Restoring Tomos 1965 T12 Colibri

[charliebarb]

Thanks Jordan, thanks Gzr! Yeah, I am happy with that part, now the rest! I'm doing all this in Croatia where I only know a little of the language so part of the restoration challenge is to comunicate to the storekeepers what you want to buy. Carry a dictionary and use a lot of hand motions. Did get some great aluminum polish that way! On this and tha other banged up aluminum pieces I'm using some very delicate sanding with a 120 grit flap wheel and then 200, 320, 400 and 500 grit wet/dry paper with WD40. Then comes aluminum polish and then rubbing compound. Hope the final swirls will hidden by car wax.

Did make a connection with a mechanic who says he can help with the front fork problem I'm having. I don't know exactly what he said but either he or his friend has twelve Tomos's. He said I could borrow and copy his servcie manual on this 1965! That would be a great find (if I can read Croatian!)

[charliebarb]

Not being a professional body man I had to devise a method for pushing out the dents in my tank. I found a steel ball for ornamental iron work at the hardware store, drill and tapped it for 1/2 threaded rod, bent the rod and clamped it in the vise. After some grinding the ball would go in through the gas entrance. With careful 'feeling' as to where the ball was I able to find the dents from the inside and then push like crazy with both hands to push out the dents. The results aren't perfect like PDR, and the metal is streched of course from the original dent, the final is good enough to sand off the high spots and fill in the low with a minimum of body putty.

[John]

Good work. You could also use the ball technique and tap with a small body hammer on the outside and probably make that crease all but disapear. Watching your progress. Great looking ped you will have there.

[Antique_GZR]

A lot of patience and home engineering on that tank!!

I have seen guys drill small holes in the center of tank dents and use a dent puller to pull it out somewhat. Then the drilled holes are brazed over. Then the body putty and sanding.

Good luck!!

Regards, GZR

[Link_Jr87]

Looks great, man. Good to see an old Tomos getting put back to use. I've never even seen one here in the states... wish there were though, lol.

[charliebarb]

May have a problem here..... Opened up the gearbox and found this broken casting. Not clear to me whether it was that way before I opened the case or some of my abuse did it. I would really be embarrassed to have caused this but not sure what I could have done to do it! The crack looks old but who knows?

Think I could repair this with a plate and bolts?

[wuhuilin11]

[wuhuilin11]