Sachs Six Days Rebuild

[Rob Thatcher]

Hi,
I picked up a great project bike, a 1972 Penton Six Days build date Feb 1972 and have started the restoration process.  Obviously, they had problems removing the original swing arm pivot and it appears they cut the head off of it.

A big thanks to Bud Green for helping sort out my swing arm bushing problem and Jerry at Penton Racing Products for letting me use Dale's Sachs tools.  

I tore the engine down and it is great shape internally.  The shifter key shows some minor wear, so I will be replacing it.  

The bike came with a manual and some spare new parts even though it was torn down to the bare frame.  In the manual, there were a couple of pages from a magazine article from the early 70's about adjusting the Sachs transmission.  It recommends hard chroming the shifter key and selector rod.  Has anyone ever done this or recommend this?

As this is my first Sachs engine, anything else I should be on the lookout for?

It does have a couple of repairs to make on the cases for a stripped drain plug hole, broken stator mounting plate screw and a crack from a thrown chain.

I will be visiting Al for my parts pickup next week, but mainly it will be for seals and some gaskets, as it came with the top end gaskets, shifter key, new countershaft sprocket, piston clips and rings.  I will post some pictures as I move along.  The stock Radelli rim was replaced with a shouldered Akront rim at some point.

It came with some pretty cool extras.  I got a whole toolbox full of Bultaco tools, a box and bag of part for Bultacos, an old NOS Skyway silencer, a roll chart holder and a watch holder.

There are more parts than are shown in the pictures.  As far as I can tell, it is only missing the fenders and shocks.  There is even a fork brace.

I also picked up a 1973 Penton Six Days rolling chassis with a fuel tank and airbox in WV for $100 that should cover any potential missing parts/pieces.  I was able to get the swing arm off with no damage to the bushings.  It has Hi Point aluminum rims that I plan to use.

[pklinck]

Rob,

1) the broken stator screw in the case could be taken out at your local machine shop.   I had to do this with mine too.  the stator has to have those 3 screws to secure it.
2) For the drain plug hole stripped out: Re-tap this hole the next larger size, install the new metric plug and gasket and then don't ever take it out again.  Gear oil is drained out through the clutch cover and screw hole at the bottom while you can also lean the bike over to get remaining oil out after oil changes.
3)The "thrown chain" crack in the case: if it is only the case above by the primarly sprocket, you are not forced to repair it.  If it is the side wall into the mag area, there are several ways to repair this, i.e. liquid aluminum, etc.  Install a case protector from Buehner Supply.  Check carefully Al's website as he has a lot of R.M. and close to OEM style parts.
4) The aluminum rims are for the 74-75 six-days.  In 72-73, the rims were chrome steel Radaellis made in Italy and these can also be found, the (shouldered) kind, of O.E.M. radaellis seen on ebaymotors.  It is your choice depending on what you plan on doing with the bike.
5) Does the motor bottom end have to be rebuilt?  When was the engine last run?  If it has been 10-25 years in storage of some questionable way, chances are the case bearings will not last long once you get it going.   Good luck and keep in touch.

peter klinck

[Rob Thatcher]

The entire bottom end looks good, so I am just going to replace the selector key and put it back together. Jerry Birky is going to fix the cases for me.

I figured that I since I have the time and the bike came with so many NOS parts, I would do it as good as I can.  No one knows how long ago it was run, but it was not stored outside or with humidity. It has zero corrosion and the interior was crazy clean, even has cross-hatching on cylinder.

Unless I buy/find/weld up my stator cover, I cannot use one of the case protectors. Mine was cut similar to the KTM style cover.  Oh yeah, they spray painted the engine black.  So far, that has been the biggest problem, cleaning the fins.

I am expecting some parts back this week from Vapor Blast Solutions. He advertises on VintageMX.US and seems like a nice guy. I am attaching a picture of my brake backing plates that he sent me after one was done. He also cleans Bing carbs ultrasonically and cleans them with the solution for $20 and even replaced the bowl gasket.  So far, he has done levers, the carb and the brake backing plates.

I am sending another box out tomorrow. He is in New Mexico and the turn around so far has been less than a week.  Dave got them last Thursday and sent them back on Saturday.

 

[pklinck]

Rob,

Sounds like you are on track.  A few other repair comments,

1) There is only one "case protector" on the bike at a time though there are several models.  Al B. has the OEM original style.
2)One of the 3 stator base plate screws broken off in main case if I understood: .....Yes, try to  get the stub of the screw out, if you can't have it done at a machine shop.  If you have to re-threat the hole one size larger, so be it.  You need the 3 screws to secure the ignition stator properly.
3) Bead blast the black paint off the cylinder and case parts.  and repaint the bottom end using a can of "alumi blast" paint (part no. 16-055)of the Seymour brand which is also heat resistant to 250 plus degrees.  Also, paint over the base engine coat, with heat and gas resistant using a can of clear paint in the can form of Seymour brand too. Google Seymour paint and then fine search "alumi blast".  Don't forget the heat/gas resistant clear to 500 degrees (part no.EN-70)
4) make the sachs  motor mag  case cover (like the rust of the bottom end)look original, not like KTM. It looks much better as you can see on some of the POG site photos
5)email me and I will send you some nice photos of painting the sachs motor bottom end along with the new looking motor in the frame.  the cylinder, once bead blasted, leave it and it looks great.
[email protected]  cheers.

peter klinck

[Keith Meatyard]

Hey Rob, I'm in need of a few parts for a 74 Bultaco Sherpa T 350.  If you want to move the Bultaco stuff, give me a call or email me.

251 946-3308
[email protected]

Keith Meatyard