This will be a thorough restoration of this original 1967 bike. Unfortunately the frame is pretty corroded, and the owner wants it in show condition.
So I’ll be repainting it, as well as reconditioning every part, nut, bolt, and washer.
‘67 Murray F5 Eliminator restoration
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This will be a thorough restoration of this original 1967 bike. Unfortunately the frame is pretty corroded, and the owner wants it in show condition.
So I’ll be repainting it, as well as reconditioning every part, nut, bolt, and washer.
After work yesterday I set at record for tear downs, as I wanted to get the frame to the sand blaster in time, since my next opportunity wouldn’t be until next Friday.
So, off to the blaster.
This is a little bit of a shame that I can’t save the registration decal. I tried to gently pry it off, but I’d end up destroying it anyway.
So now it sits waiting me to go through part after part.
So, off to the blaster.
This is a little bit of a shame that I can’t save the registration decal. I tried to gently pry it off, but I’d end up destroying it anyway.
So now it sits waiting me to go through part after part.
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It's a shame about the license sticker. I gotta wonder if there isn't some sort of camera app that would allow preserving such graphics so they could be duplicated on printable vinyl. It's worth investigating, I think.
Dang, I'd be happy just to ride that bike in the condition it was in! Probably not helpful now, but maybe in the future you could get stickers like that off using a blow dryer and some adhesive remover. Knowing your work, that bike's going to end up looking showroom-fresh! Looking forward to seeing the end result!
At the body shop we use an app for Auto Data Label and LKQ company. Take the pic send it off and 3-4 business days later the new sticker shows up.
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Preparing the labels isn't the problem, that's the easy part. The real issue is capturing the image, which is on a curved surface and can't be made flat--a simple photograph will always be distorted. Perhaps a wand scanner could accomplish the job?
As I was typing that I was wondering if wrapping it was the issue and not printing.
The console has a green… mildew?… on it. It’s probably corrosion from the copper under the chrome. That only means the chrome is broken. I don’t think it’ll be salvageable (to my standard). But I want to see.
So I broke out some muriatic acid. As soon as I poured it on, the green went away. So I wiped it off… and it only confirmed the chrome was broken.
A few years ago, the muriatic acid was much stronger. I could soak a console for 24-48 hours and it would be clean. The last console took more than a week. So… here it goes…
So I broke out some muriatic acid. As soon as I poured it on, the green went away. So I wiped it off… and it only confirmed the chrome was broken.
A few years ago, the muriatic acid was much stronger. I could soak a console for 24-48 hours and it would be clean. The last console took more than a week. So… here it goes…
The greased parts are just crust. But not rust, which is good. Getting a solvent bath.
I had the opportunity to buy a NOS seat relatively cheap, so jumped at the chance. Makes a world of difference! The other side of the old seat has stitching that came apart, and I didn’t know the trim was originally chrome! I thought it was supposed to be white. That’s how bad it is!
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Great luck on finding exactly what you need on the seat. Even at a high price it would've been worth the investment for a concours restoration!
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Blind luck! I had seen it for sale for a good bit more before I got the bike. Then I got the bike and the seller reduced the price... because who wants a pink seat?? He was just happy to see it go to the right bike.Great luck on finding exactly what you need on the seat. Even at a high price it would've been worth the investment for a concours restoration!
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The reason I got this bike was because of the original tires. It has a set of original Carlisle white walls. They have no aging cracks, and feel brand new. They cleaned up really nice too!
Before
And after
Before
And after
I had the frame and fork sand blasted. The place I took it to is using finer sand, so the frame was super smooth. The corrosion didn’t leave any major pitting, so I decided to shoot etch primer, then build primer today. I’ll smooth out the filler primer without all the work on the metal. Saves me a good amount of time.
There was a bit of corrosion damage to the metal.
So doing the body work to smooth out and prep the frame.
So doing the body work to smooth out and prep the frame.
Before an Evaporust bath…
And after the bath, and some polishing. Not as smooth new chrome, but bright again.
And after the bath, and some polishing. Not as smooth new chrome, but bright again.
The console came out of the acid a couple weeks ago and needed a lot of work, so I sanded and sanded. 400 grit down to 2000 grit. It’s ready for new chrome.
I’ve been doing a ton of polishing lately. 3-4 hours at a time. The heat gets excessive in the summer, so it slows me down and limits my time, but I’m getting through it. This bike is a Paint&Polish.
Here’s a bit of it.
Seat clamp bolt after Evaporust (it was bad)
Andre after some sanding and polishing.
Here’s a bit of it.
Seat clamp bolt after Evaporust (it was bad)
Andre after some sanding and polishing.
Serial number reference
This is why I don’t work in the summer. I can’t be in the garage after work. I can only work in the morning on the weekends. It was 90 degrees at 9am this morning. 
