Newbie - 1972 BSA Wayfarer Restoration

Hi All

just joined the forum to see what you think of my first ever attempt at a bike restoration?

I have had the bike about 4 months, i bought it with the intention of restoring it. it'spretty much finished now apart from some minor details like needing new Pedals and a Decal set.

ALL original parts were used, the only BRAND NEW parts on the bike are the White Wall tyres. Everything else was cleaned up with wire wheel, back to bare metal, primer sprayed and then paint applied. the chrome came up lovely, finised off with some Chrome polish.

here's some pictures of before.....during.....and after.

Let me know what you think!

No replies? :-(

after 4 months hard work, seems wasted lol

You have done a great job there mate and have the right to feel proud.
Your 4 month investment in time will pay itself back many times over.
Enjoy.

i've got a project like this in mind for when i get hold of a bike for the Mrs. like what you've done here, have you thought about finding someone who can replicate the decals for you?

I am guessing the pictures are in the wrong order? either that or you took a perfectly good paint job and replaced it with a tatty one

Srsly though, that looks good, I do like those mudguards, Raleigh standard ones (can be found on Elswick-Hoppers, Triumph and Raleighs of this type, as well as others).

IIRC these are known as Light Roadsters, not that there is anything light about them. Does it have the SA 3 speed hub with a dynohub at the rear?

There is something about riding one of these, they give you a certain regal feel, don't they? You can't rush anywhere. A tweed suit, deer-stalker and Meershaum should be provided with each one.

In short, good job, enjoy!

One of my pals had one of those which i used to borrow as a schoolboy. One of the most comfortable bikes to ride...ever.
I love the job you have done. It's nice to see quality 'ordinary' machines being refurbed, not just exotica.

Ahhh I feel better now LOL. Yeah I uploaded the pics in the right order, but oddly they posted in the complete opposite order....

It's got a sturmey archer rear hub, 3 speed. Not a dyno hub unfortunately. It was a fun.restoration. the hardest part was putting the crank bearing casings back on, I couldn't get the threads to line up properly at first, then realised that I wad working on the bike upside down on the bench so ofcourse everything is the opposite way round...

I have been looking high and low for some water slide decals for the bike but can't find any. The closest I have found is some sticker versions on eBay... I we kept the head badge, just needs pinning back on.

It ideally wants new pedals but the ones on there do work fine they are just a bit tatty...

I found the frame number after stripping all the paint, did some research and drew a blank....then I f blank. Then I checked the rear hub and dated it...1972.

I need ideas for my next project!

I have a set of the perfect replacement pedals for that, I got them in a load of spares when I bought an elswick Hopper (now gone to someone in London).

They are brand new, still in wrapper, they are the old type with sort of two black rubberised bars across, one front and one back. Free to a good home.

They look like the bow type (IIRC) on this page:

http://www.surindera.com/Pedals.htm

Hi tiermat

If the OP doesn't want these,could I please take them off you're hands. I'm restoring a BSA,though it's a 1975 Granada.

Cheers

did my paper round on one of these.......