It Lives.

[JohnP]

I just posted about this a week or so ago after pulling it out of the back of my basement. My wife pulled out the title and the warranty papers today that she had found while visiting her father this summer. The bike was sold as an 82' in 1985 as new. I remember my father in law telling me it was in a crate in the back of the dealer and they gave him a good deal but he didn't remember what year that was. I picked up a new battery last night, rebuilt the petcock, replaced fuel and vacuum lines and reassembled. I removed the H intake and gave it a good heavy cote of Flex Seal. after putting some gas in the tank I pulled the choke and it fired right off. 9 years ago the starter solenoid wasn't working when I tried to start it so before I tried it this time I pulled it out and gave it several good raps on the vise that seemed to free it up.
I've run it up and down my driveway a dozen or so times this afternoon shutting it off each time. My son made one run as he's not fond of gravel but he did decide he really likes the size and feel of the bike. Now I have to get new tires, a chain, fork dust covers, brakes and whatever else I find when I go through the bike.

 

[tstidham]

Very cool story to go with a cool bike!

 

[JohnP]

Ordered tires, tubes, air & oil filters, chain & sprockets and a few other items today. While I'm waiting I'm going to prep the tank, fenders and side covers for paint. haven't picked a color yet but thinking metal flake gold after talking to my son.

 

[avemachina]

Metal flake gold would look really cool--if you're planning to buy tank emblems to replace the ones that seem to be missing, those are usually gold already.

 

[JohnP]

Metal flake gold would look really cool--if you're planning to buy tank emblems to replace the ones that seem to be missing, those are usually gold already.

I do have the originals in chrome but was looking at the gold already.

 

[JohnP]

Just an update. The tires, chain & sprockets, brake shoes and a long list of other things have come in. The only thing on my list that I'm waiting on are the fork dust covers. I'm slowly going thru and doing a deep clean and freshening the paint. I stripped the fenders & tank and removed the old name plates from the side covers. These will go to the body shop for a yet to be determined paint job. When I told my friend who owns the body shop that Jacob wanted tan/gold or maybe mint green he asked about a green he had just painted a jeep he recently built. We may do a combination metallic black and green in a flame pattern.

 

[CaptChrome]

Thanks for the pictures in the update. It is looking pretty nice. Can't wait to see how it ends up.