SANDCAST VS DIECAST ALUMINUM INSTRUMENT BODIES

[Riccardo]

i have opened several sandcast and K0 gauges and they all have face plates with a light blue/green backside, the color of the plastic plate.

I've the same experience, some faces are with the rear side in ice blue(early) and others are with the rear sid in green and white (late models and diecast expecially).

All the early models (sandcast gear) are the grommets in black on the lights diffusers, the late model (diecast) have white grommetts.

The black grommet are very resistant in the years but the white grommets are highly crackable in the years.

[vnz00]

These face plates are from sandcast gauges- off an early sandcast bike. I have never seen any like this on all the other diecast gauges I have done in the past. The jewel hoods were black also. So I guess another sandcast production anomaly?
Regards Steven

[tomcourtney]

Thanks for the info guys this is very interesting, Yes the Early gauges had black hoods then the white hoods that fall to bits and then later the K1 gauges went back to the black but longer hoods, also i believe the numbers on the odometer wheels vary is size and font from the early sandcast to the later K0, Regards Tom

[Riccardo]

Thanks for the info guys this is very interesting, Yes the Early gauges had black hoods then the white hoods that fall to bits and then later the K1 gauges went back to the black but longer hoods, also i believe the numbers on the odometer wheels vary is size and font from the early sandcast to the later K0, Regards Tom

The couter's digits have different size in the year.

[kp]

I thought I would share this with you. Have a look at the speedo and tachometer drive on this bike. Assuming that the instruments are original to this bike, these are the straight/flat edge type sandcast gearbox drives. KP

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180655580221#ht_1949wt_922

[1941wld]

KP,
I can see by the rubber boot on the master cyliner that he does not have the correct brake hose on it. Looks like the ones you are selling with the short straight fitting on the hose. See how the boot is bent down straight instead of swing out at an angle like the original ones.

[kp]

Yes. I don't think this guy and his restoration are top end. His triple tree painting is terrible so I suspect the rest of the bike is similar. I think the bike is relatively original though, well it was until he got his hands on it.
Interesting he has used the SOOC website and the reference to his bike being listed in the directory as somehow being endorsement of the bike and his restoration. The directory merely records the VIN and Engine numbers and really not any form of endorsement. I'm not sure what his reference is there for other than to maybe somehow give legitimacy to the listing. Personally I think the price is too high b
ut then if someone is willing to accept the drivel as written, he may just get his price.

[1941wld]

It easy to spend 7 to 8k on a restoration for a 1969 or 70 sandcast or K0.

When you are finished, you will have two bikes that have the same horse power (67 hp) and feel the same on the road.

The great thing about the K0 is if you have to lay it down or hit car and total the bike you only lose $9,500 or $10,000 bike, but if you do the same to your sandcast you might lose up to $41,000.

So for me, I love my sandcast. it's a great bike, but more so an investment.

As for my daily rider, that will be my K0.

This man selling his K0 was hoping for $15,000.00 in the beginning , now he is down to $10,000. With very little work, this bike could be a perfect K0 and I feel it is well worth the 10k for someone who does not do their own work. When you have to pay someone to work on your bike, it becomes a very expensive hobby.

[CB750faces.com (Lecram)]

In addition to the discussion about the differences in drive bodies, I found another difference between early and later diecast drive bodies. The earliest has a more beveled neck, just under the thread. The later drive bodies, which are also applied to K1 and K2 gauges are more straight.

See this picture:

[Don R]

Hi, a my friend is owner of a diecast 11/69 with VIN about 14000 and he have the gauges with the sandcast gears, late type.

Thanks for that info, I have 14,100 with diecast gearboxes. I also have one type 4 as shown here, sandcast gearbox with the bevel, oddly it came off of a K1 gauge.