1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star restoration (1000 miles and more)

Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

swan said:
Thanks all!

It is the frame and the original cases that are elusive and expensive.

Why not replicate the frame? You have a frame, make a jig from the frame and detail everything... Shouldn't be hard with your archeological back ground.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

A replica is a replica. It can only be original once.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Congratulations on your excellent find and in progress build ;D ;D ;D. I, too, have always wanted a Goldie..... but, so far, haven't found one for cheap ??? ??? ???. I am glad you will be actually riding your bike instead of putting it away somewhere in a dark garage or your living room as some kind of perverted center-piece. I have several rare bikes , keep them in showroom condition, and ride the hell out of all of them. I have had several BSAs and think they are highly under rated motorbikes. Currently, I have a A50 R with a 650 Lightning engine. I swapped a $225 Yamaha scooter for it. Going to do it up in cafe style with Goldstar paint, and mufflers, and a cafe style seat. It is # 4 project down the line..... So, keep up the good work and keep us informed......
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Excellent work on the seat. And the write-up was very informative. Can't wait to see the finished tank!
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Just finished some work on my tank. The consensus is there is no set factory pattern for the main tank color (BSA silver sheen) and the shape of the exposed (unpainted chrome sides). I studied dozens of historical photographs or modern restorations to get an idea of the layout then started with some thin 1/8" 3M brand plastic tape to get the shape to look right to my eye. Once I was satisfied, I measured and marked the pattern for the opposite side, taped again and then covered the chrome sides with more masking tape.

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Next, with a deep breath, I took 400 grit sandpaper to all that beautiful exposed chrome. I scuffed in an "X" pattern to create some valleys so the primer could make a mechanical as well as a chemical bond to the chrome. I sprayed three coats of VHT brand Self-Etching primer (green), let it dry, lightly sanded with 400 grit, then layed down a few light coats of a sanding primer (grey).

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I bought the correctly matched OEM paint from Don Hutchinson (http://www.triumphman.com ). He is known for Triumph paint but does BSA's as well. Great guy, very friendly and helpful.

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I sprayed three coats of Silver Sheen, then three coats of catalyzed clear coat to get this:

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I could not find the formula for BSA Gold Star Silver Sheen floating around the internet or the britbike forum so I went with Don. It is a metallic silver with some small flakes in it. In the UK they recommend using VW Beetle Silver as a match, but I could not find a formula for it in the US. Here are some details of the Silver Sheen and the red pinstriping color:

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test strip

Hopefully tomorrow night I can sand the clearcoat, pinstripe and add more clear. Stay tuned...
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

You are a brave, brave man ;)
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

I found this Goldie on Craigslist and someone should jump on it for $1250. (maybe a typo? $12,500?) Here is your chance for your own Gold Star project. It is probably a 1963 DBD34 sold it late in 64 and titled as a 1965 BSA (?).

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/mcy/2126576746.html

The ad:
"65 BSA DBD 34 500 cc, This is an unmolested example of 1965 motorcycling, it is known as a scramble or dirt bike, this bike is a little rough but all there, the trans moves throught the gears fine, the chain is rusted some as are the wheel, handle bars and the chrome shocks, please notice the inside of the fuel tank....how clean it is....but also notice the tank is ALL Aluminum and with no dents so it could have the paint removed and ploished to a mirror finish.This is a great bike for restoration of a correct period piece.
If you are a serious buyer and want to see more pictures email me and I will send more, but hurry its on ebay too and Im already getting calls.

I have ALL the original paper work, including the title and the original invoice from the Dealer to the Buyer, from 1964, the Califorina title is is good condition as well, this is just a cool bike great for a winter project, with lots of dollar potential when its done, im doing house cleaning now and need to get rid of some of my 5 motorcycles.

thanks and hope to hear from you. 1-714-456-6509 "
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Posting deleted by author.
Guess he realised it was too cheap after the first 500 calls? ;)
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

UPDATE on the CL Goldie mentioned above. A member on britbike.com forum spoke to the seller and he wants $9000 + for it : The motor is stuck, no fenders but he has the tacho. It is still worth half his asking price.

The ad was posted in the middle of the night and I am sure had many, many calls. Here is his new E-bay auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BSA-DBD-34-CATALINA-Scrambler-dirt-tracker-500cc-/160522786654?pt=US_motorcycles&hash=item255fe7575e#ht_2144wt_950

This would have been nice to pick up for $1250!
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration




Thanks everyone for your kind words! I have been a busy boy with my job but have eeked out a few moments to work on my Goldie. I spent Christmas Eve preparing and tweeking the CB400F I sold to a cool dad in the Minneapolis. He drove down in a snowstorm to pick up the bike for his daughter. It now has new rims, spokes tires etc but I still need to polish the tank for him.
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With my bike I am still struggling with the swing arm spindle, so I walked away for a while and built the front end so I can determine the offset for the front hub. Britbike.com member Goldstarfreddie hooked me up with a nice pair of fork lowers. My original pair was seized beyond belief. Here is the carnage of my original pair I butchered in order to get the nuts and washer off the fork stanchions.
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I meticulously cleaned, prepped, primed and painted the fork lowers with catalyzed single-stage gloss black paint and bought all new UK made fork tubes, bushings, seals, circlips, seal holders, springs, shrouds, headlight holders, hardware, fork seal tool etc from Leigh Classic Motorcycles and classicbikeshop.CO.UK. Both are great people to work with, good communication and fast shipment to the US.


