Restoration Progress

[jfmerk]

As promised, below is a link to some pics of the 78E restoration project. The information I've gathered here at XS11.com has been a great help! So thanks to all for everything! I'm sure as I re-assemble the engine I'll have a few questions. This is my first restoration project and overall I'm pleased with the results but if I did it over I'd be way more organized with all of the bolts and I'd powder coat the frame. I didn't on this because I wanted to preserve the factory label with the s/n and manufacturing info. Feel free to comment and give any pointers as you see fit.

I hope to have it 100% finished by Christmas, even though it will be in my basement! It's gonna kill me to not be able to ride it till spring!

Thanks again!

http://s625.photobucket.com/albums/tt340/jfmerk/78%20XS1100%20Restoration/?albumview=slideshow

[bikerphil]

Lookin' good, that's gonna be sweet!

[latexeses]

Nice work. Very nice work. It is a beauty.

[Southhill101]

Nice!

Well you have lots of time to do it right. That's very nice.
What kind of prep work was involved before re-chroming? I have autobody experience but I've never taken anything in to be re-chromed. I'm just putting together my winter bike plan/list: some new bearings, hoses, valve shims, carb work, coils/wires maybe, and some more cosmetic touch-ups but those re-chromed parts look like new and my list may have to get longer?

Cheers,

[Larrym]

Delayed Gratification

Now that's the perfect combination of project management skills and workmanship. The first rollout into daylight and startup will be spectacular.

I wanna be reincarnated as a slightly rusty XS dropped off on your doorstep.

[mro]

prep work was involved before re-chroming?

Depends ...

One way, strip down to bare metal, then polish it before start of chroming process. Polish at each stage.

Then there is this

http://www.innate.com/Paint/Chrome/HyperBlack.htm

Very interesting


mro
BTW jfmerk
Looking very very nice

[foreda]

Looking good!

Looks really good!! Great job!! Here is a suggestion on the front forks. I stripped down the bottom of the forks on my 78 and polished with jewellers rouge. To me it makes a big difference in the appearance.

[TADracer]

Very, Very Nice!

[jfmerk]

Well you have lots of time to do it right. That's very nice.
What kind of prep work was involved before re-chroming? I have autobody experience but I've never taken anything in to be re-chromed. I'm just putting together my winter bike plan/list: some new bearings, hoses, valve shims, carb work, coils/wires maybe, and some more cosmetic touch-ups but those re-chromed parts look like new and my list may have to get longer?

Cheers,

The first thing I did was talk to some of the guys at work who own some really nice restored cars and asked them where to go for chrome plating and in short order I had parts in hand, heading to the plating shop. The only prep work I did was pressure blasting the shock springs with glass bead. They had a fair amount of rust on the inside of the coils and the pressure blasting took 95% of the chrome off as well as all of the rust leaving a nice smooth bare metal finish. Once at the plater, the only thing I know for sure in his process is that the chrome is polished as a final step. He really does nice work. All of the other pieces, I just brought them to the plater as is. The only thing I have left to chrome is the exhaust system.... That is gonna be spendy! It might have to be my x-mass present!

[foreda]

Plater

The first thing I did was talk to some of the guys at work who own some really nice restored cars and asked them where to go for chrome plating and in short order I had parts in hand, heading to the plating shop. The only prep work I did was pressure blasting the shock springs with glass bead. They had a fair amount of rust on the inside of the coils and the pressure blasting took 95% of the chrome off as well as all of the rust leaving a nice smooth bare metal finish. Once at the plater, the only thing I know for sure in his process is that the chrome is polished as a final step. He really does nice work. All of the other pieces, I just brought them to the plater as is. The only thing I have left to chrome is the exhaust system.... That is gonna be spendy! It might have to be my x-mass present!

Where is your plater located and was the cost reasonable? I had mine done 30 years ago and was pretty cheap back then but I was shocked what they wanted today for the same parts.

[jfmerk]

plater

Where is your plater located and was the cost reasonable? I had mine done 30 years ago and was pretty cheap back then but I was shocked what they wanted today for the same parts.

Well, I didn't shop around much but as an example, the headlight ears were $30.00 each. The springs were 45.00 each if I remember correctly. The exaust system will run 600.00 to 800.00 ! I would guess there are cheaper platers but I wanted quality work first and foremost. Oh and this plater is located in St. Paul, MN. I saw some NOS headlight ears on ebay and they were more than the 30 bucks so it was cheap enough for me.