Day 5: The Quest for Clean

Well today I decided to give the old girl a bath and see if anything could come clean. The rims were especially bad. Soap and water did not even put a dent in the rims. So far steel wool and a huge amount of elbow grease is my only friend there. The extensive paint chipping will be left until the frame can be sandblasted and powder coated. The grease on the front forks was a real tough one. Soap and water: No. Scrub brush: I wish! Looks like it is going to be rags and thinner. I started to break down the frame for painting. Here is what I have left now. Not surprising is the moss growing in some parts. It looks like it was just starting to get a foothold.

Day 4b: Needed Parts

Parts, parts, parts! This is the real challenge. Getting parts for a 40+ year old motorcycle. If anyone has a line on any of the parts below, drop me a line and I will be happy to purchase them or put your logo on this blog and give you credit, mention and links if you donate them. Thanks:) Montesa Cota 123 28M1448 Missing Parts (of course I will be adding to this list so check back regularly): Piston Rings, pt#: 2860.022/1s & 2860.022/2s Piston clips, pt#: D6021 (x2) Engine to head gasket, pt#: 2860.024 Carb to head gasket, pt#: 3462.108 (x2) Carb top cover, pt#: 2862.304 Throttle cable, pt#: 2862.053 Foam air filter, pt#: 2162.067 Plastic ring for air filter, pt#: 2462.057 Carb gasket, part#'s: AMAL 622/073 & AMAL 622/101

Day 4a: The Verification and Cleaning of the Carb

Before even thinking in the long term of happily puttering around at about 2.5 mph, scaling boulders, climbing overhangs and riding over the occasional car in traffic; the carburetor must be fully cleaned and all parts must be in perfect working order. This is a foundation piece to a motorcycle project like this. Everything else can be in perfect working order, but if the carb is not adjusted properly and in perfect working order, the motorcycle just won't start, no-how, no-way!

Upon breaking down the carb a few things become clear.

First, the motorcycle has not been run in a long time and the carb has not been stored with gas in it. No build up, all parts move smoothly and everything is clean.

Second, it looks like there are two parts missing. One is part# AMAL 622/101 which is the carb gasket that mates the carb to the head. The other is the gasket that mates the bowl to the body, part# AMAL 622/073.

I may just get a sheet of gasket material and start fabricating my own gaskets for this motorcycle. Making templates as I go so future gasket needs can be easily fabricated.

Day 3: The Search for Rings

Well folks, this is proving to be quite the task. I started by going to: Metacrawler and doing a search for the Montesa dealership page. That brought me to US Montesa. Two entries came up, Beaverton Honda and Apex Sports. The number for Beaverton Honda was disonnected so I tried Apex Sports. I was then informed that Lewis Sport, in California, now handled all trials bike parts. Mandy at Lewis Sports said I needed to call Matt at Speed and Sport (530-878-0700) and he could probably set me up with a set that would work. After talking to him he recommended getting the actual measurements, 53.60mm for the cylinder/piston and 52.40mm for the notch the rings fit in, and call back. He could probably get a pair together. Still I am unable to date the bike to the correct year of manufacture. Matt did give me a clue though. The M number on the frame and engine puts it in a bracket of dates. Tomorrow will tell. If anyone can direct me to someone who has parts for the Montesa Cota 123, pre 1975, especially rings, let me know! Thanks;)