Saving a 1980 ATC 70 - Restore Project #4

[a7t0c]

I was able to pick up this badly neglected 1980 ATC 70 for $100. It's going to take a lot of work, but I plan to get it running and looking good. My other three are all 1984's. They all started out in better shape than this one.

Here's the before I start pictures.



It's too early to know what color scheme it will be but here's how my other three turned out.

[Trackburger]

Looks like a project for sure!!! The good thing is you can buy practicly everything to restore and mod these things out as you know.

I picked up 2 a few weeks back...... Traded an old TREK mountain bike I had.... One is an 84 and the other is an 85. Just have to rebuild my stator and will have the engine back in 1... the other i havent even started yet.

Before:


So far:

[a7t0c]

I didn't do anything with this project over the winter but I'm ready to work on it a bit. I got out the surgery table.

First up is the ATC 70 gas tank restore. I wire brushed, sanded, paint stripped and grinded the exterior, but the interior is horrible.

I put a lot of nuts into the tank and shook to loosen the majority of the rust.

[a7t0c]

After shaking the tank with the nuts inside it I dumped out the nuts and a lot of rust.

Next I capped the fuel drain tubes and poured some Loctite rust remover into the tank. I sloshed it around to coat the entire inside and let it sit for a while before flushing out the tank.

As I type, the tank is out in the garage going through the first round of electrolysis rust removal.
I mixed up some arm and wash soda (electrolyte) with water and filled the tank. Then I positioned a metal electrode such that it won't contact the sided of the gas tank. Then I hooked up the battery charger. As soon as I did the solution began bubbling and you know that electricity is being conducted from the side wall to the electrode. It carries the rust with it and it attaches to the electrode.

[a7t0c]

I checked the sacrificial anode (metal) after two hours and it was working well.

I cleaned off the anode and then let it simmer overnight and checked this morning.

I'm going to make up a fresh solution of water slash/soda solution and keep repeating until the tank is rust free.

[a7t0c]

Still getting lots of rust.
Attachment 232197