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Refreshing Glenlivet's ride
- Thread starter glenfiddich
- Start date
glenfiddich
TravelsWithBarley.com
@179212 - Gawd, not another piece of equipment to maintain! I've considered getting a three point hitch snowblower for my tractor, but it's rare that we get that much snow in one storm. Usually it comes in a foot or less, building up steadily over the winter. That's easily handled with the John Deere...with me in heated comfort with surround sound! My dogs love the stuff!
riderr1150gsadv
Well-known member
Great seeing those dogs playing in the snow like that!!
glenfiddich
TravelsWithBarley.com
A miserable day in northern Vermont, with a steady rain shrinking our beautiful snowpack, filling our streams and rivers to overflowing, and turning every dirt road into a sheet of slick ice. Our AWD RAV4 with snow tires was unable to make it up Miyagi-San's steep, ice-covered hill, so I parked at the base and snowshoed up to his shop. After an hour of work rebuilding the carb and cleaning the plugs we got it running, but black grit was coming out the exhaust. We found the same stuff in the carb; it felt like sandblast media. Bad news and no idea how it got there as the dozer is stored well away from where the blasting is done. Drained the oil once and noticed it smelled like gasoline. Ran it for a few minutes with fresh oil and drained it again. Will dismantle the oil filter to see if it also contains grit. Not good news for the little dozer!
I got in a couple hours working on the compound curves on the sidecar's clamshell, trunk lid, fender and a couple trim pieces.
Also spent some time on the phone with House of Kolor. Very frustrating! On their webpage they have some yellows in both pearl and metallic that look very promising, but you can't really tell on a computer monitor. So I called asking if they sell paint chips or have some other way for me to see what the colors actually look like in sunlight. They informed me that I may purchase their pamphlet of all the colors they offer. It will only cost me $85 plus shipping! Seriously?
I got in a couple hours working on the compound curves on the sidecar's clamshell, trunk lid, fender and a couple trim pieces.
Also spent some time on the phone with House of Kolor. Very frustrating! On their webpage they have some yellows in both pearl and metallic that look very promising, but you can't really tell on a computer monitor. So I called asking if they sell paint chips or have some other way for me to see what the colors actually look like in sunlight. They informed me that I may purchase their pamphlet of all the colors they offer. It will only cost me $85 plus shipping! Seriously?
Pete,
Exact matching of Porche's Saffron Yellow Metallic sounds like it's WAY more involved than just finding the color and spraying it on: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ekDXNqmaVXE
That being said, I would look at Glasurit paints to see if they have the code. Most high end German stuff ( including our bikes used Glasurit.
Exact matching of Porche's Saffron Yellow Metallic sounds like it's WAY more involved than just finding the color and spraying it on: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ekDXNqmaVXE
That being said, I would look at Glasurit paints to see if they have the code. Most high end German stuff ( including our bikes used Glasurit.
Last edited:
Rinty
New member
Wow, that's impressive, even to a denizen of the Great White North.
We're a bit spoiled by our mild, dry winters in south Alberta.
When I was a youngfeller, my dad, the frugal immigrant Dutchman, never even put winter tires on his stove bolt powered Pontiac.
glenfiddich
TravelsWithBarley.com
The weatherman got the high wind part right, but was wrong about the dusting of snow tapering off in the afternoon. Several squalls dumped 4" of powder by noon. Being light and fluffy the Prius could handle it so my wife got to work in the afternoon. But it didn't let up. I fired up the tractor and plowed 6" at sunset, but by the time she got home three hours later there was another 6" on the ground. The dogs loved it!
It did, however, give me time to take the plastics off the 2012 GSA that the sidecar will be mated to. It's a virtual twin to the 2010 GSA the hack was on, but without ESA. IMO that's a plus for a sidecar tug, as every change in the settings throws off the camber and requires a few minutes of fiddling with the camber control to get it right. No ESA means one less thing to worry about.
As I remove each fastener it goes into little ziplock bags along with their threaded clips (if any). Each bag is then labeled with where the contents came from. This cuts down on confusion during reassembly. The beak and tank cover will be painted to match the sidecar, so I need to remove the decals and scuff the paint a bit. I'll prime them so bike and tub start with the same base color and end up with the same hue.
In the old days I would rely on the Clymer books and copious notes to keep track of what went where, but as I age I have trouble making out details of the tiny photos in the book. Now I supplement my notes with photos on the iPad. This works very well and the iPad is becoming one of my most valued tools
It did, however, give me time to take the plastics off the 2012 GSA that the sidecar will be mated to. It's a virtual twin to the 2010 GSA the hack was on, but without ESA. IMO that's a plus for a sidecar tug, as every change in the settings throws off the camber and requires a few minutes of fiddling with the camber control to get it right. No ESA means one less thing to worry about.
As I remove each fastener it goes into little ziplock bags along with their threaded clips (if any). Each bag is then labeled with where the contents came from. This cuts down on confusion during reassembly. The beak and tank cover will be painted to match the sidecar, so I need to remove the decals and scuff the paint a bit. I'll prime them so bike and tub start with the same base color and end up with the same hue.
