Posts
31
Joined
9/6/2014
Location
Columbus, OH
US
Edited Date/Time
7/2/2018 6:09am
Last fall I picked up a decent resto project CR. I've been racing vintage HS for the past three years or so and thought I'd give vintage MX a go, so this is going to be a racer not a showpiece. All of the important stuff is there and it doesn't look to have been molested too badly through the years:
Over the winter I tore it down and tossed most of the wear items. That will all get replaced. I've got the pipe (trashed) and silencer (good) and will need to source a few harder to find items (intake boot, hoses) and will probably send the forks and shock to Race Tech for rebuild. Anybody have a line on radiator restoration? These are actually pretty straight and don't leak. I've heard bad things about the Chinese reproduction radiators. I've restored a half dozen vintage Japanese bikes and this is my first venture into the modern world of water cooling...any advice would be appreciated.
Oh, and yes it had a fair amount of corrosion in the clutch cover, but over the winter I started cleaning that up with some JB Weld, a dremel and a fair amount of patience:
I am more concerned with corrosion/wear on the mating surfaces between the clutch cover and the case, enough so that I went ahead and ordered an aluminum repro clutch cover from Australia last week. Hope it's got good fit and finish.
As advertised, cast finish and seems to fit cleanly to the case. Fittings and bungs are all threaded right and look clean. I haven't swapped the dowels over and I have yet to get a gasket set, so...so far so good.
Now I've got to deal with the mechanical seal. Am I right in assuming the sheet metal cup still set in my old cover is part of the mechanical seal?
If so, cool. Looks like the seal and bearing are still available.
As far as ordering the seal (and other OEM parts), anybody have a preferred seller?
Also, one week till Vintage Motorcycle Days. Not racing this year so I'm making time to scour the swap for works bits and period go-fast parts. Or at least maybe some cool stickers...
The Shop
You can knock the old seal out pretty easy if the cover is off just taking a punch or even a screwdriver from the bearing side and tapping it out.
I sent my radiators to Mylers in Utah. This isn't the first time I used Mylers. I sent them a set of radiators from a 1984 RM125 I rebuilt 2 years ago. Those radiators were so bent and smashed I thought there was no way they could fix them.
They came back looking like they were almost new again. I wish I had taken "before/after" pictures of them, to post as I have told many people to give them a try. I sent my CR radiators to them and again they came back looking great and all the magnesium build up and crap that was visibly built up in them is gone. I also got a new clutch cover from Russell in Australia, great way to go. Definitely replace that mechanical seal.
I totally recommend Race Tech and have sent them several sets of suspension from my Post Vintage bikes and have been very pleased. They aren't the cheapest but they do what they say in a timely manner. I tried Noleen J6 on a set of 1984 YZ suspension this last winter and was throughly disappointed for more than one reason. I agree with Honda 88 and like Partzilla, great prices and fast shipping. Good luck on it.
I built one of these last year. It went from a $200 heap to ~$4K functioning racer. Seemed like I wound up with at least two of everything, and had to make a few parts too. Many parts for these are really scarce: linkage bushings from Europe, radiators from china (which I had good luck with). Good luck
I'm happy with the results, cleaned up OEM parts for roughly the same price as the Chinese ones. Good to know the Chinese rads worked though...just in case. I'm doubly impressed with the turnaround at Myler's. Sent them in and they were repaired and returned within a week.
Off to Mid-O tomorrow. Stoked.
Hit the woods for the vintage harescrambles Friday morning and helped more than a few racers get up the greasy wet Ohio clay hills. I cooked the clutch in my XR just getting around the course.
Spent all day Saturday either at the swap meet or watching MX. Didn't find much for the 125 at the swap, saw way more parts for 250s. Prices actually seemed....down this year. It was weird.
I’ve got another question while I wait for a water pump seal to get here:
The ‘83 CR125R carb is a Keihin PE35C and I cannot find a rebuild kit from any of the usual sources (Sudco, JD, etc.) It looks like the PE35 just vanished after 1983. ‘84 and later models went to the PJ series, apparently. I’m just looking for basic rebuild kit stuff (needle, seat, gaskets, etc.) Anybody know a source for odd/outdated carb parts?
Obligatory pic:
Greg.
I’ll call Sudco next week and see what they recommend.
Sweated out and replaced all bearings in the motor and suspension.
Wiseco 2nd overbore.
VMX carb manifold and radiator shrouds.
DG pipe.
Aluminum clutch cover.
RaceTech rebuilt shock.
IRC MB5 EVO/Z Mark II tires.
Refurbished stock radiators w/silicone hoses.
New EBC clutch and brakes.
About half a year’s wages in OEM fasteners from Partzilla. Maybe more.
New Chain, sprockets and cables, paint, etc.
Only had it up and down the alley. I’m headed to Mid-Ohio to tool around there for a couple of days next weekend. Can’t get my act together enough in time to try racing it but would be stoked to meet up with anybody who’s going and talk vintage moto. We’ll be set up in the campground near where the HS race dips into the woods.
Eric
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