Old bmw hot rod project pics

[Rubone]

got any links or advice for upgraded front springs and damper units

The standard set-up for sidecars was to switch the rear springs to the front and add the sidecar springs in the rear, stiffens it all up, many suppliers have them , Bench mark works, Bob's, Blue Moon, all should have them. Koni made the best shocks but they are long gone. Ikon suspension out of Australia makes nice damper units.
Robbie

[JLeather]

Robbie, I've got a pile of springs in a box here. What's the best way to tell Front/Rear/Sidecar springs apart? I suspect my conversion bike already has sidecar springs on it, since it had a sidecar on it before I got it.

[Scott in Missouri]

These fenders were just some of the very worst available and need a lot of work. The were packed full of filler and the rear hinge area was a disaster. I couldn't even work with them and had to have them sandblasted by my friend Bruce at Owen's Sand Blasting. I actually thought about splicing in a new fender, but in the end wanted the factory look so I settled in an got out the hammer, dolly and welder.
First I had to take the pin out to make the fender two pieces because you can see how the thick steel hinge was sprung out of shape. I actually had to cut/break the hinge loose flatten everything out so it would draw up tight when closed and then re-weld it. I tackled the larger front half first and got it straight. Next, I worked the rear half....I remember thinking I wanted to be doing something else, but it was time to just get comfortable and relax because I was going to be here a while. When the rear half was straight and all the holes were welded shut I attached it to the front half and started working the hinge and ensuring the when it closed the two halves would come together perfectly straight. The back section was so bad that I even had to cut/drill out the 50 year old rivets so that I could get to the bad metal and then put the fender stays in the vise and tweak them.


Scott

[49Flat]

Great job on that BMW, beautiful bike.

[Scott in Missouri]

I used tape to make a line where I wanted to trim the metal to. Then it was just a lot of shaving a little, checking and taking a little more until it all fit tight when the “pie” shape closed together. Next was all the body work and priming which was of course time consuming and tedious also.
When it was ll done I put everything together for a test fit with the hinge and fender stays. A little tweaking and it all fit great and was ready for final sanding and paint.


Scott

[belltown]

thats cool man, I am restoring and original paint one now, I have a buddy who has a 61 r60 with a /5 engine in it, its very cool, nice bike

[Scott in Missouri]

...and finally some black PPG. It will look good next to all the polished parts and the black powdercoating by Powder Paint of Lebanon, MO.

Scott

[Rubone]

Looks great Scott! Looking forward to the finished product. Any mods to the engine?
Robbie

[Scott in Missouri]

Here are some pictures of why this bike had so many rough parts. I used all the left oevr/worst parts from these two bikes I did a while back. The Granada Red bike is an R50 and the Black is an R60. Both were complete rebuilds to include the oil slingers in the engine. This was done at my friend, Kevin Brooks' shop in Olympia, WA- http://www.brooksmotorworks.com/. As you can see, he holds a few world records on vintage BMWs. He is big into Land Speed Racing on these old bikes and I plan to see them at Bonneville again this summer.

Scott

[kickstarts]

I have to say that I know absolutely nothing about BMW bikes but they are beautiful machines, especially the older models. I did repair work at a BMW auto shop for years and they were so well built and designed that I have to believe the bikes are no less well made. Nice pics.

[Scott in Missouri]

"Why old bikes are cool"... Things like the two-three days it takes to rebuild a pair of shocks reminds me why old bikes are cool. If they were easy to build, everyone would have one.
First I had to make a jig from steel tubing and then polish and powder coat everything. Heat and remove/replace the shock dampners. All the new shock eyes where a bear to heat, press out and replace.

Scott

[Scott in Missouri]

Setting in the motor is really a TIGHT squeeze...remember this is a 1976 engine and had to have modifications to the bike to take the motor. Even with all the rags and care there was still one scratch going in, but not bad.

Next was the transmission and then the rear drive unit.

Scott

[Scott in Missouri]

All the hard work is over and now is the detail work like wiring and small touches. I couldn't wait to use this cloth covered wire on the places that wiring showed like here on the brake light switch. Lots of polished stainless bolts make the details pop.

Scott

[Scott in Missouri]

The wheels cleaned up great even though I put them together five years ago. The wiring is a hodge podge if Kawasaki coils, VW parts and a few trips to NAPA. I will tuck it all in nice.

Scott

[JLeather]

Are you running the original swingarm/final drive on that later model trans? Anything have to be changed, or did it mate right up?

[Scott in Missouri]

A sneak peak until I can get a few clearer pics uploaded.

Scott

[Rubone]

Looking great Scott! Hope the run-out goes as well as the build!
Robbie

[sweatmachine]

Damn that's cool! Well done!

[Okie Pete]

Very nice Bike. Thank you for your service

[R90S/2]

The BMW /2 conversions are great bikes. Good looks, lots of reliability, and they stop/go a lot better if done right.

I have a '55 R60 with a R90S engine and trans, dual disc brakes on the Earles forks, and a sidecar. Also a '63 R69S with a R90 engine, swingarm, and both wheels. Then there is the basket case with another R90S engine, etc. No, I didn't destroy rare bikes, they were built from pieces, some by me, some by unknown others. Your bikes look great, I like the Chinese Red one. I have Dover white sheetmetal with Hoske tank to put on one of mine. My late model BMW is a /5 with 900 cylinders, Lester mags, etc.

Old BMW's are as reliable as any new bike in my book.