Slooow resurrection of an R69

[tenni128]

Some of you may remember my first attempt at an airhead, where I cobbled up an R90/6 with a K-bike front end a couple of years ago...

Emboldened by the results, I decided to tackle another airhead, this time a much more...erm, "original" '69 R69US.
Clearly it needs work.


So because of many factors, most of which involve a lack of either time or money or both, this has taken awhile. But I have made progress. The frame and all those other tubular bits that bolt to it are back from powdercoat (I know, I know. It looks like paint to me so I doubt anyone will notice)

And after a lot of back and forth, and research, and lost sleep, I finally decided to not risk it with the motor and the whole slinger thing. So, off to Benchmark for (what became) a mechanical resto of the engine. It came back very shiny, and very new looking.



The wheels got shipped to Woody's yesterday for re-spoke and clean up, so I hope to get this back to "roller" status here soon. A friend of mine donated a tire pump that, although it doesn't work, will look good hanging on the frame. Now I just need to get started bolting all this stuff together. More to come...

[ME 109]

Many don't realise it Tenni, but that pump (in situation) reduces gummikah by more than 10%
I use two pumps.

[tenni128]

I hope to get more than a 10% decrease in cow effect. Wow, those pictures are BIG. Not sure why that happened...

[bbelk]

Dang. What's it cost to make a motor look like that?

[tenni128]

Well, the important part is I'm okay.
As for cost, let's just say I was planning on buying a used Guzzi Stelvio, and decided to put that money into the restoration of this R69US. After selling my DR650. So vech at Benchmark wasn't cheap, but I feel like it was done right. Same for Woody's, as I had them do the custom spoked job I needed on the R90 project. Powder coat wasn't bad, and I haven't sent the trans off yet. Still need hardware, seats, new wiring harness, etc.

[Ross]

One of the best looking BM's. you are doing great work on it.

[tenni128]

Looking at pictures of those bikes looking much better than mine, it appears that the front wheel cover and air cleaner, as well as a few other bits are painted silver. Anybody got a real-world recommendation for a close to correct color match? Also, the thought has been bouncing around my bucket that the R69US forks look awful similar to stockers I took off my '74 R90/6...I wonder if the guts are compatible. I need to take a look at that while I'm waiting for my wheels to get here. I started swapping the steering head bearings out for the new style last night, which looks like a pretty good set-up. I'll put a few more pictures up once I get some more pieces back from the men in brown.

[Kurt in S.A.]

I don't think the wheel covers were painted...they were just an aluminum casting. As for the air cleaner, I've read in several places that people have used Duplicolor Silver BGM0535 or Dupli-Color Silver Wheel Paint, code HWP101. Another person mentioned 4 coats of Rustoleum silver with a good drying (a week or more) then polish with white hand rubbing compound. Yet another mentioned valspar "aluminum". It seems Vech recommends the BGM0535.

Kurt in S.A.

[tenni128]

Thanks for the info on the Duplicolor...got a couple o' cans inbound as we speak. Got one of them cheapo hardware tumblers from harbor freight along with a box of walnut dust...threw a bunch of hardware in there this afternoon, and figure I'll let it go through the night. Looking forward to seeing what it does to all the ruddy engine mount hardware.

[Duane Ausherman]

The hub caps were painted. I suggest getting the SS ones from Joe Groger and if you wish, paint them. Then, when they get scratched, it doens't rust.

I have fixed many tire pumps. Usually they just need the seal replaced. I cut my own out of inner tube rubber.

Yes, the internals from the /6 will interchange.

Keep us informed.