Test assembly of the rear end

It's time to start assembling the parts I have been cleaning and restoring... Tonight the back of the frame using the previously reassembled pedal assembly and seat. 

Getting everything ready

First few bolts in place

It's coming together

Here we go, next step adding the front end, the handlebars. Then it will be the lights and cables and the brake lines. I am still looking for the correct grips and the switches for the brake lights

Glass Bead Blasting

A little bit of work in the Sandblasting cabinet. Using glass bead, I cleaned all the nuts and bolts, and the tools that sit in the toolbox at the back of the bike, under the luggage rack.

Polishing the evening away

A good evening, polishing the rear wheel, made me realize that it's Murphy's law. I always end up starting by cleaning the best wheel first. No exception here.. the rear wheel is a lot more pitted than the front, but the chrome is still there mostly and it will still look ok. After all, the wheels where made in 1976 based on the stamping, so they are about 35 years old!

It looks a lot worse under the lights and will look much better under natural light. worst case scenario, I can try to find a replacement wheel from 76 or earlier (the bike being from '77) which is in better condition.


The tire will need to be replaced though, it is all cracked and will likely crack with the tube under the right pressure

Controls switches

The controls and the handle bars are one of the Achilles's heal of the bike right now... it's very rusty (and I don't know that I can get the handlebar back from the rusty hell). The Aprilia controls that were installed originally on the 4600 V3 are simply impossible to find, and only one is still on the bike.

All this will have to go, the soldered electronic grade switches, the rusted and unoperable aprilia switch.. I will install some New Old Stock CEV switches (from Italy) that were on the earlier V3 and the previous version V2. I found a pair of original ones in great condition

This weekend, I started on the wheels, they are dirty and pitted, but the chrome seems to polish out nicely, the front wheel is done, the rear wheel will be my evening homework for the coming days. It takes about 2 hours to get one wheel done properly!

Here is the before

And After

The front wheel is done, next rear wheel and hub! 

Once these are done, I will start assembling the bike. I still need to find the controls for the handlebars and the replacement grips - more on that later!

What's left?

This is the Solex 3800 frame parts, but to the exception of a few items, it is about the same as the 4600 we are working on here.. This will give you an overall view of what needs to be bolted back together

Pedal Assembly

One tricky bit the pedal assembly needed to be taken appart, re-bushed and greased and reset in the newly painted frame piece - before paint at the bottom right

 After cleaning up each part and getting ready for assembly:

 

Saddle up

Putting the seat back together will be the first real step in building back the frame, since it has all those springs and needs a clean up to accomodate your majesty's behind

 

Adding back the Solex decorations & Identification

Got the frame back from the painter, time to start putting it together... First the stickers and identification plate to be riveted on the frame

 

Taking the frame apart to sandblast it and repaint it:

Some more pics of the beast before being taken apart:

 

The find

Here it is, your very own Solex, as it was when I found it with some small issues:

• Paint is toast!
• It has a gas tank of a Craftsman lawn mower
• It's missing the engine cover and the flywheel cover is broken
• The handlebars are completely rusted, the grips are from a Husqvarna motorcycle and the controls are good for the trash

It will need some work... but it will be yours!