1954 18S preservation project (with lots of pictures)

Information relating to the Matchless G80 or AJS Model 18 500cc Heavyweight.
Post Reply
User avatar
dave16mct
Member
Posts: 3234
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: LANCASHIRE UK

Re: My new restoration project

Post by dave16mct »

Hi Colin,
love the photos, thanks for posting them. What fluid are you using in your Ultra Sonic cleaner? I use tap water with a squirt of washing up liquid in mine.
Cheers, Dave.
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project

Post by cfaber »

For dirt / grime removal just tap water and a bit of dish soap (non-chlorinated). For the bright work, I replace the solution with half a teaspoon of washing soda (baked baking soda) and distilled water. I add a small bit of aluminum sheet to the cleaner so that the harder metals being cleaned have something to steal electrons from and that leaves everything nice a bright. I also use a few grades of wire brush (nylon, brass and steel) to get the extra hard stuff off.

One thing not noted here was when I reinstalled the mixing chamber core, I left it in the freezer for about half an hour to get nice and cold, then I warmed up the entire mixing body (which was bear) with a heat gun, got it nice and warm and then the two pieces slid together without any effort, once they equalized temperature, it was nice and tight and correctly aligned.
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project

Post by cfaber »

Had some more free time today so I decided to fix the clearhooters dipper / horn switch which came with my bike, Sadly, I didn't think to snap a picture of it right before, but there's probably some photo of it on one of the bike pictures, oh well :D

Anyways, this is what I started with, oil, rust, dirt, and broken baktelite, the outer shell wasn't too bad, and the switches themselves were in good shape
Image
Image

The inner core was a different story
Image

The toggle mechanism on the dipper switch was pretty hard up with a rusty spring, and rusty linkage

Image

So I made this

Image

Pretty, right?

And then I applied my favorite tool, chemistry
Image

Within minutes the rust was gone, leaving only black iron

Image

The rust was deposited on the donor metal:
Image

And the end result after a bit degreasing, brass brushing, and glue

Image

Image
Image
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
StephenG80
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:42 pm
Location: ARGYLL UK

Re: My new restoration project

Post by StephenG80 »

whilst a small part of the overall restoration I bet it was very satisfying restoring that switch - its the little things :-) -thanks for posting.
JimFitz
Posts: 663
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 9:27 am
Location: Kent, England

Re: My new restoration project

Post by JimFitz »

cfaber wrote: And then I applied my favorite tool, chemistry
Within minutes the rust was gone, leaving only black iron
The rust was deposited on the donor metal:
Hmmm....... impressive!

What did you use as an electrolyte and what is the polarity?

I can see that one wire is connected to the parts - is the other wire just stripped off and dunked in the tank?

Jim
Too old to Rock and Roll but too young to die.

1952 G80 rigid, 1960 G12 DL / Watsonian Monza, 1954 G80S.
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project

Post by cfaber »

Hi Jim,

I use a washing soda in distilled water solution with a 12v battery supplying the speed up. The anode is a large iron nail (positive) and the parts themselves make up the the cathode (negative)
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
JimFitz
Posts: 663
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 9:27 am
Location: Kent, England

Re: My new restoration project

Post by JimFitz »

Thanks I will give it a try

Jim
Too old to Rock and Roll but too young to die.

1952 G80 rigid, 1960 G12 DL / Watsonian Monza, 1954 G80S.
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project

Post by cfaber »

Spent most of my day yesterday off doing pretty much nothing, but toward the end of the day I decided to clean up the (apparently rare) Lucas rear brake switch
Image

The inside was in great shape, just a bit dirty, but surprisingly no rust :beer:
Image

After some degreaser and some brush work
Image
Image
Image

Also this morning the post lady was here early and delivered some of the stuff I need to rebuild the wiring harness

Image

I had to over-buy and ended up with about 99.5' more yellow wire than I needed. The rest of the wire should be here in the next few days, but with buying in bulk, I may end up building a few harnesses and selling them off to cover my supplies cost. :D
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by cfaber »

With family in town, I haven't had much time to do anything interesting with the bike, however the wonderful chaps over at Nisonger instruments was busy at work on my Smiths. They completed the work and took some pictures of the before and after for me so I thought I would share them with you.

Here you go, Enjoy:

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
StephenG80
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:42 pm
Location: ARGYLL UK

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by StephenG80 »

looks like a good job!
Post Reply