Boxerworks.com

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...

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.