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BSA lightning


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So my grandad has his old BSA lightning split in to a thousand pieces, hidden around his shed. It's been in this sate for about 15-20 years.

I am keen to restore it to working order, but lack the knowledge, I have been reading Haines motorcycle basics as well as carrying out basic services on my own 125cc. I'm not sure how to make the step up and become skilled enough to start the project.

Step one - buy BSA workshop manual

Step two - ?????

Step three - shiny like new BSA

Wish me luck

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Step 1 1/2....get a subscription to Classic Bike magazine....some very useful rebuild/restoration information in there, especially Rick Parkington's articles. Do your research first so you know what will be involved. Above all, be realistic about your own abilities. Better to have a box of bits in reasonable condition than an assembly that is fecked.


Good luck


S23.

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God advice to join the owners club, they'll not only have knowledge to impart but also know where you can get missing bits.


When I start a restoration I always begin by labelling everything, it makes life easier later and focuses your mind on what is there and what is missing. Do one bit at a time, it's like eating an elephant - all at once is impossible.

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Step 2 get it all sorted , labeled, and in boxes then do nothing at all until your sure you know what you are doing. Restoring a British classic is a massively different ball game to maintaining a jap 125. You will need a set of imperial size tools for a start. All I'm saying is don't rush in and end up with the proverbial "Unfinished Project" good luck.

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  • 1 year later...

Is Electrolysis an ok method of restoring old bike parts? I can't think of a reason why it would be bad, but I haven't seen any restoration projects use it before.

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  • 2 weeks later...

electrolysis or do you mean electroplating?,recent thread here https://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=87&t=68482

 

I think its electrolysis, when you remove rust buy wiring up the item and dunking it in salty water hooked up to a trickle charger

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