Glad I found this site/ My project

[Huffa]

As long as you prepared it properly, the paint shold hold up well.

What's irfanview? I have no idea?

[thBriGuy]

Your project will turn out great! I redid a 200S years ago that sat for quite some time also & am now redoing a Yamaha 225 DX.

You going to touch up the whole frame? Thats oil coming out of those forks and it will need new seals I'm sure.

If that rust is not too heavy (hard to tell) on the action part of the fork they will be usable by wet sanding them and getting all the pits out. Can you take a close up shot of the rust part on the slider & one of the the lower fork body? I'd really like to see them close up.

If they are in decent shape, what I would do (and have done many of times) is completely take off the clear coat (that is what gets dull over years) on the fork body with a 6" bench fine wire wheel if you have access to one.
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As for the exhaust that will clean up fine but of course be somewhat pitted on the heavier rusted areas. Rustoleum barbecue paint works excellent and looks like the stock paint....... a very good match!

Well, at this point, I am going for operational, until then, mostly gonna look like crap, gonna primer the gas tank, after I get most the dents out (hopefully) and will prolly paint the exhaust, but I'm nowhere near ready to start polishing anything. Like I said, first goal, operating. Then I'll think about beautification. I really dont care if it looks like an Apocolypse machine right now. When it is running good, I might go for a midnight blue theme on it, unless I end up replacing too much plastic, then it'll remain red. Gonna get inside the gas tank this afternoon, and see how bad it really is. I certainly do appreciate all the input though, and now have resource for when I do go to spit shine my ride.

I will get more pics of the forks onto the web page by next weekend.

[Huffa]

I think up in the attic (too lazy to check right now) I have a brand new rear sprocket for that bike. Let me know if you need one. I can easily email you a picture of it to make sure it's the same.

[Huffa]

Hey BriGuy

Just checking things out on the net and came across what may the forks on your 185. Check it out.


http://www.3wheeler.org/dirtwheels/june-84/page88.html

Add states 33mm tubes. Yours the same size?

[thBriGuy]

Hey BriGuy

Just checking things out on the net and came across what may the forks on your 185. Check it out.


http://www.3wheeler.org/dirtwheels/june-84/page88.html

Add states 33mm tubes. Yours the same size?

Boy, that sure looks like them. Still trying to get all the grease off 'em and I'll try to get some pictures up tomorrow if it doesn't start raining again. I don't have a micrometer, but I'll adust a clamp or wrench, and try to get a somewhat accurate measurement of them. I wonder if that company is still in business...

BTW- you have way too much time on your hands (I envy that)

[thBriGuy]

Well, I got to work on the trike today, and I was able to do an update to my web site, including many pictures of the forks. Took a pair of vise-grips (c-clamp style) and nuzzled them up to the forks. My tape measure read it at 1-3/16", wich converts to a little shy of 33mm, but it's close, and without the proper tool, can't be sure. The fork plates are stamped "HELM & SON". I dunno if that can help to ID these forks, but the action is still decent, just need to find someone to replace the seals.... Nevermind that for now. First things first, gotta get the motor running. Drained the oil, but I need to open the crankcase to inspect & clean, and I need a new gasket to close it up. Ordered one online last night, so now I wait... I gotta find a nearby motorcycle shop that stocks such things...