I've heard it said that marathon runners hit a metaphorical wall at about 20 or so miles. Its the point that separates the men from the boys. Only the most determined and focused of runners will break through this wall and complete the race.I felt as if my wall came into sight today. Im really enjoying doing this, but I did have a little hesitation today when I stood back and wondered why I'm bothering with it. Its not a restoration, and yet its not a quick patch up job. For £300 I could buy a rust free frame off ebay and I could have been spending this week fitting all the parts back to that!
Im feeling a bit tired but still trying to get out there at 7.30 to get a good few hours on it before settling down to some work in the afternoon - I did wonder about not doing anything on the scooter today, but knew that if I didn't I'd be fidgety all afternoon wishing I had - and so I pressed on.
Once again - I thought this bit would be easy, but once again it wasnt. It was a fiddle trying to make the compound curves all line up while the bit w
as free in my hand and so in the end I had to do some tack and shape on the go - seemed to work. Sometimes I think my welding is getting better - and then some back handed torch restricted bitch of a run comes up and it tests me to my limit. Its strong and its sound, but it aint always pretty.Ive decided to get it powder coated asap - and powder coating means not using plastic filler - so my welding is going to be on full display :-( Ive decided that if Im that bothered then once ive run it around for a bit, ill strip the scooter again and body fill over the powder coating and respray (oh come on, lets face it - that's not going to happen is it?!) - or i might even hand paint the welds in a complimentary colour to actually highlight the Vespas scars! :-)
So this rusty section of wheel arch took approximately 4 hours to cut, shape and weld. As perforated as it is, the section just above t
his new bit is going to remain so - I did plan to cut it out and put new metal in - but during my "why bother?' moment I realised its just not worth it - it will never be a great frame, and this bit is not structural (much) and its not perforated into the frame internals (ie both sides of this bit of the panel are wet-side). So I shall leave itJust as I was finishing, its started to spit with rain AND my gas ran out - It was a message, and I welcomed it for today.
1 comment:
I understand your feelings but I thought you were doing this "because you can". You knew that, for money, you could get a roadworthy scooter but where's the fun in that?
Just think of what you are achieving. You are breathing life back into a machine. Look on it a one of life's experiences that is preparing you for the "big one".
I think the repairs look great. I just wish I could use TIG as well as you. If that was MIG it would be all tacks and gaps.
I think John is looking into high temperature fillers so you may have no excuse not to up the finish.
Get more gas and go.
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