Any northern KBers wanting a cheap project Waterbus?

[T.W.R]

Just spotted this on trademe.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...n-88809874.htm

Good restoration project for someone

The buy now is cheap enough too

[miSTa]

She leaks oil like a british bike...

[T.W.R]

She leaks oil like a british bike...

Toughen up you german elitist

I'd nab the bike myself but I prefer the 550s & 380s

[Madness]

Not running. Hardly suprising, the carbies are lying on the floor Was running prior to going off road.Just how öff road did it go? most original parts included.Quite a few hard to get ones that aren't Registration on hold.Well, thats a bonus Good project bike.Undoubtedly

Seems to be some interest already...

[laRIKin]

Just make sure that you can get the heads off it and they used anti-freeze.

Years ago a the brother of a mate was doing up a water bottle and did the frame and every thing else apart from the motor.
When it can time to do the motor up, they could not get the heads off because the previous owners had not used anti-freeze and the heads thought electrolyse (not sure of the spelling) had welded them self's on to the barrels and even when they got unbelievable brutal they could not get them apart.

[miSTa]

Toughen up you german elitist

I'd nab the bike myself but I prefer the 550s & 380s

Tsk tsk tsk

Actually I would rather go for a Honda 400/4 or even better a 350/4

[Ixion]

Just make sure that you can get the heads off it and they used anti-freeze.

Years ago a the brother of a mate was doing up a water bottle and did the frame and every thing else apart from the motor.
When it can time to do the motor up, they could not get the heads off because the previous owners had not used anti-freeze and the heads thought electrolyse (not sure of the spelling) had welded them self's on to the barrels and even when they got unbelievable brutal they could not get them apart.

Yep. And if getting the head off is hard, getting the barrel off is 10 times worse. You usually have to smash the head off (its a single piece casting) then you can make a puller to pull the barrels off. They're known to bend half inch plate doing it, and like as not the studs pull out of the crankcases still welded into the barrel

Bugger, buy nows no longer available

Crankseals will be stuffed for certain after sitting for 8 years , that'll be the reall killer, cos getting one of those cranks rebuilt is no trivial matter.

I'm in , but only to a limit cos its one of those annoying ones where the problems look small but are actually major and the good stuff looks good but isnt really what matters for a restoration.

[T.W.R]

Tsk tsk tsk

Actually I would rather go for a Honda 400/4 or even better a 350/4

Ha seen some boxers leaking some pretty impressive amounts of oil in years gone bye

400/4 anyday over the 350/4 350s were all noise & no action whereas the 400 actually went well for what they were

[Motu]

Bah,it's the girly disc brake model.Mine had the double sided twin leader.....it's stopping ability was more in keeping with the handling.However,it's good features were not not out weighed by the bad ones,a bloody good bike in it's time.....but not by the time I had mine.

[laRIKin]

Yep. And if getting the head off is hard, getting the barrel off is 10 times worse. You usually have to smash the head off (its a single piece casting) then you can make a puller to pull the barrels off. They're known to bend half inch plate doing it, and like as not the studs pull out of the crankcases still welded into the barrel

They tried to use the barrel puller that you are talking about.
Heat, screw drivers in the gap and blocks of wood and a sledge hammer.
In the end they did every thing they could just to get them apart and couldn't.
Caved in the barrels and broke bit off, but they could not get the parts a part.

[Ixion]

I have heard of people giving up and treating it like a car block- pulling the crank out with pistons attached and putting it back the same way. Given that there's no valves there's no absolute reason why the head needs to come off. I suspect it would be an absolute bastard to put the pistons back from below without breaking rings.

Mind you if you pulled it apart from below, you could use a hydraulic ram to push the barrells off. Though I suspect you'd still rip the studs out.