In the old days I would rely on the Clymer books and copious notes to keep track of what went where, but as I age I have trouble making out details of the tiny photos in the book. Now I supplement my notes with photos on the iPad. This works very well and the iPad is becoming one of my most valued tools
glenfiddich
TravelsWithBarley.com
Half the mileage on the odo, and it's a non-ESA bike. ESA is okay on two wheels, but with three it changes the rig's camber. Once the changes are made the 2010 will be sold along with the spare set of spoked wheels that don't fit the new 2018 in the stable.
glenfiddich
TravelsWithBarley.com
Another half day. Big storm coming in with 8-15 inches of snow forecast, so I had to fire up the tractor and push the snow back from our driveway to make room for what's coming. But I did manage to sand a bit.
I started doing a bit on both pieces, using an inner tube to protect the soft plastic from gouges and to hold them in place while I attacked with 80 grit. But it seemed like I was making no progress at all, so eventually I set the beak aside and focused on the tank cover, stepping down from 80 grit to 120, then 180.
That gave me a feeling of accomplishment, though there are plenty of difficult to reach tabs and creases sure to drive me bonkers as I attempt to at least scuff them up. Those of you who have attempted to clean and wax those parts off the bike will appreciate my struggle!
Realizing that the last 2% of the tank cover was responsible for 98% of my frustration, I set it aside and started sanding the beak. I feel certain at this point that one of the Bavarian engineers has been tasked with maximizing consumer angst. His job title is probably something like Director of Compound Curves.
By the end of the day I wasn't finished, but needed to feel like I'd accomplished something so laid out all the pieces parts to visualize just how much I've done so far. Looked at through that lens, those last two pieces don't seem so insurmountable!
I started doing a bit on both pieces, using an inner tube to protect the soft plastic from gouges and to hold them in place while I attacked with 80 grit. But it seemed like I was making no progress at all, so eventually I set the beak aside and focused on the tank cover, stepping down from 80 grit to 120, then 180.
That gave me a feeling of accomplishment, though there are plenty of difficult to reach tabs and creases sure to drive me bonkers as I attempt to at least scuff them up. Those of you who have attempted to clean and wax those parts off the bike will appreciate my struggle!
Realizing that the last 2% of the tank cover was responsible for 98% of my frustration, I set it aside and started sanding the beak. I feel certain at this point that one of the Bavarian engineers has been tasked with maximizing consumer angst. His job title is probably something like Director of Compound Curves.
By the end of the day I wasn't finished, but needed to feel like I'd accomplished something so laid out all the pieces parts to visualize just how much I've done so far. Looked at through that lens, those last two pieces don't seem so insurmountable!
glenfiddich
TravelsWithBarley.com
Between the cold dry air and the solvents, my poor fingers are taking a beating! Being right handed, my right thumb and society finger (middle) have developed cracks in the skin. Very uncomfortable and they've diminished the effectiveness of my sanding just as I need to scuff up the paint in those hard to reach spots. It's a condition easily treated IF you can keep the skin moisturized - and covered with gloves at night - but those moisturizers contain oils that will interfere with paint adherence, so while in the shop I have bare naked hands.
On the beak and tank cover I removed all the paint from those areas likely to get nicks from stone hits or my tank bag as I didn't want damage to show the original color. The sections unlikely to experience impacts were simply scuffed up. Because plastic is so easily scratched, I'm starting with 120 grit and taking them all the way to 400 grit before priming.
On the beak and tank cover I removed all the paint from those areas likely to get nicks from stone hits or my tank bag as I didn't want damage to show the original color. The sections unlikely to experience impacts were simply scuffed up. Because plastic is so easily scratched, I'm starting with 120 grit and taking them all the way to 400 grit before priming.
You probably already know of this product from Vermont www.bagbalm.com it works wonders. I have dabbled in body work for years and this is the best stuff.
Just reading along I can smell that fiberglass.
Just reading along I can smell that fiberglass.
glenfiddich
TravelsWithBarley.com
John - We used that on the submarine during Arctic ops; the North Pole is dry! But when working on bare surfaces being prepped for paint I need to keep my hands free of oils that might inhibit adhesion of the paint later. I tried gloves, but when dealing with the tiny nooks and crannies they just bunch up and tear. So I moisturize at the end of each day, and slather it on under gloves at night. Each morning my skin feels pretty good, but by afternoon it's pretty torn up.
The most annoying thing is my iPhone and iPad no longer recognize my fingerprint, so I have to tap in the password each time.
The most annoying thing is my iPhone and iPad no longer recognize my fingerprint, so I have to tap in the password each time.
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
I sometimes have a similar problem with the iPhone fingerprint recognition feature. Sometimes my hands and fingers get painfully dry and cracked. Earlier this winter I had to be fingerprinted for the purposes of getting a clearance. My hands were so bad that the fingerprint tech could not get readable prints on several fingers. I had to go back and have it done again. So word to those planning a life of crime, dryout those fingers before pulling a heist.
