Messages

Thanks Kip I'm pretty sure that's what I'll do too.

Mark Seelbinder
Brush Prairie, Washington

How small of a world is this anyway.  I'm your area also and a week or so ago a friend of mine said his dad ran into a guy while riding in the Jones Creek area who just acquired two Penton's from a lady who was tired of looking at them.  The story was something like that anyway.  Would that be your Pitboss?  I recently got my dad's Penton from storage and am working on restoring it.  Good luck with yours!!

Mark Seelbinder
Brush Prairie, Washington

Hi Vince, I'm a new member also and just starting a 73 six day.  I'll look forward to sharing some of the experience with you.  Like I've mentioned in an earlier post I work at a plating shop that does powder coating and nickel/chrome plating.  If you need some stuff done I'm sure we can work something out if you're willing to ship parts my way.  Just let me know.  I guess that should go for anyone here for that matter.  We usually do this kind of stuff on the side for cash so it would be reasonable for you guys.  We typically focus on production work but I'd be glad to help out POG members if I can.  Good luck Vince.

Mark Seelbinder
Brush Prairie, Washington

Very nice job Larry.  I just started the tear down of my dad's 73 six day.  The quality of your project is what I'm striving for.  How did you get the motor to look so nice, steel wool?  And what made you plate the spokes in cadmium?  Forgive my ignorance but I was just going to replace the spokes (if possible) and re-chrome the wheels.  I work at a plating shop so chrome is no problem but we don't do cadmium therefore I don't know anything about it.  I could zinc plate the spokes easily enough in a barrel plater but chrome would be a different thing for spokes.  Enlighten me please.

Mark Seelbinder
Brush Prairie, Washington

Crazy Dave, I don't know if I should give my address out to someone who admits to being crazy, but I might take a chance.  Wouldn't the tape be about 20 hours long?  How do you make a tape of a restoration?  I plan to take plenty of pictures that's for sure.

Wow, thanks to all you guys for the kind replies.  I'm more excited than ever to do this project.  My dad's got the manual.  I'm not sure about a parts list.  I'll get them in my hands next week sometime.  

Thanks Lew for the Search tip.  I didn't think of that.  I have so many questions that I would probably overload this message board and it would shut down or something.  

Big Mac, I figured I would attend some vintage events and race a little.  Too bad Woodland MX is shutting down.  I know a lot of vintage races were held there.  I'll check the website you listed and see what's going on.  

Thanks everyone and you'll be hearing from me soon.

I'm the guy working on a 73 Six Day and have mentioned before that I work at a plating shop.  My question to you guys is what coating is original on the hardware?  I did a search here and it looks like zinc is preferred which would be easy, but I took some stuff to work and it doesn't appear to be any plating at all on the axle bolts, the accompaning nuts and washers, and the brake lever.  That's all I took to work so I wouldn't get things mixed up and forget where they go.  If there was zinc on them they would gas violently in hydrochloric acid and they did not.  They look like bare steel.    We don't have cadmium so that's not an option for me.  I would prefer zinc but I want this the bike to be original if practicle. Any input on this?  I'm no expert on plating yet so maybe the zinc corroded off over the years but it seems some plating would exist.

Mark Seelbinder
Brush Prairie, Washington

Just a reminder to those who missed my last post.  I'm restoring my dad's 73 Six Day.  So here's my question:

I work for a metal finishing company and have access to powdercoating, chrome, zinc, and nickel plating.  I know I can match the silver frame paint, but my dad thinks I should be able to get the paint code and do it "the original color".  I want this to be a good restoration but how particular should I be?  When I searched this topic it seemed like many folks were finding a match color and using a spray can.  

Also, I figure I will re-chrome the wheels and anything else that has chrome, ie. kick starter, shifter, handle bars and zinc plate all the nuts and bolts.  I can have the hubs polished which according the Production Years part of this site is how they came. How polished were they?  Mirror finish or more of a grainy look?

Also, what kind of paint for the exhause pipe is recommended?  Powdercoat won't hold up to that kind of heat.  Someone I asked suggested black BBQ paint which doesn't sound right to me.  Maybe I can buy black exhaust paint in a spray can.  I can clean and strip the pipe down to bare metal at work.

Okay, that's more questions than I intended but it's too easy to get carried away.  

Any feedback on my plan so far would be appreciated.  

Hello all! I've been checking out this message board for the last few day's since I've dug out my dad's '73 125cc Six Day over the weekend and it seems to be the perfect place to colaborate with other enthusiest's and learn about the machine I'm about to tear into.  Maybe I shouldn't consider myself an enthusiest quite yet but I'm definitly excited to restore this bike.  

To give you some background, my dad bought the bike new in the Portland, Oregon area.  I was only three years old then.  So yeah, I'm 36 now.  I first rode the bike when I was about 18.  I had an '84 Honda XR200 at the time but I decided to fix up the ol' Penton before an annual camping trip and ride it instead.  I sure thought it was cool.  I guess I had an affinity for nostalgia.  The last few years I've known I wanted to fix up this bike and now is the time.  I'm eager to learn everything there is to know about this Penton and other Penton's as well.  I'll include a picture if I can manage and I'd appreciate any feedback you guys could give.  I've got some specific questions but I'll save them for later.  

And, yes, I saw that '73 Six Day on ebay.  Very nice, but don't expect to see mine for sale, it's a keeper!

PS.  I don't know how to insert an image.  I tried but no dice.  I could use some help with that too.  Thanks.