Carburetor sourced from ebay

Sourced this used carburetor (left in these pics) from ebay. Looks like it’s in fairly good shape, and is the same size as the original. Not much play in the throttle slide, but those observant blog readers may have noticed that the main needle is missing, so I am going to salvage it from the old one (right in these pics). The problem with the old carburetor is that the throttle slide in seized in solid, so to extract the needle I am going to have to cut it in half! Breaking out the hacksaw I cut just at the right spot that I can get access to the retaining plate that holds the needle in place and withdraw the needle from the old carburetor! Perfect! Doesn’t look too badly worn either.

Rim repair 101 – Part II - annealing

Before I attempt to bash the rim back into shape, you first need to anneal the aluminium.Annealing involves heating the material up to about 400 degess celcius and then letting it air cool very slowly. Why? Aluminium hardens with age (age hardening) and hardens as it is worked (work hardening). So in order for me to bend it back into shape without breaking it, I will anneal the rim and let it sit till it air cools. I am going to place it in the oven to heat to 250 degrees and then use a propane torch, heat it to 400 degrees.

Rim repair 101 – Part I – make formers

I have made male and female formers or ‘dollies’ that are the right size and shape. This will enable me to get rid of the flat spot in the rim, in both directions.

I made them from a scrap of jarrah hardwood that I found on the verge. Its very strong, and just great forthis kind of application.

The mysteries of the Gold Wheel.

When I bought the bunch of vintage wheels I made the assumption that the gold wheel was an 18 incher? WRONG. Turns out it is a 17 incher. I was told it was from a DR250.

I know TS250Xs of that era had 17s on the back, as I used to own one.

I was a bit depressed at first, but then it turns that it fits my spare front hub pretty well with the 142mm x 4mm spokes I had sourced a while back! So it’s a good score!

I just need to hit the rim with Mister Muscle (caustic oven cleaner) to remove the hideous gold anodizing.

Good news: ‘Custom Gods’ are smiling on me again.

Now that I have modified my spare rear hub to suit the front and disassembled the rim to repair and polish it, I was thinking, I wonder if the rear rim will fit the proper front hub? Turns out that it does using the free spokes that I got! Great to be moving forward again.