Having been stored at my parents place since 1997 I figured my flying fag packet was long over due some TLC after 25yrs of standing idle awaiting a spanner to put it back together. Rather naively I thought it would still look like it did last time it was ridden ... dunno why I thought that - I sure as hell don't look 26 alas old father time has been busy working double shifts on both of us, never the less after a careful inspection its still a viable "vanity" project to relive the 1990's on.

I know an 18 isn't the glamour model in the line up, and had I more brass in my pocket back in the 90's I would have bought a 21 or 28 without a second thought, but I didn't and through thick and thin she's been (a somewhat neglected) keeper if only for the Paintwork and fond memories of watching Gardner/Lawson duking it out for top honours with the new kids on the block Schwantz & Rainey

anyway I wish I'd taken more pics pre strip down but I'm sure rotten MC18's are ten a penny so no ones missing out, and having never been one for what some might call "PATINA" aka romantic code for or corrosion/dirt/grime and other peoples damage I don't have many (pics) as I was properly consumed by guilt.... so look away now if your easily offended












and this is what I'm aiming to get back to




posted edited with embedded picture
2nd edit due to now being 25yrs and counting since it last run on a valid MOT


Last edited by Rothmans_SPud on Sat Dec 31, 2022 8:22 am; edited 4 times in total

newbie question

Am I better off using a Photobucket account to get my pics full size ?

Hello "Wayne", and welcome to NSR-WORLD.COM! 😃

Can't wait to see how your restoration goes. You know you're going to be in direct competition with Hudtm60 now?! 😏

Wayne_Gardner wrote:
Am I better off using a Photobucket account to get my pics full size ?

I think Flickr is currently [probably] the best option for free image hosting.

Once you've uploaded your photo(s), choose the one you want to embed in the post, and click the "share" icon to the right...



Then choose the BBCode tab...



and copy the code into your post.

Ensure the "Disable BBCode in this post" ISN'T checked underneath the text box...



Finally, and most importantly, click the "Preview" button to make sure the post looks as intended! 😆

If all's good, hit "Submit"!
_________________
Andy.
NSR-WORLD.COM

Please keep all responses to Forum posts on the Forum so that others may benefit.

Please DO NOT PM me for technical advice. My time is precious, and you will probably receive a faster response on the Forum anyway.

Check us out on Facebook! Please "like" our page!

I'm not too far way (in Chippenham) with a MC18 2J & Phil (fil250) with an MC18 5K. Let me know if there's anything I can help with. I'll PM my mobile number
_________________
Why do things simply when you can complicate them

Thanks guys for the warm welcome and helpful advise – I’ll certainly be tapping you up for help and especially guidance, before I start I have to confess to being a bit of a luddite I don’t do Facebook, I’m sure the forums on there are helpful but from what I’ve seen there appears to be little or no structure to them and little more of a message board / quick Q&A rather than an solid archive of information like here. Do a Google search most of the time you end up here and the number of topic seems to cover just about everything you need and the advice even when contested/debated appears to be balanced and grounded

anyway a bit about me
In 1986 I was sat on an ER50, by 1988 a MKII 250 Gamma and then I sold my soul at 19 for a brand new 750 Slingshot so my allegiance at GP Level was for Schwartz over Gardner/Lawson/Rainey, but the Rothmans always had the coolest livery so when it came to downsizing the NSR was at the time a natural choice

Hopefully I’ve mastered posting links using the info above so here goes with my 2nd post.

Like a lot of others parts on this Bike the engine was once upon a time in full working but (visually at least) has since morphed into a horrid mess of corrosion dug in tighter than an Alabama Tick. Being the beating heart of the bike - decisive action was needed and after a Titanic struggle with the front lower engine Pin and plenty of Plusgas out it came for closer inspection.


Lacking a qualified doctor in the house and not knowing what was lurking on the inside home surgery wasn’t an option….. there was only one thing for it Professional help from Steve Alee @ GT Performance so off it went to have full blown open heart surgery and a cosmetic make over care of a very understand father. Living miles away and in the midst of a Pandemic Steve kindly sent updates as the rebuild progress and the pics below are from him






















Strip down begins










Back from the cleaners































One very sad crank….























Crank being rebuilt and looking sexy..










Final assembly begins
























Pure Engine Porn brought to you courtesy of Steve Alee at GT engineering


posted edited 18/9 as some of the links from GT stopped working


Nick or Spud Taylor™


Last edited by Rothmans_SPud on Sat Sep 18, 2021 10:18 pm; edited 1 time in total

Nice use of the Predator reference! 😉 And glad to see my photo posting instructions seem to be understandable! 🤣

As you say, Facebook is terrible for archiving information, which is why we post very little there other than pretty pictures. I started our Facebook pages several years ago, just to broaden our reach a little, and generate more traffic to both the forum and for Performance Engineering, who I worked for at the time. As with everything else here, the idea was soon copied [badly], and where we used the platform to drive traffic to the site [to keep our information focussed and easily referenced], the other pages just diluted their content and made it difficult to find information! We've picked up a number of users who've just become frustrated with those FB pages. 😆😆
_________________
Andy.
NSR-WORLD.COM

Please keep all responses to Forum posts on the Forum so that others may benefit.

