T-Cat Project

So I knew the previous owner of this bike (family member) who had it for a few years. Sat around for a while before he got it back on the road last June, failed it's MOT due to binding brakes and also the chain was knackered. So he got the brakes fixed and fitted a new chain, only for it to snap a few weeks later on the motorway. Chain took no prisoners and snapped the mud/chain guard, smashed off the left rear indicator and took the reg plate clean off. When I went to see it, it looked as if the clutch cable was snapped. Didn't think there would be too much work but how wrong was I???

Trying to get it ready for it's MOT:


In back of van shortly after chain snapped:


Sitting neglected:


Now in my garage, started taking seat off and fairings:


Took tank off to remove airbox to gain access to the Carbs:


Carbs:


Got it into college, gave it a wash. Never knew it was silver haha:


Up on the ramp:

Looks tidy, clutch problem will most likely be a broken pushrod from the snapped chain, easy fix (unless you do it the hard way like Rosco lol)

Aye pushrod was snapped in 3 haha. One of the lecturers in my college is in the middle of making me a new one which saves abit of money.

Preparing to remove the annoying Datatool Alarm:


Checking out the day soldering/wiring:












Finally cut it out:


Just had to solder the wires together and put a bit of heat shrink/insulating tape round them.

Took off the front sprocket cover to check clutch cable:


Found a few extra bits, broken pushrod:


Front sprocket could do with a bit of a clean:


Drained oil and removed clutch cover to gain access to clutch basket:


Clutch plates:


View of bike so far:

Nice progress so far. Lucky the chain didn't do more damage, you hear stories of it going through casings and all sorts!

Regards

Mike

That was my worst fear but started it up and the oil only leaked out were the pushrod was. Very lucky.

Nice work! And on a side note, those exhaust headers/downpipes are in good nick.
Don't think I've seen any in that good condition lol.

Lol, will eventually get them polished but concentrating on the mechanics first. Hope to get various bits powder coated and painted bit wont be for a while yet.

Nice tidy bit of soldering there  

  

Good progress on the bike so far though, . . . you'll have it shipshape in no time   

Yep even my first attempt looked better than that lol!

Shifted bike to a different ramp so I could remove the swingarm:


Swingarm was rusted to bits:


So home it went and got a run over with a wire brush and sanded down:


Coated it in Ku-Rust:




Primed it:




Painted it Matt Black:




Was originally Gloss Black but ran out of paint and when I went back to buy more all they had left was Matt   Had to repaint it all again. Lesson learned, always buy 2 cans. Wasn't to bad considering it was Pound Shop paint.

Stripped down the linkage before fitting. Bearings were rusted so got them cleaned up and rolling again.

Cleaned all this up too. But no after pic:


Finally greased everything back up and refitted swingarm:

Nice work! Maybe paint those chain tensioners to match?
Maybe I'm OCD?   

One of the tensioners has bits missing so will wait until I can find another before doing that.

SpeakForYou wrote:

I think a previous owner of your bike was also the previous owner of mine  

**EDIT**

Oh, loving your work with the swingarm too

Don't think we've had such a detailed strip down of a Cat before, but I'm glad you are putting your heart into it. Some certain lad on here (%@? R o s s/!+) probably wouldn't mind you working on his bike. Be a fine bike when it's all finished.

Love your workshop though, think most of us on here would like a set up like that. Lucky to have a college that does bike mechanic's as a subject.

That's our new workshop, was finished in November. It's great haha.

Keep up the good work it will be a cracking bike when finisher.

Paul