Slow Monster rebuild

[350TSS]

I have also posted this on Ducati UK forum but was told there might be more interest here, apologies to those seeing double.
I bought a1994 M900 in 1998 second hand as a non runner for £1200. it was a non runner because the tank was half full of water. With that drained out and fresh fuel in it was still a non runner. It turned out that the vacuum petrol pump diaphragm was perished but in those first few days I thought I had bought a pup and having flattened the new battery I did spend a lot of time pushing it up and down my road trying to bump start it.
At the time I had a daily commute from South East London to Euston and I was working horrendous hours. I had just got married for the second time, moved house and 2 kids arrived in 15 months. The bike was the only thing that kept me sane, unfortunately I never got the time to maintain it properly. It never once let me down but belts went unchanged, new front discs were required rear chain and sprockets were barely serviceable weeping front fork seals etc. etc . Oil was changed regularly. I loved that bike and could not part with it. When the battery expired I just went out and bought a newish S4, which although quite a bit faster I did not enjoy riding anywhere near as much.
The project has a few constraints/guiding principles, not much money is to be spent, the bike must end up a lot lighter than standard, all that I can do I will do myself, and I will try to unlearn the habit of a lifetime which is to rush and bodge rather than doing it properly (I haven't a chance of succeeding on this one).
First job was to build a blast cabinet from an old filing cabinet, a cracked acrylic sheet and some 4" x 2" offcuts, wheels off a shopping trolley and handle from a broken kid's toy. the gloves I had to buy

[Zimbo]

Keep us updated and put loads of pictures up, always love a good rebuild thread!

[350TSS]

I cannot seem to get my pictures which are about 600kb to load any suggestions? Cannot find any guidance on the how to page

[Mr Gazza]

Upload you images here.. https://postimage.org/

Then copy and paste the whole line of text "Hotlink for forums" onto your post.

[350TSS]

url=https://postimg.org/image/96nmbuag9/][/url]upload images

[350TSS]

screenshot program

[350TSS]

picture uploader

[350TSS]

Next job was to make a zinc plating capability using variously rated chargers and a few old paint buckets and plastic chocolate "tins"

image hosting 30 mb

[slob]

I'm looking forward to this, loving the home-made plant

[jerry]

very interesting thread and lots of application and hard work ,,masterful professional bodges

[Mr Gazza]

Absolutely brilliant 350TSS. In the true spirit of "Radco"... If you haven't already read his book, you should.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vintage-Mot.../dp/0854294724

Just spotted the price...My ghast has never been so flabbered!!.. Try the library.

[350TSS]

My lightening exercise involves me drilling every non critical bolt and since most of the bolts on the bike were to a greater or lesser extent corroded anyway re-plating was necessary and I could be sure that the plating extended to the insides of the drilled bolts
posted image

[350TSS]

I started next on the engine which to my horror seemed locked up, I soon found out why the petrol tank had drained past the floats into the sump
*image post

[350TSS]

I also soon realised that when it came to removing the engine it would be easier for me alone in the garage to remove the frame from the engine so I needed an engine stand which I knocked up out of some old gas barrel and two bits of angle iron. More by luck than judgement I managed to make it so that it can be withdrawn between the front wheel and the front pot.
how to take a screenshot on a pc

[350TSS]

upload gambar