Please DO NOT PM me for technical advice. My time is precious, and you will probably receive a faster response on the Forum anyway.

Check us out on Facebook! Please "like" our page!

Engine looks spectacular!
_________________
-Jim
'93 MC21

Jim wrote:Engine looks spectacular!

Thanks Jim, Yeah it does look - I viewed the GT Performance online gallery many times before committing and when I found they were indorsed by this site I was sold on them doing the work, yet I was still blown away by the transformation, it was everything I had hoped for and more.

The problem now is it kinda sets the benchmark for the rest of the build - next up are the Carbs and Radiator, both are shabby which is a problem as they sort of top and tail the engine








As you can see ^^ the carbs are every bit as roached out as the engine (was) and having turned the engine off (back in the last millennium) with the carbs full of fuel they are now seized up with what looks like a ton of yellow yacht varnish inside and having viewed hours of Youtube videos I thought I'd bug out on this job too and via a stroke of amazing good fortune I've found these guys Coln Engineering within walking distance of my parent place and if my carbs turn out like the picture below they will be a perfect partner for the engine https://colnblastcleaning.co.uk/carbs





Whilst the Radiator was still full of fluid I'm not ballsey enough to have it cooling the engine and so it to has been shipped out to a specialist to be re-cored by West Mercia Radiators http://www.westmerciaradiators.co.uk/motorbike_radiator_repairs.html



As you can see when its had one of its trips down the road the Rad cap has taken a knock at some point hopefully this can be pulled back into shape




With my jar of beer tokens emptying fast a lot of the other work will involve me picking up a spanner and bugging you all with questions

On the carbs, I did find that some of the carb parts that are superseded on the CMSNL site weren't correct. Also the are some JDM replacements for balance / tickover wheels are good. Phil installed some pattern jet kits which seemed good to get the carbs in a good state, ready for a dyno setup. We're waiting for GT to confirm when their dyno is back online.
_________________
Why do things simply when you can complicate them

I have a cleaner oil pump that you might want to have a look at
_________________
Why do things simply when you can complicate them

RobH wrote:I have a cleaner oil pump that you might want to have a look at

Ah Rob - If only I had posted on here sooner

I didn’t think anyone would notice it was missing from the pictures I spend hours scouring the web looking for a replacement, when the engine landed at GT it was the first thing that they came back to me about, never gave it a second though - they couldn't Zinc plate mine as it would destroy the solenoid and urged me to find a replacement and so they've strip and clean the 2nd pump.

After a lengthy search for a tidy one it arrived well after the engine cases etc had gone to the platers and vapour blasters and was always playing catch up - so landed back with me via Royal Mail a week or so after the engine was dropped off - hence why its not in any of the pictures

All I have to hand is this picture from the EBAY listing in its original state, I was surprised it arrived as the seller had simply cut the pipes and wrapped it in bubble wrap, the box was badly soaked in leaky 2 stroke oil and the postman made a point of telling the wife it should never have been mailed...as it was a fire hazard and they had rules about car parts in the post.
To avoid upsetting the better half I had to unpack it out side and then double bagged it before sending on in a clean fresh box via Royal Mail

Thanks to your note I found this thread- it's awesome. Seems like we're on the same path. Some (sadly) familiar looking scenes except for the finished engine which looks fantastic. I hope to produce the same thing one day.
Question: Were PE able to restore your crankshaft or is that a new one? What else did they have to do to the bottom end? I haven't split mine yet. I'm hoping it's not, as you say, brown bread.
Also what are you going to do with your forks?

I can say, without fear of contradiction, that crank was shagged! The only way forward with that crank was if PE were supplied two, and managed to build one from the pair.

If it's a new crank, it's NOS, as they were discontinued years ago, and are like the proverbial rocking horse teeth now!
_________________
Andy.
NSR-WORLD.COM

Please keep all responses to Forum posts on the Forum so that others may benefit.

Please DO NOT PM me for technical advice. My time is precious, and you will probably receive a faster response on the Forum anyway.

Check us out on Facebook! Please "like" our page!

I have seen some very nice replacement radiators from T2
https://t2-r.ocnk.net/product-group/27
_________________
Why do things simply when you can complicate them

RobH wrote:I have seen some very nice replacement radiators from T2
https://t2-r.ocnk.net/product-group/27

thanks for posting

I was just looking at your original post, as I've no intension of reusing 30yr+ old hoses and the Samco MC18 kit appears to have less hoses in it which left me thinking (alot) if I don't buy these will I be stuffed