Marc 1 Vintage Bonanza Build

[marc 1]

This is what I have used in the past. I think I will use these again. The bonanza I am working on now had just plain screws holding the badge on! Really! never seen that before but it looked to be original. Maybe they ran out of rivets that day. CRAZY!

 

[CarPlayLB]

Those just regular old rivets?
The OG Bonanza ones had a pretty flat head to them

 

[Cubenzo]

Those just regular old rivets?
The OG Bonanza ones had a pretty flat head to them

Like this? Original should be a 5/16 button head.

 

[marc 1]

You are right. You need to be on my consulting team. Show me what the originals look like. Here is my badge with the original screws. What do you make of this? Also, I talked to my friend John today and he can make our jack shafts to the 10 5/8 with the snap ring grooves on his lathe. I am going to have him make a few. Let me know if you need one

.

 

[CarPlayLB]

Hi Marc...count me in for a shaft! ...and thank you very much! I will send you a PM as well

as far as your badge goes, look like ya got screwed! LOL Never seen one like that, but ya never know!

 

[marc 1]

That looks like a different badge than mine. The rivet holes are more towards the outer and the "Bonanza" does not look embossed. I have seen some remakes from OldMiniBikes that are not embossed. Did Bonanza make more that one badge?

 

[marc 1]

Perfect word usage! That's funny! Did you notice holes on my badge are different that the one someone else posted. I will save a shaft for you! When they are done I will let you know.

 

[CarPlayLB]

here is what my badge looks like .

 

[marc 1]

Your badge is different than mine. Both of my Bonanza's are 1969 with the kidney bean wheels. The "BONANZA" on both of my badges are raised or embossed. Also the rivet holes on mine are closer to the center than yours. Maybe they changed in 1969 along with the introduction of the kidney bean wheels. Also my badges say "San Jose Calif.,USA. Yours does not say "USA". I have heard stories that the badges used were all in a big bin and were just grabbed off of the top. The badges on the bottom of the barrel so to say may have been there for years because they just kept grabbing the badges on top of the barrel.

 

[marc 1]

My lower shock spindles had to much ware to just chrome plate. They had an hour glass shape to them. My friend John who has a machine shop at his house told me he could fix anything! I showed him the shocks and he said "no problem". His fix was to carve out new ones on his lathe. Beautiful !!!

 

[marc 1]

Here is a bigger photo.

 

[marc 1]

Because of the spindle ware, the guides in the shock tower were also oblong shaped. John built up the areas that were lacking with some fancy welds and then re bore the guides to the proper dimensions. John has all the cool tools and a big heart! Thanks John!

 

[marc 1]

Now I have every thing I need to bring to the chrome shop. I will do this early next week. Chrome is getting more and more expensive! They always impress me with the outcome though! Its awesome to drop off rusty ugly pieces of metal and to pick them up looking like jewelry. They always turn out better than expected.

 

[CarPlayLB]

Damnit Man ...those look great!

 

[marc 1]

They look good now thanks to John. Can't wait til they are shiny!

 

[LSCustoms]

looks great!

 

[roccosbike]

Thats real nice. i noticed they get worn on the side like that when the bushings in the swing arm are worn. One of my rear shocks was like that.

 

[marc 1]

That would make sense. I will be putting new bushings in for sure! We may even fit a bushing inside the shock to help guide that lower shaft. I am not sure that the spring is adequate in keeping the shaft from binding and perhaps causing ware patterns. Just in the thinking process now.

 

[marc 1]

This is the final assortment of parts we would like to have chromed. It could get smaller after I get an estimate !!:crying:

 

[marc 1]

Here is a larger photo.