Facing Challenges: The Sidecar and Fuel Tank Dilemma

October 12, 2024 (Saturday)

Today, I took a closer look at the bike and realized that a significant amount of water had pooled in the sidecar from yesterday's pressure washing. It wasn’t draining out on its own. I attempted to remove the sidecar, but one of the mounting bolts kept spinning, and without the proper tools, I couldn’t get it loose. My second attempt involved detaching the sidecar frame from the bike itself. I ended up tipping the sidecar on its side to let the excess water drain out.

Another issue was with the compartment in the fuel tank, which was also full of water. I had to remove the fuel tank, which required taking off the driver’s seat as well. While I was at it, I removed the windshield, too. I labeled all the screws, nuts, and other components, storing them in separate containers.

To-Do List:

🛠️ Get plastic bags, boxes, or similar items for packing everything. I also need to devise a good system for organizing the parts.
🛠️ Find tools to tackle the rusted bolts and nuts.

I think I should create a plan outlining the next steps. I was considering setting a deadline for the project—perhaps aiming for the previous owner’s birthday. Maybe we can have the bike fully disassembled, repainted, restored, and reassembled by then? It sounds ambitious, but why not? That gives us 291 days from today. The plan looks great, but I’m a bit worried it won’t be that simple. Still, those who don’t try will never know, right?

Parts Status:
⚙️ Passenger foot pegs replaced (the old ones were completely broken)
⚙️ Driver foot pegs replaced (the old ones were completely broken)
🔺 Missing kickstart rubber
🔺 Missing right knee pad on the fuel tank
🔺 Sidecar seat cushion is missing (most likely eaten by rats)
🔺 No wooden floor mat for the sidecar… maybe it never had one?
⚙️ The rear wheel spokes have been replaced with some makeshift rods that are welded in place. I’ll likely need to cut them off and restore the original spokes. Another option is to keep this wheel as a spare and use the hub and rim from the spare wheel instead.

⏱️ I spent about 3 hours in the garage today, bringing the total work time so far to around 6 hours.