Hi Pete, the cracked fingers are amazingly painful for what they are....sorta like a paper-cut. The only thing I have ever had Super-Glue work (satisfactorily) is cracked fingers or hands. SG is quick, easy and effective on "dry cracks".
Thanks for the effort to bring the forum this thread. It's now a Best of Forum- https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?94069-Refreshing-Glenlivet-s-Ride
Gary
lkraus
New member
Nitrile gloves will keep solvents off your skin, retaining skin oils and preventing absorption of toxic chemicals. They can also allow the use of moisturizers while keeping your parts oil free.
But you probably know that...
glenfiddich
TravelsWithBarley.com
Thanks, Gary! I've never been anybody's best before!
Today I started prepping the primed subframe parts for the first finish coat. All the threads have to be taped, all the parts that mate up with close tolerances have to be covered. After that each part has to be hand sanded with 400 grit before the chipguard coat can be applied.
For the plastic beak and tank cover, my intention was to take them down with 180 grit, but unlike the sidecar those parts felt rough when I was done. I went all the way to 400 grit and it only felt a tad better. Using a magnifying glass I got a close look and noticed the surface was fuzzy, like it was covered by tiny hairs. Plastic clearly doesn't take to sanding as well as fiberglass! So I switched to wet sanding using 400 grit, and that seemed to do the trick. The surfaces are now smooth and the tiny hairs are gone.
Back home in the evening, the dogs clearly miss me. Tulliver, that wonderful nine year old veteran of the Hamburg and Salt Lake City rallies, brought his ball over for my inspection and approval. "That's a fine ball!" I told him. Pleased, he gently took it back and retreated to a dark corner to chew on it.
Today I started prepping the primed subframe parts for the first finish coat. All the threads have to be taped, all the parts that mate up with close tolerances have to be covered. After that each part has to be hand sanded with 400 grit before the chipguard coat can be applied.
For the plastic beak and tank cover, my intention was to take them down with 180 grit, but unlike the sidecar those parts felt rough when I was done. I went all the way to 400 grit and it only felt a tad better. Using a magnifying glass I got a close look and noticed the surface was fuzzy, like it was covered by tiny hairs. Plastic clearly doesn't take to sanding as well as fiberglass! So I switched to wet sanding using 400 grit, and that seemed to do the trick. The surfaces are now smooth and the tiny hairs are gone.
Back home in the evening, the dogs clearly miss me. Tulliver, that wonderful nine year old veteran of the Hamburg and Salt Lake City rallies, brought his ball over for my inspection and approval. "That's a fine ball!" I told him. Pleased, he gently took it back and retreated to a dark corner to chew on it.
glenfiddich
TravelsWithBarley.com
Back at work today after spending the last two days helping others deal with ice. I was able to drive my John Deere (bless that heated cab!) down to the town sand pit and pick up a bucket load of sand to spread on our driveway and those of our neighbor so we could all get out, then back to Miyagi-San's driveway to push mounds of snow back from his narrow driveway so his snowplow would have room to push it. His neighbor is a BSC Chinese woman who has refused to allow the snow to be pushed back from the shared portion of their driveway as it "disturbs the harmony of the hillside," but with him nearly out of propane and heating oil - and delivery drivers refusing to attempt delivery because of the condition of the driveway - I just did it.
Then it warmed up to 40F and the three feet of snow on top of his shop fell to the ground with a mighty crash, blocking all the doors. So between my tractor and his dozer we spent most of a day digging out. Finally today I was able to get some work done on the sidecar. More sanding, but at least this time it's wet sanding which is a lot easier on the respiratory end of things.
And using a Scotch pad to rough up the welds and other places wet sanding couldn't reach.
The camber control unit was rusty, so that got sanded down to bare metal, acid-primed, then painted.
And a used centerstand arrived in the mail. Because of the eccentric shape of the shipping box, this parcel defeated all the sorting machinery used by the USPS and had to be handled manually at the several sorting facilities it passed through on the way to Vermont. At each sorting facility employees guessed the contents, and some actually placed bets on what was inside. It reached me two days later than expected, and our Postmaster asked if I would open it in the PO and let him take photos to share with all the USPS employees who had bets outstanding. None of them guessed centerstand!
Then it warmed up to 40F and the three feet of snow on top of his shop fell to the ground with a mighty crash, blocking all the doors. So between my tractor and his dozer we spent most of a day digging out. Finally today I was able to get some work done on the sidecar. More sanding, but at least this time it's wet sanding which is a lot easier on the respiratory end of things.
And using a Scotch pad to rough up the welds and other places wet sanding couldn't reach.
The camber control unit was rusty, so that got sanded down to bare metal, acid-primed, then painted.
And a used centerstand arrived in the mail. Because of the eccentric shape of the shipping box, this parcel defeated all the sorting machinery used by the USPS and had to be handled manually at the several sorting facilities it passed through on the way to Vermont. At each sorting facility employees guessed the contents, and some actually placed bets on what was inside. It reached me two days later than expected, and our Postmaster asked if I would open it in the PO and let him take photos to share with all the USPS employees who had bets outstanding. None of them guessed centerstand!
