Aggie re-restoration

[BingCrosby]

Once upon a time I flocked to this site to ask questions and show off my Aggie 97 mini bike. Well it's been 5 years and the stuff I did not do to it that I should have are eating away at my soul.

Here is the beginning, the completion of my restoration in high school. The white/blue color palette actually worked really well, if not a little garish (not to mention incorrect...). The white paint did NOT last long. Note the rear gas tank and Honda motor (the original HS40 on this bike was left without a spark plug for twenty plus years!!!)
The Honda that went into it when I first rebuilt it has long since passed on. It was too noisy and feisty for the tiny little frame and was honestly rather hard to handle. I swapped it out for a Briggs 3 HP flathead I got from a King O Lawn mower that was going to the dump. Despite its grungy appearance, the engine runs really well. I also leaned into the "mini" effect by getting tricycle tassels and squeezie horn (things I later removed). Genuinely considering keeping them on the complete bike because they were so silly!!!
Going through my grandparent's house I also found the original fender set from this bike (something I could not find during my original rebuild!). Those went on to the bike, too. The chrome was failing but this was the height of the pandemic and I had no way to paint them properly. I don't remember what happened to the throttle, but I think it was just unsuitable and I couldnt buy any new parts so I replaced it with a bicycle brake cable and handle. Hey, if it works!

The bike was otherwise fine until about a week ago, when my yearly expedition out onto the street with my bike made me discover one of the rear wheel bearings was seized. Well, time to rebuild the whole bike...!

Wait, that's not how its supposed to go. Well the issue is I didn't have the means in high school to get this bike right. I did what I could (repairing leaks in the tires, cleaning up the frame, giving it a new engine) but a lot of stuff (bent forks, bad bearings, stuck rusty pins) I couldn't fix. I work for a shop that's significantly more capable than my high school shop ever was, so I want to go through and get this right. Proper engine, new hardware to replace the falling apart bits, and a paint job that would last longer than five minutes.

Unfortunately as I started this project I had phone troubles and couldn't take pictures. Let's just say I had a field day with a hammer and some penetrating oil...

 

[BingCrosby]

First up, the engine. This was the aforementioned Briggs 3 HP engine. While it runs fine, and has no real issues aside from ailing paint, my Aggie was a Tecumseh frame, and by jove, I will have a Tecumseh!!!!!

Here is the poor victim of circumstance. I have no intention of getting rid of this motor, I just don't really know what to do with it now!! Maybe a new frame would be best for this lost soul...

I had a spare Tecumseh H35 lying around I had been using for parts in high school for a long dead HS50 build. I wasn't originally going to use it but I found the original stash of parts from the HS40 and an aluminum flywheel and figured "why not! 3.5 is close enough to 4!" HS40's are essentially unobtainum in the era I would need for this frame, so a look alike is good enough for me. I'm unsure of the muffler's history, I bought it for an HS50 but it was actually for a 3/3.5 HP engine. I have a spare one that I got with this frame that had the muffler cut off completely, for whatever reason. It was bent when I got it.

Only the blower housing and tank mount are being used here; the air filter cover, gas tank and pull start are spares I had for engine testing. The motor runs okay, but doesn't want to start all that often. I intend to go through it anyway and replace most of the gaskets but it helps to know you aren't working with a dud.

In terms of extra parts, the original air filter cover and gas tank will replace these. The gas tank needs a bath in some kind of rust killer and the air filter was halfway through sandblasting, so they were off the table for testing. As for the pull start? Well, I have the original pull start (and replacements are easy to come by), but I have a much more sinister idea...

 

[BingCrosby]

Well, the gas tank's a dud. One of the two underside mounts has come completely disconnected inside the tank. I don't really have any way to remedy this, so a different metal tank will have to suffice. Off to the WANTED section...
The wheels are significantly more pitted than I expected. Several places near the middle points are missing chunks or have craters. That's... concerning! I still havent gone through with a soft metal brush (brass) and some kind of cleaner to get these clean, but these are REALLY unobtainium. I really hope these aren't goners!!!!!!

Otherwise, work continues. The frame is ever so slightly bent sideways (the upper rails are not concentric with the lower ones) so I have to find some way to fix that. The H35 still doesn't want to run right but at this point I know it starts so I'm going to go through and give it a really solid tune up anywho. Spent some time degreasing everything and now the bike is good to go to get a solid sandblasting.

 

[Lizardking]

Well, the gas tank's a dud. One of the two underside mounts has come completely disconnected inside the tank. I don't really have any way to remedy this, so a different metal tank will have to suffice. Off to the WANTED section...
View attachment 303481 The wheels are significantly more pitted than I expected. Several places near the middle points are missing chunks or have craters. That's... concerning! I still havent gone through with a soft metal brush (brass) and some kind of cleaner to get these clean, but these are REALLY unobtainium. I really hope these aren't goners!!!!!!

Otherwise, work continues. The frame is ever so slightly bent sideways (the upper rails are not concentric with the lower ones) so I have to find some way to fix that. The H35 still doesn't want to run right but at this point I know it starts so I'm going to go through and give it a really solid tune up anywho. Spent some time degreasing everything and now the bike is good to go to get a solid sandblasting.

Bolt and gas resistant rubber or epoxy might fix that...

Going with the same blue? That looks like original paint and still has plenty of it.

 

[BingCrosby]

Bolt and gas resistant rubber or epoxy might fix that...

Going with the same blue? That looks like original paint and still has plenty of it.

I'll probably try some gas proof epoxy, I just need to clean the tank out of rust and junk. Does muriatic acid work for that? I have heard of it being used but I've also heard of other methods with less harsh fluids like vinegar.

The blue is not original, unfortunately. It was a rattle can paint job I did and the shade is too dark (and too metallic). The paint lasted all of 6 months of use before flaking away piece by piece. I have access to a shop with a sandblaster, and I have the funds to get it properly powder coated or similar solid paint, so it's going to get a much closer shade of original blue.

I also need a new seat. Talking to my family reveals that they all remember the original seat being purple??? Will have to research deeper.

 

[creia]

I'll probably try some gas proof epoxy, I just need to clean the tank out of rust and junk. Does muriatic acid work for that? I have heard of it being used but I've also heard of other methods with less harsh fluids like vinegar.
.

Google "Evaporust"
Michael

 

[Lizardking]

I'll probably try some gas proof epoxy, I just need to clean the tank out of rust and junk. Does muriatic acid work for that? I have heard of it being used but I've also heard of other methods with less harsh fluids like vinegar.

The blue is not original, unfortunately. It was a rattle can paint job I did and the shade is too dark (and too metallic). The paint lasted all of 6 months of use before flaking away piece by piece. I have access to a shop with a sandblaster, and I have the funds to get it properly powder coated or similar solid paint, so it's going to get a much closer shade of original blue.

I also need a new seat. Talking to my family reveals that they all remember the original seat being purple??? Will have to research deeper.

Vinegar has worked great for me when dealing with rust on parts that don't fit in my blasting cabinet.

I've seen the seat blue with glitter.

 

[Bird Brain]

Can you fill it up with fish tank gravel and shake or rotate it mechanically with something? Strapped to a paint shaker would be great but not everybody has one of those handy i know. I seen an automobile tank full of gravel strapped to a wheel of a car up on jack stands and put in gear before at slow idle. Never saw the result but sure sounded promising after all afternoon. Just some ideas perhaps. Good luck with something.