretty useless - it seems it eventually is going to leak ... but sure you can spends countless hrs reading other threads about it

good luck!
 
Cool find. I have a friend I was just talking to about the caswell sealer last night. He uses it in fiberglass tanks successfully, but said it's hard to get it to stick properly. I've not used it, but he said it's nice if you can do the job properly. PREPPING is apparently the secret, which is the story with just about anything chemical.
 
britbike220 said:
... but he said it's nice if you can do the job properly. PREPPING is apparently the secret, which is the story with just about anything chemical.
Click to expand...


And that be the problem. How does one know what is good enough?
 
First off...very cool! But you knew that!

Now my two cents on the tank. Check out the repair Jean did by cutting open the tank and coating the inside before sealing it back up. If I found a vintage bike that had a fiberglass tank that had never had methanol run through it...I would keep it that way! No methanol! I would also search for a steel or alloy tank.

Holy smokes...I am jealous as hell.

Russ
 
Guess I'd view it as prep by the instructions like with a steel tank and go through it carefully. There is no guarantee with a steel tank liner sticking either, but why not give it a try? I'm sure there are fiberglass tanks out there being run with success and I'd venture to guess not too many steel fastback tanks floating around cheap.
 
batrider said:
britbike 220 said:
... but he said it's nice if you can do the job properly. PREPPING is apparently the secret, which is the story with just about anything chemical.
Click to expand...


And that be the problem. How does one know what is good enough?
Click to expand...
For fiberglass, soap and water, dry completely then throw in a pint of acetone. Swish it around for a minute or 2 then get it out of there. Dry it again completely then you are ready for the very toxic smelling sealer. The smellier the better and this stuff will knock you down(Hirsch).
For steel I got a quart of bad ass liquid drain cleaner from the hardware store. Not the crap from the grocery store. This will remove surface rust and etch. Rinse the crap out of it of course. Dry thoroughly and continue with the acetone as with the fiberglass.
 
For fiberglass, soap and water, dry completely then throw in a pint of acetone. Swish it around for a minute or 2 then get it out of there. Dry it again completely then you are ready for the very toxic smelling sealer. The smellier the better and this stuff will knock you down(Hirsch).
For steel I got a quart of bad ass liquid drain cleaner from the hardware store. Not the crap from the grocery store. This will remove surface rust and etch. Rinse the crap out of it of course. Dry thoroughly and continue with the acetone as with the fiberglass.
Click to expand...

Follow above advice then can use either Hirsh or Caswell sealer but should put two or more coats on then can forgetabout it. Accetone will dissolve grime to make epoxy stick but also dissolves resin to don't leave long and best to hair drier evaporate a day or so before sealing.
 
It really is a great find. The difference from the barn to the semi clean stage is pretty cool.
 
coated my tank with coswell, applied two coats. Not sure how it's going to work haven't put gas in the tank yet, but i can tell you to keep the petcock drain valve holes open. If you don't blow air threw the hole it will seal over the hole. Every few minutes for about an hour. It happen to me !
 
Nice find! Ken Arman (Norton specialist) in Campbell, CA does a nice job doing the Caswell coating-he did my 73 roadster tank that had already been painted.

Tom Kullen
AHRMA 44x
BEARS/Formual 750
'70 Commando roadracer
Norton/Rickman 850 shortstoke
888 Commando Canyon Carver
'47 Norton ES2
'89 Norton F1 Rotary-pre production prototype
 
Vary Nice! I am glad to hear you got her purring again. I was originally debating if I should attempt to get my Ruster running prior to disassembly. You have just strengthen my regret not to try.

By the way, that shinny chrome peashooter muffler is really out of place. I have a pair that would match it perfectly!
 
Wow! I was ridding not far from there last year, nice find but I wish I found it first... As far as the tank you should check out this web site and talk to George. He gives a 100% life of the tank garentee. I'm sending him mine to do soon. fueltankservice.com good luck and enjoy those amazing roads!
 
Ooops that's supposed to be fueltankservices.com the guy seems to know his stuff and claims to be able to seal any tank permenently. Only time will tell.
 
Getting even a few years use is better than just putting it on a shelf and not using it at all, better if it lasts a lifetime of course. Seems the tank is worthless just sitting not being used unless it's going on someones pretty museum piece.
 
Welcome to the forum.

Great barn find!

Realistically, it'll cost less to do a teardown and overhaul NOW, instead of after the engine blows up.

It would be a shame to do otherwise.
 
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