Finally after too many years I'm working on my 500/4

[matthewmosse]

A big day for me, my 500/4 sidecar which has sat neglected behind 20 ton of rock in a lean to while the house is rennovated has finally been freed from behind the rock pile after hours digging and is now housed properly in a nice ventilated shed bought especially and just put up the other day. Work will start properly in a few days but for now the 500/4 is sat in what was an electricity sub station before it found ebay. Preping the site and building the shed was quite an undertaking but the revitalising of this bike will make that a picknick, 180,000 miles of wear to correct in bits like the brake pivotts is going to mean the lathe will be busy making new bushings, the gas welder will be busy on what is left of the motad exhaust - might be tempted to try building a one off end can or I might just fit the Dunstall system out of the loft or the Laser system though I found that loud (same system as florence off this forum has) Anyone know which is louder? Neither toutches the bsm downpipes to triumpth rockett 3 raygun the bike came with I'll bet. Other than that, it'll be a big lumps tear down, paint for the chasis (I'm considering blasting and powdercoat vs wire brush, red oxide and satin black topcoat), then re assemble with repacemnt bits or refurbishing as needed. Front muddy has had it, even by my standards but no surprises there as it was only the thickness of chrome in places before being taken off the road and already was developing small holes. For now I've emptied a can of penetrating oil and a bit of old engine oil over the worst bits and am leaving it to soak, only other changes that I'm planning are to put back th K&N fliter and 500/4 carbs the bike came with and retire the stock 550/k3 carb and airbox I'd fitted for the economy boost, not worth it in retrospect, I miss the thirstyer carbs ability to make every corner a powerslide by opening the throttle, also the k3 carbs seem to give trouble if stood for even a few weeks. Once done she'll be back on the commuting job, I'm really looking foreward to that. I might even treat myself to re commissioning one other 500/4's or the 550k3 after that, probably the 500/4's will win out what with them being most likely tax exempt. Not sure if I'll sell the 250 and 125 twins that have tided me through the rennovation years or in the case of the 250, bung a lighted match in the petrol tank, it may be a honda sohc bike, but not a patch on the 70's originals - both the twin's are mid 90's honda and the drop in quality from the 70's is deffinately there, they rust quicker for starters, and the fat rear tyres + longer swing arm makes them pants in winter, so much so that the 250 broke my foot this winter on ice, I've never dropped the 550 solo I had or the bmw of that era and I put that down to the older bikes thinner rear hoop, hell I rode the bmw in snow 4 inches deep over the Breacon beacons a fair few times with no issues, but the 250, that thing has fallen over every winter that it has been used.
500/4 here we go.

[mickwinf]

glad to hear you are getting the 500 sorted, mine is coming on too! If you need a front mudguard I have a non standard blade with an original brace which looks the part and seems to be stainless steel.

[matthewmosse]

I might have 6 spares in the shed unless my memory is shot, some might be single stay 550 ones though. I think both the guard and the headlight were so obviously on their way that I sourced spares back when the bike was last in regular use, only risk on that front is if I've sold the spare to someone 'desperately seeking' I'm luckier still on the rear muddy, it's a fiberglass item that seems to be a plastic reproduction of the original, really lucky in that I've got 3 of them, they actually look ok, and unlike the chrome originals that rot easily and have definate hot spots for bad corrosion where damp can lodge and eat the thing they are inpervious to salt water, the fronts seem to fare way better.
Thanks for the offer though.

[mickwinf]

Its good to have a stash of parts, sometimes I buy things only to remember I already have one that I bought just in case!

[hunterso]

Sounds like you have your work cut out Matt - look forward to seeing how it goes. Get some pics up.

Mick - I may be interested in the mudguard if you can get a picture to me

[florence]

good to hear you are getting bike back together.  The laser is loud in the extreme.  If you want to sell it I would be interested as a backup for the one I have already.  My bike must have been jetted for it a long time ago because it's the only thing that makes it run properly.

[mickwinf]

pic for hunterso

[andy120t]

Good luck with the build...how's it progressing? The shed sounds interesting too ...piccie would be great to see.

[Bryanj]

Laser is louder than dunstall mate, but even better? is Piper

[matthewmosse]

Progess is slow, airbox and suspension removed, engine still needs draining of oil and removing to rust treat everything, swing arm bolt proving an issue, due to sidecar fitment. Since starting on this the landrover developed a bottom end rattle that got worse so engine transplant, followed by head gaskett failiure!!! Right at the start of haymaking which is a landrover job, so it was all hands on deck to fix that - twice. I also treated myself to a taxed and tested ntv650 which is fun, fastest bike I've personally owned. I think Ive decided on the frame painting treatment, red oxide and satin black blackfriar metal paint, cheap as chips, easy to pach dammaged areas and having done a bmw chasis in it and left it kicking around outdoors it seems in better shape than anything else I painted around that time, and it is easy to apply. I think it will definitely get the triumph raygun of 70s vintage exhaust it came with re fitted Loud it was, heard it being delivered from 6 miles away, along with the k&n filter that uses the stock phenem chamber, that liberated enough horses to slide it sideways with a 500 motor, the 550 lump in there will stay for now. I also bought and stripped for future rebuild 2 road rollers - most likely to be resurected as log splitters or tracked wheelbarrows. My new shed is full within months of being built.

[matthewmosse]

Well the latest update, started attacking the flaking paint, and found the rear left of the frame where the mudguard brace part is, has rusted through, not a lot left of the inner face of the gusseting that holds the shock absober top mount, so it looks  like I have a days of welding and fabrication ahead and the engine will probably be comming out and the sidecar may also come off. Luckily I can weld and have already done the other side about 8 years ago. I also will repeat my easy find rust detection method on the rest of the at risk frame areas - I play an acetalene torch over the frame, if it heats easily, it must be badly rusted. I am a bit peeved to be welding the frame again but such is life. The welding I did last time seems to be holding up ok.

[matthewmosse]

Well looking like a fair bit of work, frame now bare and sat on the workbench. Needs new headstock bearings, after using a slag hammer for arc welding and a 3lb ball pein hammer I have found the frame tube has severe (but looking quite localised hopefully) rust, right through the frame tube where the pillion footrest hangar sits and at the top, will get photos before cutting the rust out, going to be a major bit of surgery, basically the rear end has seen too many winters.

[matthewmosse]

Rust is localised to 2 areas in the main frame, but the steel pressings are shot -

[matthewmosse]

more of the frame, going to need a bit of thought before welding this up, given that it carries a sidecar and 2 of the 5 mounting points are rusted to tin can thickness. Amasingly after taking these I cut the rot out and the rest of the frame tubing is still shiny factory fresh steel inside, within mm of gaping rust holes.

[matthewmosse]

Now welded up the frame tube having cut all the thinned steel out, footpeg hanger mostly fabricated, had to stop before it was done as it was time to cook dinner, also I managed to chop my thumb quite badly with the angle grinder when dressing the edges of the new footpeg hangar to get the taper right, think if I need to make any more replica footpeh hangars then I'll make a set of steel formers up, that said this one only took an hour so far and is looking like a close enough replica. Last time I think it took nearer 8 hours tin bashing the differnce being I now have a swage block to get the curves so am able to use 2mm thick steel and really bash it to get the shaping close to how Honda made it probably using big presses. Think gas welding will be best to get the ridge right round the middle. Top shock mount still to re make.  Hopefully another few hours will see the frame ready for wire brushing and re paint, more likely it will take a day , but in dribs and drabs of an hour or two as and when childcare, work and daylight allow. Workshop lights have fused out.