This is my 650cc, A10 Golden Flash, which I put on the bike lift ready to strip down - as I feel it needs a face lift. The paint on the frame is coming off and rust has starting to appear everywhere. The chrome on the wheels and petrol tank was also starting to look dull. The paintwork on the bike was not too bad but the petrol tank had two blisters on top of the tank where there was filler under the paintwork, but apart from that, the bike runs pretty well. So let’s get started on to the strip down.
The Tear Down
Started the tear down by disconnecting the battery, then taking off the petrol tank. Next came the rear wheel and the oil tank and tool box. Finally, the gearbox, engine and front forks.
The Wheels
Had to replace the front and rear hubs. 
The rear one had to be replaced because it was completely worn. The front was replaced with a Triumph hub to take the twin leading front brake shoes. I had the hubs powder coated in silver and had the wheels re-laced with stainless steel spokes and, British made, chrome rims by D.Yorke of Essex Wheels. Also fitted brand new brake shoes and bearings.
The Engine & Gearbox
The engine & gearbox was completely striped down so the cases could be aqua blasted as with mag & rocker box cover.
The engine itself was in good condition, as the bores had been relined & standard pistons fitted, so I just replaced the piston rings. The cylinder head was sent off to Radco Engineering in Sudbury, Suffolk, to have new valves & guides fitted & a lead free conversion done on it. The timing chain was replaced with a belt drive kit from SRM in Wales, as was the billet sump cover.
The Gearbox ran really well, but after the tear down I noticed the lay shaft was completely shot, so I had to buy a another one. Luckily for me Supremes in Leicester had a brand-new one. So after fitting new bushes & bearing in the gear box the new lay shaft went in & everything was buttoned back up
The Magneto & Dynamo
Both items were sent off to be refurbished. The mag went to W.E. Salmons in Burnham-on-Crouch. And the dynamo went to F.T.W Motorcycles in Sheffield. When they came back the mag had new HT leads/plug caps/cable/posts & pickups, plus everything that they had done inside. The same is said for the dynamo. When that came back they had completely replated the outer casing - both of then look like a million dollars.
The Petrol Tank
As I said earlier, the petrol tank was starting to look dull, and the paintwork on the petrol tank had two blisters on top of the tank. When I striped the paint right off the tank, there was a big dent on the front of the tank and four threaded holes on the top (where the blisters were). So I took it to C.W.Classics (“Clever Colin”) in Wickford, Essex. He cut the bottom out of the tank & knocked out the big dent, and a couple of small ones as well. Then filled the four holes on top (which is apparently for a radio, because a lot of them where used on police bikes). When I got it back you couldn’t see where the dents were. As I said “Clever Colin”. Next I went to J.D Wyatt polishing & re-chroming services in Thetford, where they chromed the tank & a couple of other bits for me.
The Frame
Where do I start with the frame? Well, the first thing that I had to do was 
take out the swing arm & bushes. What a pig that was, to say the least! Anyway, the frame, swing arm and all engine fixings, plus forks, went to a powder coating company in Maldon, Essex, where it took a staggering nine weeks to complete. In that time I had nice holiday in Greece and Chile dug their miners out! And the cost, well I could have had another week in Greece. Anyway, it’s all back now.
The Rebuild
Well like I said, the frame is back and the swing arm is now on. So are the nice new shocks. I have also put the bottom half of the engine in, plus the gearbox, battery box and front forks. The back wheel is temporarily fitted, just to check that everything lines up, and as soon as I get my paintwork back from the paint shop (not the one in Maldon!), I will fit the mudguards & front/rear wheels. Then I can take it off the jack and put it on my bike ramp. (It’s a lot easier to fit the front wheel when it’s on the jack.)
