GB400TT do I need to strip down totally?

[nuderider]

Straight, reliable little cafe racer from mid eighties, only 22K kms on the dial. Imported from Japan. Runs well. no issues.
It has lived mostly outside under the carport with a cover and so has got rusty bits and the engine looks corroded and manky. I have wanted to tidy it up and sourced a couple of places - vapour blasting or chroming it both require the parts (wheel rims and spokes, engine parts external) to be broken down. I have drained the oil, removed the wheels and engine, pipes, electrics and am now thinking, not being a mechanic and not having specialist tools, should I risk dismantling motor. Has anyone 'been there, done that'. I'm willing, but confined work space and between homes (we have left Auckland early this year - all our stuff is in storage temp), don't know if I'll ever complete. Do I go the whole hog? Why? I only want to spruce it up. Any advice would be helpful. Steve

[HenryDorsetCase]

Straight, reliable little cafe racer from mid eighties, only 22K kms on the dial. Imported from Japan. Runs well. no issues.
It has lived mostly outside under the carport with a cover and so has got rusty bits and the engine looks corroded and manky. I have wanted to tidy it up and sourced a couple of places - vapour blasting or chroming it both require the parts (wheel rims and spokes, engine parts external) to be broken down. I have drained the oil, removed the wheels and engine, pipes, electrics and am now thinking, not being a mechanic and not having specialist tools, should I risk dismantling motor. Has anyone 'been there, done that'. I'm willing, but confined work space and between homes (we have left Auckland early this year - all our stuff is in storage temp), don't know if I'll ever complete. Do I go the whole hog? Why? I only want to spruce it up. Any advice would be helpful. Steve

is the motor in good condition internally? - if so then with some elbow grease and a lot of time you could clean it up and paint it. Same with the wheel rims. You're going to need a set of spokes though. Also - my favourite new thing is Evaporust for manky rusty nuts and bolts. Not sure how it will go long term but short term clean up it is amazing. Have a look at this YT series - the guy strips and paints the engine without disassembly. He also gets a bit salty with peoplw who bleat he should have dismantled it which is fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Vb...fDzJ8Mf3VC9R2e

[Kickaha]

I wouldn't bother stripping it so long as it is mechanically sound, just be careful to block intake, exhaust and any breathers while you clean the engine up

[pete376403]

So many bikes get stripped down for bare frame restoration and there are an awful lot that never make it back together and get sold as "boxes of parts, mostly all there" - time, money, life etc get in the way. Avoid taking it further apart than you need to work on it and complete the item, before starting something else. That's my thoughts, anyway.

[nuderider]

is the motor in good condition internally? - if so then with some elbow grease and a lot of time you could clean it up and paint it. Same with the wheel rims. You're going to need a set of spokes though. Also - my favourite new thing is Evaporust for manky rusty nuts and bolts. Not sure how it will go long term but short term clean up it is amazing. Have a look at this YT series - the guy strips and paints the engine without disassembly. He also gets a bit salty with peoplw who bleat he should have dismantled it which is fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Vb...fDzJ8Mf3VC9R2e

So many bikes get stripped down for bare frame restoration and there are an awful lot that never make it back together and get sold as "boxes of parts, mostly all there" - time, money, life etc get in the way. Avoid taking it further apart than you need to work on it and complete the item, before starting something else. That's my thoughts, anyway.

Thanks fellas, I'm looking at that geezer on the link, not finished yet, but great lead. And just the kind of encouragement I need so will update with pics when I can. The motor is good, and my gut feeling is just as said, no need to make things more complicated. I will look into cleaning an prepping for a paint job with VHT. would kind of like to keep it silver, but at least came to the right place to kick off! Where might i find 'evaporust'?

[pete376403]

Thanks fellas, I'm looking at that geezer on the link, not finished yet, but great lead. And just the kind of encouragement I need so will update with pics when I can. The motor is good, and my gut feeling is just as said, no need to make things more complicated. I will look into cleaning an prepping for a paint job with VHT. would kind of like to keep it silver, but at least came to the right place to kick off! Where might i find 'evaporust'?

Repco, Bunnings, SuperCheap etc. Check price online there seems to be a wide range (eg 5 litre Repco $70, 5 litre Bunnings $43)

[ducatilover]

There's a couple of evapo-rust equivalent products too, most hardware style shops will have some
Metal rescue is the same stuff. I use it a bunch at work, love it

[F5 Dave]

I was given some Rust Gobbler decanted into a bottle. Haven't had particularly good results, but as a brand name, well it tops them all. I'd recommend Rust Gobbler.



Hmm.
I never actually saw the bottle. Wondering if he made it up. . .


Google. Oh ,its real, and it's made locally.

[actungbaby]

Straight, reliable little cafe racer from mid eighties, only 22K kms on the dial. Imported from Japan. Runs well. no issues.
It has lived mostly outside under the carport with a cover and so has got rusty bits and the engine looks corroded and manky. I have wanted to tidy it up and sourced a couple of places - vapour blasting or chroming it both require the parts (wheel rims and spokes, engine parts external) to be broken down. I have drained the oil, removed the wheels and engine, pipes, electrics and am now thinking, not being a mechanic and not having specialist tools, should I risk dismantling motor. Has anyone 'been there, done that'. I'm willing, but confined work space and between homes (we have left Auckland early this year - all our stuff is in storage temp), don't know if I'll ever complete. Do I go the whole hog? Why? I only want to spruce it up. Any advice would be helpful. Steve

Nope i got bikes that just sit in bits .no need touch the engine.apart from oil change .oil filter .just get buffer wheel on drill .metal polish for engine covers .just enjoy riding the bike.

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