I oiled the bushings and inserted the tubes into the fork lowers and added the circlips, no shims were needed. The first circlip went in with two screwdrivers in under a minute, but the second took me more the than ten minutes. I next lubed the inner portion of the seals and slid the down the stanchion with the SPRING SIDE DOWN. I wrapped the fork lower threads with PTFE tape (aka Teflon, thread sealant tape) and hand and tool tightened the chrome fork sealers. Originally, a wrap of twine or hemp was used to seal this connection.
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Next, I sprayed my fork springs with a light coat of WD-40 for rust prevention and inserted the fork shrouds. Everything looks much better and slides freely and evenly.
New tapered bearings from Germany via Britbike.com veteran David Kath were pressed on the lower yoke and I have a new front end. I am using clip-ons and black Gold Star headlight holders as well.
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Tapered Races and Bearings
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Roger Race Bannon


Next will be the front hub, stay tuned…
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Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

that tank and forks look amazing. can't wait to see what the finish product will be. and that is some determination for the pops daughter she will be pumped. keep up the good work
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

amazing man! i need to get a white backdrop for my pics ;) looks amazing.

what are you shooting with? lighting set up?
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

The Front Hub

BSA Gold Stars came with a variety of hubs and rim sizes for both the home and export markets. My bike has the 190mm front drum brake which many seem to like while others prefer the BSA 8" brake. I have both brakes, but am going with the 190mm for now. The outer covers and interior drum were sandblasted to bare metal, primed with etching primer and painted. I have seen the inner ring either silver or black and I started with silver but changed my mind and went with black high temperature caliper paint. It looks more balanced with the color scheme of the bike. The has been much discussion on the forums as to the original exterior silver color and its modern equivalent, most people recommend Hammerite Smooth Silver which I used and you can see for yourself.


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Breakdown

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Hornets’ Nest

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Started with Silver

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Changed my mind and went with black paint on the drum

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1640 RS sealed bearings

The bearings were kept in the freezer, the area where the bearings are placed was heated and lighted coated with grease. I placed the bearings with some washers, threaded rod and nuts and tightened them into position. NEVER pound your bearings. Find a bearing press or do as I did.

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Polished bearing retainer rings, proper service tool and anti-sieze compound

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Right hand thread on both bearing rings. Interior bearing ring has the larger inner diameter opening and a cotter pin.

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Original paint

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Hammerite paint

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Hammerite paint from http://www.tcpglobal.com/

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Much better! On to lacing and trueing the spokes and rims, lathe turn the drum and new brake pads and arcing from Vintage Brake. http://vintagebrake.com/ The hardware will be blasted and cadmium plated.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Happy New Year!

After some frustration, I finally figured out the swing arm spindle problem and am now starting the new year off right by going clockwise on this project!

The spindle was too big and I determined the zinc coating would not allow for a press fit into the swing arm. After some hand sanding and wire wheel on the bench grinder it was the right tolerance. This was such a bitch I drilled, tapped and inserted a grease zerk fitting to the bottom of the swing arm so I never need to remove the spindle again.

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I saved a pair of UK made rear shocks from my former Rocket Gold Star replica project and installed them with new hardware. Also the front tapered races and bearings and yokes went on. Forks, clip-ons, headlight holder etc will go on tomorrow so I can figure the offset for my front hub and lace it up.

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A final coat of paint went on the oil tank and tool box and they will be sanded and polished tomorrow too.

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Time for a well deserved pint. Happy New Year and be safe!
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Great project going on!
I'll be tuning in. ;D
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Thanks guys! I put a few hours of work in to my bike today.

The tins are original. The tool box was bad and the oil tank had one big dent. I used a hammer and dolly on the tool box and was able to push out most the oil tank dent. The tool box needed some body filler and I used a bit of Lab Metal (high temperature body filler) on the oil tank. I polished the tool box today but need one tiny paint touch up on the oil bag. Here they are:

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Original tool box

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Original oil tank

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Blasted and pounded

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Filled, primed and sanded

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Polished tool box

I used single-stage gloss black auto paint on both tins, wet sanded with 800, 1000 and 1500 grit sandpaper then polished 3M Perfect polish, machine and final glaze. No wax and I am going let them sit and off gas their solvents for a few days before applying the graphics. Last year I found a used heavy duty Dewalt 849 polisher and it makes all the difference in the world. This thing is a beast, but has the power and torque to polish and buff like glass. I use small 3.5" pad kits on motorcycle parts and they work great! The larger auto sized pads will destroy your paint job in a split second if you slip up. You need to be mindful of the leading and trailing edge of the rotating pad so as not to catch on any edge or detail and wreck your paint job. Beg, borrow or steal (not mine) a heavy duty polisher for your next paint job.

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The beast

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small pads work great on motorcycle parts


I rebuilt the rear hub and pressed in two new 1620 2RS bearings. Note the shorter shoulder of the spacer goes on quick detach side and there is a thrust washer behind the bearing.

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The bearing retainer is a LEFT HAND thread.
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With the forks on and the hubs done I can mock them up on the frame and determine my spoke and rim offsets so I can lace my wheels this week. Stay tuned!
 
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