# Pugwash's other toy - a build thread



## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

My bike has been neglected and had a bush growing into it for almost two years now, basically ever since we bought the TT. I've decided to resurrect it!

First of all I chopped the bushes back and wheeled it out into the open sky. This is after I washed it.








It's remarkably in good condition but has a flat battery.

The paint finish is no worse than when I bought it. Not great!









I've got a scale model ready to build, so have come up with a colour scheme for it. Ford Olympic Blue with a Volkswagen Orange Stripe. "Gulf Racing colours". This is the base coat of blue.









A model side faring showing the intended design.









The full size mudguard just waiting for a few coats of lacquer.


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Excellent work there, keep the photos coming. Never heard anyone have anything bad to say about a Blackbird, amazing for what is now a fairly old bike!

What made you resurrect it? The decent weather?


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Guilt! It's a lovely machine to ride and I just renewed the insurance. £100 fully comp.


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Lincolnshire is a big place, are you Fens, Wolds or Cabbage Fields?


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Down on The Wash near Long Sutton.

I had about an hour to myself last night to scuff the side faring back and remove the old decals.









And I fitted the front mudguard back on the bike. My wheels have got to go black!









BTW it wasn't a flat battery, it was the old immobilizer failed. They have a lithium internal battery that fails after about 10 years and leaves you stranded. I've bypassed it for now until I replace it.


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Pugwash69 said:


> Down on The Wash near Long Sutton.


How do you get the motorcycle boots to fit over your webbed feet.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Aha, I was born and raised in the West Midlands!


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Not "local" then!


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

No, none of my relatives live in this village!

Primer on the side fairing and in-fill.


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Lookin' good so far. Takes guts to repaint a motorcycle, especially one as big as a Blackbird.

At least I'll know it's you.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Yes, there's quite a lot of plastic! The nose cone is the only tricky part to remove though. At least I can take them off and paint them in the garage.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

I got quite a lot of paint sprayed today. Various parts at different stages.
I had to use knifing putty on the tail. It was full of pits from flicked dirt off the back wheel so I'll be using plenty of paint on this.









Blue and black on the side panel. The line hasn't got to be too sharp as I'm using the orange vinyl overlapping the black. Just waiting for this to dry before I stick the orange stripe on.









Sissy bar nearly done. I almost thought of leaving this off but then I'd have to plug the holes.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

The stripe is on. I'm just waiting for the vinyl to settle before I glue the ends around and lacquer the whole panel.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Decals on and ready to lacquer.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

I finally got some blue on the tail. More coats to go.









I got the other side panel finished too.









Just a nose and tank to go!


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## dextter (Oct 29, 2007)

Mate, I`m really looking forward to seeing the finished article on this now..... 8)

I have fond memories of the Blackbird; never owned or rode one, preferrered out and out sports-bikes myself, but a couple of the lads who rode out with us a few years ago owned them, and were well-able to put me in my place on my Fireblade, or R1, now and again ! :twisted:

Keep the pics coming mate; good thread !


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

A bit more done today. 4mm tube so I didn't get too much petrol in my mouth draining the petrol tank.









I quickly sanded it to 240 grit and got primer on.









The tail faring was dry so I applied a stripe and lacquered.









Here's a mirror pod all primed. These are going to be gloss black.









The bike looks a bit sad all naked! I just hope I've taken enough photos on my phone to work out where all the nuts and bolts go back.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

One mirror pod complete and re-assembled.









The tank is a bugger to do. I can't shift it around the garage to get on with anything else, so at the moment it's been given a couple of coats of colour. An old bike tyre came in handy.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

The tank is almost ready to go back on. It took a long time to get the logo lined up correctly both sides.









I tried fitting the tail section also but discovered Pro Bolt used a special kind of cheese on the bolt kit I bought. I've ordered some good stainless steel replacements off ebay for £6!


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

I'm slowly fitting some panels back in place.










Two things are slowing me down: The previous owner didn't fit all of the screws back in place, so I'm ordering new ones. Pro-Bolt used a special type of cheese for their "aluminium" faring bolts so I've got stainless steel on the way.

I'm also not very happy with the way the stripe has stuck on the fuel tank, so I might have to look at doing this again.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

I got the nose sprayed yesterday.










It's almost all going to plan except the number of times I've ordered more bolts on ebay. I've also taken the stripe back off the tank - it was lifting up badly so I need to do it again more carefully.


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## fixitagaintomoz (Apr 26, 2013)

Cracking progress mate!


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

I'm picking up a bit of speed, as I'm replacing rusty bolts with nice new ones now. No more hunting through my photos trying to find pictures of what I took out of where. 8) It looks better already with the nose cone on and the headlight secured.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Here's one of the large fasteners I've been using. The Pro-bolt supplied aluminium bolts were pretty soft, so I've used their 22mm countersunk washer with a stainless (A2) bolt that really is a lot stronger. They're not drilled with a pattern like the original Honda bolts but I like them.


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Mirrors and screen back on at last.


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## mstew (Mar 17, 2012)

Nice progress there puggy 8) my brothers picking up a hornet today so I'm just getting interested in bikes. Anyway, keep it up! What you got left to do?


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## Pugwash69 (Jun 12, 2012)

Just the wheels now. I'm not sure how to do it though, buy a front stand and try myself, or pay a local monkey to take them off for me. Either way I want to plastidip them black.


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## brittan (May 18, 2007)

Good work so far. [smiley=thumbsup.gif] 
I enjoy watching this sort of project, even though I gave up bikes (or they gave up on me) many years ago.

As a DIY job I think doing the wheels yourself is the way to go.


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