My bonanza build

5

510tony

New Member
#1
#1
Hey everyone I just wanted to put up my new build. I have had this bonanza BC 1300 for about a month and some change and had been posting pictures on instagram with little real response, so that brings me here. To share my project with people who share my passion and enthusiasm for these kick ass little Machines.


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5

510tony

New Member
#2
#2

So it begins this is how I picked it up in all its glory . I am a Bay Area native and have wanted a bonanza for some time since the company lived and died is in my back yard i just had to owns one. So when this little beauty came up I jumped and that day after work me and the wife jumped in the car and left Oakland to head to Monterey about a 1.5-2 hour drive but it was worth it. I did not even inspect the bike just packed it up and turned around and came home.


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5

510tony

New Member
#3
#3
When I got the bike home I could not help but start to really pick over what I had a new model Tecumseha a set of wheels (I think they are Spiners) an extra factory wheel, one fender a jack shaft, complete swing arm and for some reason BMW foot pegs. The seat and motor are incorrect, the forks were rusted solid and one shock had a broken spring and slide damage but... it's mine.


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5

510tony

New Member
#4
#4
The forks..
so first things first I had to sort out the forks because what's the minibike without forks. The first thing I did was plug all the holes in the forks with dental wax and then fill each leg with evaporust and then sealed The handlebar ends with the same wax left him standing up in my kitchen sink for a day. The next day I poured out the really nasty evaporator just completely black but we have made progress little top spring holder was now moving but the forks not so much. I then placed the remaining evaporust in a cup and place the fork legs in it,again about a day later there was progress but still no movement. Time for some more distractive methods, I started with just heat using a propane torch and tapping around the fork tube to try to free up the rust, this didn't work. After about an hour of attempting this I decided I needed to get a little more aggressive with this project. I broke out the wire wheel on an angle grinder and gently remove moved the rust from the leg and fork. now using the heat still, I was heating the fork legs I put a axle through the forks and got out my mini sledg, I used my feet to hold the handlebars and hit up on the axle moving each fork leg little by little out. I did it they were free and not as bad of shape as I thought the springs are still even in tact and pliable moving springing back no signs of cracking or anything major I luck out.

 
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5

510tony

New Member
#7
#7
Up up and away
Now that the forks you're free I can start focusing on the actual build I wanted to replace the rear shocks with nice chrome ones but as luck would have it OldMiniBikes sold the last of their stock the day before (like literally the day before) and per a rep there they are not getting anymore. Great OK, so I take them apart take the tubes down to the local chrome guy have stripped along with the fork likes there's some damage to one of the tubes that I have to replace what looks like a pretty nasty slide. I ordered new springs and a new badge from OldMiniBikes. After looking at my folks again I realize that under what seems to be 20 layers of paint is the original badge and you could still make out the numbers. From what I understand the numbers don't mean anything but if somebody could clear that up for me I'd really appreciate that. So I drill out the rivets and carefully removed the original batch and then to Q-tips and nail polish remover and remove the paint from the numbers to expose them a little bit more.there's also exposed what's left of the original bonanza blue paint. I'm really excited that I have the original badge with the serial numbers still legible so I can stamp them into the new badge before I riveted on. The chrome guy is working on the fork legs and I told him to leave some of the larger pits because this thing made it through it and I kind of wanted to show where I came from it's a survivor, but I can't leave it with his nasty orange paint it. Is there anyway to tell what year this was made by the badge number or is it just like The manufactured number they were at please let me know.










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capguncowboy

capguncowboy

Well-Known Member
#8
#8
I'm guessing it's a late 67 or very early 68 model. The real tell is the footpegs in the forward position. I had an early (engine serial code was 866 - so 66th day of the year) 1968 BC1100 with a serial number of 29085

 
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T

the beekeeper

Active Member
#12
#12
Cool project!..........I had been looking for a front peg BC1200 project for a while myself, I wanted to build a clone of the one I had back in the early 70s, a very good friend set me up with a frame/forks, fenders and 6" Go Power wheel halves, the painted fenders revealed flakey chrome under it all, I found a nice silver metallic wheel paint and did the wheels and fenders, I placed an order through OldMiniBikes for all the items needed to get it back to running condition and threw it together, I had a shed find low hour 1976 5HP Briggs off a tiller to use for power, it is an awsome rider!......I installed new springs front and back like you did, I will use the same silver metallic paint on the fork lowers and rear shocks when I tear it down this winter for paint which will be as close as I can get to the origional Bonanza blue, this is going to be a rider not a show piece so I'm not concerned about the flash, my badge like yours was still intact but trashed under the many layers of paint, I will also be purchacing a replacement badge and transfer the serial #27953 to the new one before installing.......................Tom.
 
5

510tony

New Member
#15
#15
capguncowboy said:
I'm guessing it's a late 67 or very early 68 model. The real tell is the footpegs in the forward position. I had an early (engine serial code was 866 - so 66th day of the year) 1968 BC1100 with a serial number of 29085

Click to expand...
Thanks do you think I can run a Hodaka in it with the forward pegs
 
gbabins1

gbabins1

Active Member
#16
#16
Unfortunately not. We have clones on ours... which I know is slightly taboo but we ride them consistently through hours and hours of trails and sand. Not to mention, not too many of them make their way down to Florida. Super comfy bikes with a lot of room for even tall adults. My son is 6' 4" and I'm 6' 2" and they feel great even after a long ride.

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