Just thought I'd drop a line and let everyone know that since I re-opened my shop last July, I haven't been without PLENTY of work.
I had to start out slowly, working out of my pocket and credit cards (no client budget money). So I started with a pile of leftover Norton parts and assembled it to a roller to get an idea of where I would go with it -
Well, where else could I possibly go but here-
As I was getting close to finishing it last October (2015), my friend Mark asked me to fix up his handful of bikes and sell them off. Started off with (2) Honda step-through 110s which I slapped together and sold to a mutual friend in Austin (which means they went right back where they started from 250 miles away).
Last November, after at least 5 years of trying to buy back a '74 Commando that I owned many years ago, I was able to get my friend Ernie to let go of it. There's a rare John Player Norton Commando under this wrong bodywork and all that dust-
I knew it was previously running well, as I'm the one who got it running for him a couple of years ago. I scratched my brain for a while then decided to do a total restoration, as it was too rough to just clean up and hope the engine internals survived 20 years of mostly sitting.
So far, it looks like this-
It still has the wrong seat, but the correct one should be here any day now. Look for it on e-bay soon.
Back to Mark's bikes, I messed with his '70 Commando, cleaned it out, cleaned it up, got it going, and put it on e-bay.
It sold quickly, and the buyer has contracted me to strip it down, powdercoat the frame black (it's only got a couple hundred miles on the red), return it closer to stock on the rear fender, seat, and lighting, and swap out the steel front rim for an alloy one identical to the rear. That's in work now.
Next is Mark's beautifully restored '70 Bonneville.
I got the wild idea that I'm going to sell MY '70 Bonnie, and give Mark the funds from that sale to buy HIS bike. Mine is not as nice, but will fetch enough to meet Mark's bottom line after fixing up and selling all his bikes for him.
Don't look TOO close...
Any offers???
I've still got Mark's Triton to finish assembling, get running, and sell on e-bay.
...oh, by the way, I have this very nearly original first year '59 Bonneville on it's way to me. THIS ONE will get a new thread here!
I had to start out slowly, working out of my pocket and credit cards (no client budget money). So I started with a pile of leftover Norton parts and assembled it to a roller to get an idea of where I would go with it -
Well, where else could I possibly go but here-
As I was getting close to finishing it last October (2015), my friend Mark asked me to fix up his handful of bikes and sell them off. Started off with (2) Honda step-through 110s which I slapped together and sold to a mutual friend in Austin (which means they went right back where they started from 250 miles away).
Last November, after at least 5 years of trying to buy back a '74 Commando that I owned many years ago, I was able to get my friend Ernie to let go of it. There's a rare John Player Norton Commando under this wrong bodywork and all that dust-
I knew it was previously running well, as I'm the one who got it running for him a couple of years ago. I scratched my brain for a while then decided to do a total restoration, as it was too rough to just clean up and hope the engine internals survived 20 years of mostly sitting.
So far, it looks like this-
It still has the wrong seat, but the correct one should be here any day now. Look for it on e-bay soon.
Back to Mark's bikes, I messed with his '70 Commando, cleaned it out, cleaned it up, got it going, and put it on e-bay.
It sold quickly, and the buyer has contracted me to strip it down, powdercoat the frame black (it's only got a couple hundred miles on the red), return it closer to stock on the rear fender, seat, and lighting, and swap out the steel front rim for an alloy one identical to the rear. That's in work now.
Next is Mark's beautifully restored '70 Bonneville.
I got the wild idea that I'm going to sell MY '70 Bonnie, and give Mark the funds from that sale to buy HIS bike. Mine is not as nice, but will fetch enough to meet Mark's bottom line after fixing up and selling all his bikes for him.
Don't look TOO close...
Any offers???
I've still got Mark's Triton to finish assembling, get running, and sell on e-bay.
...oh, by the way, I have this very nearly original first year '59 Bonneville on it's way to me. THIS ONE will get a new thread here!
