Restoration assistance volunteer wanted (Wellington region)

[smmudd83_1999]

I'll try anything at least once. PM me if you'll seriously let me cut up your exhaust. I'd love to! I hope they're not originals as it's always a shame to alter the genuine articles as these old ring-dingers original parts are getting a bit scarce.
Otherwise I'm game for:
1/ to put pen to paper and do some maths and work out length/conical section etc,
2/ to put cutting disk to metal.

I can't guarantee it'll be pretty. I can tack two bits of metal - but welding, be it arc or gas, is beyond me.

[Pedrostt500]

Id say go with a 70s or 80s jap bike, not a huge out lay, for common models parts arnt to hard to find, and a good place to learn the art of bike tinkering.

[Hugo Nougo]

If you want practice or advice on welding i have some tools you're welcome to use in Te Marua, there's also an old nsr 250 x2 that needs time and money...

[pete376403]

Update:

There's oil in the generator. I assume this should be dry to produce the sparks at the right time? So suspected crank seal gone? Also needs a wiring rethink - being a learner bike at some point in it's life means it's had some hatchet repair job. New regulator/rectifier or sumfink, too.

Anyways, it's a positive start to cool little project.

There's bike wiring and there's "mid 70s-80's Suzuki wiring". You may find that the alternator is meant to be oil cooled - thats how it is on my 82 GS1100.

Have a search for a service manual before attacking the bike.

[Pedrostt500]

Here is one to try, well actually two bikes, Tard Me auction No 565925615, 2 xt 500,s on a buy now of $3500, rebuild one as original and the other as an old school adventure bike, or mtard, or what ever your fancy takes.
also happy to teach welding, MIG, Arc, TIG, or gas, by arangement, though my Ali welding skills are very rusty.

[smmudd83_1999]

Hi Hugo. I'm game for a bit of welding practice/tinkering/tutorial and you're not too far away - I'll PM you later...
Guys - I have a resto project. One at a time - I'm not a great multitasker!

Perdostt500 -"though my Ali welding skills are very rusty." Is there an intended pun in there? Ha!

[Pedrostt500]

My Ali welding, is very oxidised then.

[Willdat?]

I've got a GT200 X5 with spark that ran away also and a pile of parts! See my project in the modified bikes section. I have a factory workshop manual which is awesome too...

[GDOBSSOR]

Hi all,
An odd request maybe and perhaps a long shot,... I'm rather keen on classics but when I put the idea of a proper restoration past the wife I got that pursed-lips-and-and-furrowed-brow look. Having a modern Suzuki SV thou means my bike quota is filled (or so She tells me).
To be honest I just want to have a project or be part of a project - partly for enjoyment but also to enlargen my skill base. My time is free and I'm not completely mechanically retarded.
If you've got a potential project lying in the back of the shed/garage and want to get started and not sure where to start give me a call and we can both have no idea together. I'll give you my time (weekends and evenings only as I work for a living), and help you finish that resto job. My only stipulation is that as this is your bike and my time is free the invoices for parts and specialist services aren't coming out of my wallet. Though I will help out with small ancillaries like copper grease, spark plugs, oil and stainless fasteners.
Just to dodge some of the usual questions - I'm 29, a pome, always had a bike since 16, mech eng degree and worked as a mechanical draughtsman/design engineer until recently as a tendering engineer. 10 favourite bikes of all time?
Royal Enfield/Rickman Interceptor,
Laverda 750SF,
Guzzi LeMans Mk 1, 3 and 1100 sport,
ducati single,
gilera 500/4,
Matchless 600,
AJS 7R,
late fifties Trumpy speed twin,
Kawasaki ZXR 750 L3,
and the modern(ish) Hinckley Triumph 1200 Daytona.
I'm clean cut, newly wed and just in case you're wondering never been in trouble with the law.

If you've got a projet I can help with, or know of an old timer who could use my services - be it a BSA Bantam or MV 750 America and you wouldn't mind me being around then PM me and I'll give you my number. I live in Karori.

I live in Karori too and have an 87 ginny. She runs great atm, but you never know. I want to learn all I can with her anyway. I'd be interested to meet a fellow KBer who lives locally!

[eden]

If you're really hankering to work on something, i'll be having my almost finished brat project delivered to Wellington in the next month or so - i can't wait to get the damn thing running and legal. She's had almost everything done to her but the electrics are all stuffed and it just won't put out a spark!

So just a few questions...

-She means alot to me so i need to know you're qualified and experienced with working on bikes.

-Are you any good at rewiring, or installing motogadget style electrics on mid 70's Kawasakis?
-What about installing electronic ignition kits?
-What do you know about fine tuning carburettors? (assuming we can get this think started)
-I forgot to put the chain tensioner in the top end, so will need to undo, re-gasket and re torque that back on - i don't have a torque wrench.
-Want to help figure out how to mount the bloody license plate without ruining the aesthetics - custom tailtidy perhaps?
-And i need to reweld, dremel and paint some foldable passengers foot pegs for some lucky passenger - the last owner completely detabbed the frame.

The bike will be located in Grenada Village - hopefully i have my tools down here by then too!

[Mike.Gayner]

Christ if you were in Tauranga you'd be more than welcome to come over and spend some time in my garage.

[smmudd83_1999]

Heck, Eden. Wanting a certified pro to work on your machine? Isn't that why people pay money for mechanics? The whole point is I am most certainly NOT qualified by any means - but I've got brains, a willingness to learn and I'm willing to learn for free and kickstart someone's dilapidated & neglected project that has been sat in the shed for the last 20 years. I can also bring beer.

And as for my fellow Karori-ite, I will PM you in a bit.
Sorry I've been away from the KB forums for a while.