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Cafe Racer Seca 550

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by george2524, Mar 31, 2012.

  1. george2524

    george2524 Member

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    george2524, Mar 31, 2012
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  2. bigfitz52

    bigfitz52 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    I saw that too. Did you notice the almost complete lack of cleanup on the motor itself?

    And my own personal indicator of whether or not the "builder" really knows his stuff:

    It still has the original rubber front brake lines.

    And why the shabby set of Maxim gauges?

    Inconsistent, amateurish, and I can't fathom where the $7800 went, honestly. (Obviously wasn't on paint.)

    He's probably selling it because it won't run right on the pods and he doesn't know enough to get it even close.

    Again, Old Guy not impressed.
     
    bigfitz52, Mar 31, 2012
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  3. george2524

    george2524 Member

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    Good eye Fitz, I did not look it over that closely.
     
    george2524, Mar 31, 2012
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  4. H0ckenut

    H0ckenut New Member

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    I see what you mean about the brake line and the engine detailing. The engine on my XJ550 Maxim is worse though. It has never been stored outside, but I still have corrosion on most of the engine. Can it be polished? I thought that most of the engine parts had a coating on them that makes it tough to polish them up.

    I have a picture of the corrosion in my gallery.

    Any advice? I was looking at Fitz's forum post on valve adjustment and the seca engine in there looks like it just rolled off the factory floor!

    Thanks,
    Jeff
     
    H0ckenut, Mar 31, 2012
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  5. DrFate

    DrFate Member

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    What, that engine "patina"? Not hipster vintage without it.

    although I thought the whole point of sticking a plug on a cafe seat pan was to make a place to hide the battery.
     
    DrFate, Mar 31, 2012
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  6. bigfitz52

    bigfitz52 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    Thank YOU. That's the motor in my '83.

    Of course it can be polished.

    And you're right about the original clearcoat. It has to come off, the best way to do that is to use Aircraft Paint Remover from the auto parts store. The parts need to be removed from the bike however, as the stripper will migrate into and attack gaskets.

    Once stripped, you wet-sand starting with 800 or 1200 depending on how deep the corrosion is, followed by buffing and polishing. You can use a buffing wheel or just some smaller wheels in an electric drill, and finish by hand.

    Aluminum parts that aren't going to be highly polished can be boiled in lemon (or lime) juice to help remove the gray mottling, then spruced up with Nevr-Dull.

    Do a forum search on "polishing aluminum."

    But the clearcoat has to go first.
     
    bigfitz52, Mar 31, 2012
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