Where to find J model engines

hei mike

welcome

some nice stuff you've got even if pic doesnt show

In the sohc4 forum where i am active there's a french guy crazy about martins (he stuffed a benelli sei into one)

if you have any questions for him, I will be glad to fwd.

not sure you'd really want to re-nickel plate. for all i know the process is borderline environmentally speaking and not many people will handle the de-plating you nedd to do before.
Re-chroming on the other hand seems to affect welds.

check, just rumors i heard.

TG

PS - sounds like the KB should be turned into a road racer....

I need to downsize my pictures it looks like to send them on this forum.

I do have some questions on the Martin regarding sealing the fiber glass tank.

I was not planning on using chrome on the frame but nickel plating. I have a reliable source here in Houston that is very knowledgeable when it comes to plating. He does a lot of business with oil field instruments and NASA.

I have some thoughts on the KB and what I would like to do with it on the Cafe side but then that is down the road. One project at a time.

indeed, your FG tank comes from a time when there was little or no methanol in the gas, heard about bad experiences with current fuels melting the resin. maybe airtech will have a tip as they still make FG tanks that supposedly hold well.

I too have heard and read that the pump gas that we are forced to use is hard on the old FG tanks. I have spent quite some time looking for sealers that will stand up to this junk we have to use. Most sealers do not recommend the use of ethanol blended fuels. I have had a couple of people respond that have had good luck on the older FG tanks with one of the sealers found at Caswell Inc. Not sure what the guys in Europe are using for a sealer but there is a following over there for the Moto Martins.

Alan at Santiago Choppers was able to get a replacement tank from George Martin how also supplied a sealer for the Cafe bike that Alan built which showed up on the new Cafe Racers series on Discovery channel. Then again Alan is French and can communicate with George. Alan a nice guy and offered to help if he could. I need to get back with him on this issue.

Thanks for the suggestion on Airtech and I will give them a try.

I have resized a picture of the project bike and will give it a try. Not the best picture after the resize but it is way smaller now.

Been a long time since I have been on here. Finally got a J model engine and waiting for a friend to get the time to deliver it sometime in the next month. Found a 1986 police bike with a really clean motor but will not know the real condition until I do a compression and leak down test. No oil leaks, no broken fins, and the cases and covers are in excellent condition. Been too darn hot here in Houston to do much garage work anyway. Weather is right now so I am looking forward to getting started on the project.

keep us posted.

i can't wait to watch this thing come together.

leon

Welcome back from a fellow Houstonian. I'm not sure how I missed this thread a while back, but I'm tuned in now. You aren't kidding about the heat this summer. It was brutal.

Are you a machinist? I see that Kennedy tool box in the background.

Really cool project. I would love to see a Martin bike in person.

Another Houston-area person here...freakin' heat does make it too hot to work in the garage. So...whatcha gonna do with that LTD frame?

To answer you question I have not touched a machine in 40 years but I do work in a machine shop as quality manager as well as a number of other hats. I was with Western Atlas which later became Baker Atlas for 30 years in quality. So yes I am familiar with the machine shop world and most of the machine shops in Houston. Left Baker and now with a machine shop that is 3 miles from home, works out well and we combine a little fun with our work.

I live in the Bear Creak area and you are more than welcome to see the bike if you like. At the moment it is as seen in the picture until I get my donor bike.

The question what am I going to do with the LTD frame. Have not decided yet but I do have this rolling chassis for a Bimota KB1 that just may get the engine from that bike. The Bimota has a really cool frame and would make a very interesting cafe bike. At one time I thought it would be nice to restore but too much of it is missing and original parts are not to be had.

here is a lil different take on the bimota theme.








leon

i have a few different moto martin and bimota pics if you want to see them. :huh:


leon