Never say die!
Progress has been slow, but steady. I finally got the lift bar out - actually I had a guy put a blue tip torch to it and once it was red hot - out it came! The good news is that neither the frame nor the lift bar were damaged. I also noted a large pipe separation in one of the main tubes that had to be welded back together. That's finished and media blasting is next. This frame is so rusty I'm sure I'd be better off just ditching it and starting over with another frame, but I'm on it now.
The tank is another issue. It is rusty and has at least one pinhole leak from rust perforation. I'd appreciate any tips on the gas tank. I have a plan, but appreciate all suggestions. Some say weld up the leak. Others just say to use Red-Kote. I do want to repaint it to look nice, so whatever method I choose is important.
I have the original seat. Some of the higher end Ropers had a thicker molded vinyl seat and this one has stood the test of time.
I found a motor - an HS50, slightly newer than original, but should be OK. Of course I picked one with a pulley fused to the shaft and that means cutting off the old shaft and replacing it. That's OK because I need a tapped and threaded shaft end anyway. I will upgrade this one with a lighting coil as well. I can do a lot with engines on my own, but this one will get special help from a true engine master. Send me a PM if you'd like more information.
I have a replacement two-speed clutch that I plan to use and I also have a new set of shocks, stripes and decals. What I am missing is the scrubber brake. Scrubber brake leads are appreciated!
I plan to upgrade the original wheel barrow wheels with something nicer, but will stay close to the original size. The five-spoke type from OldMiniBikes warehouse might be the ones.
And finally, I have not figured out what to do with the handlebars. They need chrome plating, but the Ropers handlebars are welded to the triple tree. And the ones I have are super rusty. I may be better off finding another set of forks/triple tree.
All thoughts are welcome!
Jack