Restoration of Sandcast #97

[markb]

Like I said in an earlier post, I still have a few things to do on #97.  Hopefully some of you may get a chance to check it out.  If you do please let me know if there is something that looks incorrect.  I was going to see if anyone would catch a couple of details but I decided to point them out.

Besides the wire harness that I already mentioned I still need to redo the oil pressure switch wire.  Those aren’t details you would see.  If you look close you may see the following items.

I think the carbs are bit too dark.  I would like to find a way to lighten them.

I used some repro tach and speedo cables that I had made up from MotionPro.  They’re not bad.  They have almost correct looking short nuts but I am going to try to get some closer matches.

The fuel lines are the wrong size.  I just ran out of time to source the right ones.

And the spoke nipples are incorrect.  I didn’t lace up the wheels.  I was more worried about the color being correct and didn’t notice that I had given the mechanic the wrong ones.  Here’s a pic showing the correct nipples on the right.


When I get time I will make a list of everything that is correct.

[kenhan]

My carbs was painted red for some reason. I sodablasted them and after that they became quite bright, almost like new aluminum.
I attach a picture, as you maybe can see there is still some red paint left in small corners.

/ken

[Steve Swan]

not 2 steal Mark's thread, but carbs on 1865 are the 1st set i had turn dark after running them through the ultrasonic...  i have a bead blast cabinet, a 100# siphon blaster.....  my question is, if i were to go the soda blasting route, do i have to buy a special setup for soda blasting ?

and.... does soda blasting alter the surface texture of the carb body.... ?

Thanks !

[markb]

Ken,
Is that all you did was soda blast?

Steve,
No worries.  I'd like to know too.

[kenhan]

Yes, It was just soda blasted. I have to say I was amazed by the result. I´ll attach a couple of photos of  the same carburators during the blast.

Soda blasting is perfect on aluminum and will not alter the texture, it will only be very clean. You could use it on gasket surfaces or inside a carburator with no harm att all. You could rinse excessive soda with water.

I just bought a very cheap blasting gun and blasting soda, put it into a bucket and started to blast outside. I also blasted the crankcases and they became very clean but not with an altered texture at all.

/Ken

[kenhan]

I could see that it looks little like changed texture on the second picture but I think there is still powder on it, it was newly blasted as you could se from the powder rigth below. The texture is totally unchanged when you see it live.
/Ken

[Steve Swan]

Have you tried soda blasting float bowls?

[kenhan]

Don´t want to steal Marks thread but I´ll answer this one.

No I have not soda blast the bowls cause i didn't have to. I polished them a little later in the assembly progress.
I think they should have been as clean as the rest of the carbs. Soda blast will not affect the surface but it will take away semihard things like paint, and dirt. It will not affect things like plastic because thats kind of both soft and hard. There is plastic in the choke parts and the only became clean. Like they said back in the year of our bikes "Try it you´ll like it" 

/Ken

[CBman]

Mark, really excellent job!!! I like your care you take to every detail on the bike.
Museum in L.A. should be happy they have to have one of the most nicest restored sandcasts in the world.
John

[markb]

I ordered a personalized license plate for 97 about 12 weeks ago.  It was only supposed to take 8 weeks to get it but I finally got it.  I don’t know about other states but Minnesota doesn’t stamp them anymore, they print them.  I don’t think they look as good but it still makes a nice finishing touch.  I’m sending to the museum and they will put it on for me.

[cb7504]

nice

[kp]

Great finishing touch

[markb]

Now that I have some time I will try to catch up on my posts.  The #97 carbs have different vents than the later carbs.  Here is a pic with the #97 carb on the left with a straight vent tube.


Here’s a closer view of the straight tube.  I suspect this feature is quite rare.


Here is the typical angled tube for comparison.


The T-joint between the 1-2 and 2-3 carbs is different too.  The early version with the shorter cross tube is on the left.

[Sam]

Funny that you mention the venting tubes. Indeed, they are very rare. Vic mentioned them in a conversation once.

Interestingly, I have straight vents on #836 and not on #410. Note sure why and I am sure both are original to the bikes. Perhaps another example of early sandcast randomness?

[markb]

ESR (Early Sandcast Randomness)    I like it.  I think you've coined a new term that explains some of the differences in the early units.