Last night I wrestled the engine into the freshly powdercoated frame, after cleaning and polishing the engine for several nights. The aluminum isn’t perfect yet, but I am tired of trying to make it perfect, especially after seeing the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo version with all its imperfections. Here is where it stands at the moment:
And here are some parts and the carbs all cleaned up and ready to be installed. Soon I will have a rolling chassy.
Vintage OCD 
July 24th, 2012 at 6:43 am
What are you using to clean up the motor?
July 24th, 2012 at 7:24 am
Well, first, let me say that I originally thought I would buff all the aluminum to a high gloss and that I would paint the block to look new. Once I got into it I changed my mind, as polishing this old gal has been a bitch. The aluminum pieces I started with a fine wire wheel, moved on to a buffing wheel with polishing compound, then went to Mothers Aluminum Polish with 000 steel wool and finally just straight 000 steel wool. The shine is pretty good but I was not able to get down past some of the discoloration so you can tell that the engine is not new. It makes me thing that the guys that get a perfect polish must spend many more hours than I was willing to get down to raw aluminum. The block I wire brushed but left the imperfections in the end and decided since it is my first rebuild that the expense of a bead blast was overkill. My new motto is, “I can always go back and hit some of this stuff later, after the bike is running.”
July 24th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
It looks pretty good! I need to attempt some cleanup on my own is the only reason I asked!
August 6th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
It’s good to leave a bit of patina.