cubastreet Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Just picked this up. It needs plenty of work but I've got most of another bike for spares. It's a 69 T500 Plan at the moment is to strip it down, rebuild the motor, repaint and see how much I can clean up the chrome. It needs a new seat, not sure on shape but it has to carry 2. Give me some suggestions. Like the colour scheme of this bike: so might go for the red/white theme too. I quite like the red frame. I'll just tickle the motor a bit, nothing wild. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Sofa King Mean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingbrick Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Thats going to be a good looking bike!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris.QCR Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Very Very nice bike! Looking forward to seeing this progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRK Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 omg jelyous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vintage Grumble Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Badass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seedy Al Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 You cunt. So jealous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfalfa Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Faaaark mean! BikeNats 2013 fuckin rights! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelies Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 shit, thats bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anglia4 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 So tempted to poach that color scheme! I've totally fallen in love with the bright red frame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solidstripe Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Sicko! Man it's got a good looking body for a '69! Digging your colour scheme idea - do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubastreet Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 I don't have money to be spending on this at the moment so it'll be a slow build. I'm not sure what the bars are off, everything else looks pretty standard. They don't look too bad flipped upside down, so it sets the scene for a bit of a cafe style: I should have a brand new set of chambers in black, but the owner gave me a box with guzzi pipes by mistake so I'll swap them with him sometime. I'll give the guards a bit of a chop and find some small indicators for it, grab some rearsets off a katana or something and ride the shit out of it. I'll stick with the useless drums cos they look so dope. Who wants to slow down anyway? I'm considering lightening it a little with the angle grinder because it's 187kg standard, but not sure I have the heart to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borgweiser Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Heard a rumour you had brought these.. Funny how word gets round, love riding these 500's nothing, nothing, nothing then BrRRRRRRRRAaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris.QCR Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Looks awesome already with the bars dropped. Im loving all these Classic bikes on oldschool now. ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubastreet Posted October 5, 2012 Author Share Posted October 5, 2012 Well I started stripping it: The motor looks nice and big now it's not hidden by all those unnecessary items like the pipes and fuel tank. I can't believe people actually put screws back in when they get this bad. These were on the timing cover: Fortunately the impact driver shifted them. I tried tinfoil and vinegar on the chrome, but it was too much hassle so I knocked together a bath for electrolysis. Basically you buy, steal or make something to hold enough water to soak the parts you want to de-rust. I made a box out of scrap wood big enough to put the pipes in, then lined it with a cheap tarp. Fill it with water then add something to make it conduct electricity. Normally people seem to use washing soda, but I didn't have any around so I used dishwasher powder. Put the item you want to de-rust in, and hook it up to the negative lead of a battery charger. Hook the positive lead to a piece of scrap steel and throw that in the wash too, making sure it doesn't touch the other hunk of metal. Turn on the power, and it de-rusts all by itself. I should have taken more photos for before-after, but this headlamp bowl thingy was pretty much covered in rust: If only it would bring the chrome back .... I like that they put this on the exhaust: Of course I won't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubastreet Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 Thought I'd add a quick update to this.. The bike is completely stripped and I've been slowly cleaning up all the pieces. This should be pretty quick because it's just a bike, but after 15 years in a damp basement it's a fair bit of work. The T500 had a known problem with chewing up the 4th and 5th gears when the oil level dropped a fraction. This was fixed later on by installing a rubber dam in the spot where it would overflow into the clutch housing, and the capacity was increased from 1200 to 1400cc My bike didn't get that fix, so the gears were screwed. Luckily I had a spare motor in pieces which had a holed piston. Unfortunately whoever diamantled the motor put the gears in an icecream container with some water and they got seriously pitted. So after 2 months of searching I found another gearbox in Invergiggle. Also picked up a nos seat cover from England, engine seals and carb rebuild kits from Japan, squish heads from Palmie... Still need swingarm bushings (anyone got some phosphor bronze I can have?) steering head bearings a seat pan that hasn't rusted apart a gearshift lever footpeg rubbers and tyres Hopefully I can get it all back together before the summer disappears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goat Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Oh man, can wait to see/hear this. Rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRK Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I might have some footpeg rubbers. they real cheap on tm tho from that brit spares place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelies Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Oh man, can wait to see/hear this. Rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubastreet Posted December 17, 2012 Author Share Posted December 17, 2012 I was so excited yesterday when the courier arrived with my replacement gearbox. Only, it looks the same as the original one with wear on 4th and 5th. I've been told that gears are hardened, but once you've worn through the surface they'll wear really quick. Anyone can confirm/deny this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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