Slow but steady progress....(888 Restoration)

Bridgland

Took the weekend to strip the very grubby throttle bodies and give various parts a good clean and replating a bunch of other pieces, ready for reassembly this weekend.

Possibly easier to view on my site, but will keep you posted (plus the photos are the right way up there)

https://www.ducati888.co.uk

Bridgland

Throttle Bodies Done

I know this may seem a little basic for many people on this forum, but I am getting great pleasure in doing what I can and honing skills and adding new ones. I am an IT guy and have been away from tinkering for a long time. Things such as learning DIY plating and getting as involved as I feel I can be has been really rewarding so far. Thanks for the members on this site for the really helpful insights so far and into the future.

Jack888

Bridgland wroteI know this may seem a little basic for many people on this forum, but I am getting great pleasure in doing what I can and honing skills and adding new ones. I am an IT guy and have been away from tinkering for a long time. Things such as learning DIY plating and getting as involved as I feel I can be has been really rewarding so far. Thanks for the members on this site for the really helpful insights so far and into the future.

Nice work, The plating you done looks to have turned out very well, Is that a time consuming/ expensive thing to DIY?

Cheers Jack

Bridgland

Jack888 wroteNice work, The plating you done looks to have turned out very well, Is that a time consuming/ expensive thing to DIY? Cheers Jack

The link to the plating company is https://www.classic-plating.co.uk/. It is time consuming, but very rewarding. If you get the kits, go for the larger option for the buckets (some of the parts don't fit fully into the 5 litre ones). Also go for a decent Power supply with variable settings. you really need 10 buckets for each of the chemical stages and a rinse bucket for each.

Have a look at my site http://ducati888.co.uk under the Zinc plating section for some images of the setup.

Bridgland

moving things forward

Starting to look like a bike again. Lots of things keep throwing me curve-balls that I have to think quickly about. Final pieces before the panels come back from paint.

- Replace temporary top yoke and handlebars
- Front and rear brakes and lever
- Clutch lever
- Carbon huggers
- New carriers on the full floating discs (once they are made on a couple of weeks)
- New battery
- Bodywork fitted

Then down to Pro Twins for a "pre-flight" checks (they have to be the first to start her, as they rebuilt the engine).

Not sure why some of the thumbnails are the wrong way up, but they look fine once I click them.

stiglarsenDK

Thats a keeper

Very Nice a passionate work, well done

Bridgland

stiglarsenDK wroteVery Nice a passionate work, well done

Thanks Stig. Fixed the images now.....should save the neck muscles.

nine16

Outstanding work.

Bridgland

nine16 wroteOutstanding work.

Thanks for that. Means a lot.

Weed

You're doing a great job. Certainly something to be proud of

griff851

DYI nickel plating kit. $30 (I already had the ultrasonic tank). You just can't get too carried away hey! 😁

Bridgland

The panels are done!!!

Until I get the rear seat unit done and seat pad made and fitted, I am going with a SP5 look on a Strada unit.

She is going to look stunning! I am very happy.

henk

Look real shinny.
Nice job.

Henk!!!

dudlington

Bridgland wroteUntil I get the rear seat unit done and seat pad made and fitted, I am going with a SP5 look on a Strada unit. She is going to look stunning! I am very happy.

Looks very very nice.

Just a question : Why would you go to a single seat unit when this looks so good and gives you other options. That the best rear seat unit SP5 lookalike combo I have seen apart from the center section where the lock is should have been white). Squint and you would miss the joins. Nice job !!!!

Bridgland

henk wroteLook real shinny. Nice job. Henk!!!

Thanks Henk. Aiming to get her up and running for the Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride at the end of the month.....fingers crossed.

Bridgland

dudlington wroteLooks very very nice. Just a question : Why would you go to a single seat unit when this looks so good and gives you other options. That the best rear seat unit SP5 lookalike combo I have seen apart from the center section where the lock is should have been white). Squint and you would miss the joins. Nice job !!!!

Fair point, but as I will typically not be able to use the rear seat as I have high level pipes and no pegs, the pillion seat will be entirely redundant.

Bridgland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbhyhlsiATE

First run in 2 years and now she is back. The paintwork is superb and the Strada rear seat unit (SP5 style) looks superb.

Very happy and apart from a couple of clips and waiting for a couple of new brake lines, she is perfect. Shame I missed the season.

nine16

What the hell? You didn't have to use a camera from 1993 too.

Ok, in spite of the low def video, the bike looks great. Terrific rebuild.

Bridgland

nine16 wroteWhat the hell? You didn't have to use a camera from 1993 too. Ok, in spite of the low def video, the bike looks great. Terrific rebuild.

😉

Many thanks. I did tell the team at Pro Twins they need to stop putting grease on the lense as she doesn't have any wrinkles! But the sound is certainly High Def through decent speakers, or headphones.

Will get a few more full bike photos this weekend if it is dry.

Chris

econti

Wow that started easily. Great looking bike, when's the first ride?