Project DR is underway

[Turtle]

Turtle, is he still selling that DR we spoke about, or is he going to try get it going again?. I have another engine here, with good sidecovers on it that I might be convinced to sell.

Hes unsure...has lost interest in it...so would sell around 3 hundy

[kro]

Been a bit under the weather the last couple of days, but did this today.

Basically I have re attached the accel cable, added another new clutch lever, the same as the brake one. Chucked on a brand new front guard, and brand new number plate. I out the new handgrips on, and cross bar on the handlebars. The last major stuff is really putting the engine back in, which should happen next week, so long as no big disasters strike. Later on today, I will put the front brake cable back on, which is also a brand spanking new item, so it will keep the bike looking sparkly fresh and new.

Enjoy.

[far queue]

It's looking great, especially compared to the that dirty thing on page 1 of this story. Have you got some pics of the complete bike before this restoration started?

[kro]

Yes, I have lots of pics of the complete bike prior to strip down. I think its looking pretty damn fine for a 24 yr old clunker.

[kro]

Maybe, just maybe, tomorrow, my tardme engine arrives. I am going to jam that sucker straight into the bike, and see if I can get it to fire up. If it does..... good times are coming......

[timmy]

Man you will be looking forward to that. I hope it all goes well for getting it going

[NordieBoy]

You might jam the engine in there but...

How long before it's back out and getting polished?

[Ghost Lemur]

You might jam the engine in there but...

How long before it's back out and getting polished?

I would have thought with the amount of time and effort he's put into the frame etc, last thing he'd be wanting to do is throw in a crusty engine.

Come on kro you know it's true. The engine will arrive, be striped. Every piece made to sparkle, ensured to be the the best possible condition before being reassemble. Then and only then will it deserve to be sitting in that bike.

[kro]

Of course....... I only want the engine in there, so I can fire it up safely, then it's coming straight out, to get stripped and polished. I aint no savage !!!!!!! (mostly). You are right, I have come to far with this to just chuck some crusty looking powerplant in there. The tardme engine will be used whilst I revamp the other engine I have, so eventually, I will have 2 good engines for it.

Today's the day, well, it bloody well better be, I have waited what seems like eons for this engine.

[NordieBoy]

I waited 2 months to get my TradeMe engine (The guy went overseas, told his dad about the engine sale but took his shed keys with him).

But then again I've got a frame and a pile of other bits on a pallet in Wellington I've been waiting 18 months for

[CM2005]

Wow!! Thats an awesome job you've done. Looks quite professional actually! I'm thinking of trying something similar with this '89 CR125 I've just got, but no to that extent.. Keep it up!

[kro]

The engine arrived, the bulk of it is shagged, but the one piece I have needed the most, seems to be in OK nick, and might get me going for 6 more months while I get my original head renewed.

The engine I got, had the front sprocket welded on, the gear shift spline was bent at a hell of an angle, the clutch basket had chernobyled at some stage, and there are aluminium chunks all through the engine as a result. Several clutch plates are broken, and rings were in several pieces, and the piston has gouges in it. The engine had a hard life. There was no oil in it, and a fair bit of water in the cylinder.

All this aside, the top end for some reason, has weathered the storm, and like I said, will tide me over, until I can get my original head and cam rebuilt. The electrical system is intact, so that's a bonus.

[cheese]

Fucking hell! What a disaster!! Man some people will just sell shit on trademe on do you over. Lucky the bits you need were ok!!!

[kro]

I will make all my money back on this engine over the next 2 weeks, so I'm not too upset. The top end is just OK, and barely anything more, but with the way I am at the moment, I just want a finished, working bike dammit !!!!!.

Thanks for all your encouragement so far troops. It's been a long road, longer than it should have been imo, but we are near the end now.

[kro]

Slightly off topic, but I met Far Queue today, damn nice chap, and he got to see the DR in the flesh, while I drooled at his 650.

I worked the first half of the day today, and of all bloody things to happen, a guy pulls into work wanting some pipes for a drainlaying job, and lo and behold, he has a 1982 DR250 S on his trailer, needless to say, he didn't get away for a good three quarters of an hour, while I told him what parts I had from my spares bins that he needed, and we generally talked bikes till the cows came home, which they did, and happy cows they were too.

I have formed a little network of DR afficianados, from as far afield as Levin, and Napier, to Chch, and one more today in the form of a KB member who just so happens to live in little old Nelson whom Far Queue told me about.

Anyhow, its dinner and beer time, tis been a long day.