An ATC90 trike in progress

[mortoto]

I was told im I have too much time on my hands and i need a hobby so i decided to re-live a fond teenage moment and restore a motorbike. Well this was ok i found a cheap motorbike and started at it, then waited for parts and work i couldn't do myself to be done..... back to bored and too much time. Started chatting to a chap whilst having a nice alcoholic beverage who would like someone to fully restore back to factory his ATC90 balloon tire trike. I jumped at the chance. Then he delivered it and i realised what i was in for with this one.
"Does it run mate?", "it did", "well yes they all ran at one point in time" ....spare time be gone.

 

[mortoto]

Tear down began shes looking rougher by the bolt.

 

[mortoto]

down to a bare frame

 

[mortoto]

looks like he PO spat a chain, a nice little hole in the case. I found degreasing and a light coat of UHT shows a few hard to see potential issues

 

[mortoto]

Top of tank was rusted through and a write off, the bottom seam also had a rough repair

 

[mortoto]

its like Christmas, a new bottom end (nothing wrong with old one but owner wanted full new rebuild)
Note the case in the background, is a new left side case i purchased and was cleaning to replace the cracked one.

 

[mortoto]

Oh, that case i spent hours polishing..... i didnt have and couldnt get the correct font for the engine numbers to be stamped on, so send the old one to dear old dad to weld up for me. then clean the old case. at least i got cleaning practice i suppose

 

[mortoto]

oooo look i found some 40 year old tires in good condition, well all bar one had a small rip in a seam. only $1000 a tyre what a bargain
oh and the exhaust was shot on the original so happened to find a near untouched one as well.

 

[mortoto]

cleaned the cases and started polishing, having trouble getting the finish i want on them am thinking of trying soda on them then a polish, the intake came up pretty good, now the head, Im going to need to bead blast it to get the old scratch marks out im thinking

 

[adventurco]

Looks like this one sat on the beach for a bit too long

Nice find on the tires!

Also fair warning that aluminum will oxidise pretty quickly even with a good polish, which is why I choose to paint.

 

[mortoto]

Sat the motor together to make sure nothing else was needed, wasnt going to be a simple one. bottom end definitely needs shimming a lot of lateral movement

 

[mortoto]

Looks like this one sat on the beach for a bit too long

Nice find on the tires!

Also fair warning that aluminum will oxidise pretty quickly even with a good polish, which is why I choose to paint.

Thanks mate I was thinking of a good clean and seal it to prevent oxidisation. I hope


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[mortoto]

And the frame has some paint, the rest will have paint this week as well and decals on and cleared over. decals for this model were an issue, i could only find one person selling what is advertised as exact match waited three weeks to get them to find the font is different and the size is wrong. The good lad at atcheaven made a nice set for the guards and a local guy took the tank for the tank decals. I now have the correct decals with an exact match to colour, font and size so a win in the end.

 

[canyoncarver]

Were they really 1000$ per tire?

 

[mortoto]

Were they really 1000$ per tire?

Indeed they were mate. And to be in that condition is unbelievable myself and the owner are pumped to get them


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[canyoncarver]

Whoa.

 

[irk miller]

Like $1000 in Jamaican currency?

 

[mortoto]

Like $1000 in Jamaican currency?

Haha nah Aussie dollars mate


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[SONICJK]

Well that takes the cake for the most absurd expenditure I have seen on this site to date ???

 

[mortoto]

Well that takes the cake for the most absurd expenditure I have seen on this site to date ???

Yeah I did have to ask him if he’s sure and the answer was yep buy them. People are paying pretty high prices for these tires especially if they hold air. I’ve seen people buy dry rotted ones for a couple hundred each.


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