Basket Cases

[Greg Harding]

Hi Everyone,

RL 250, you have done a magnificent job with the RL!

Hi Everyone,

Having recently discovered this forum, I have decided to list my basket cases and projects. My aim is to source parts that I need and possibly help others with parts they need. Swapping parts, information and ideas is a great way of solving problems.

My restoration projects are Bultaco 68-70 M 4902554

Suppose it is about time, well actually long overdue now that l think about it that I did a little reminiscing as there has been a little water under the bridge since Page 1. As above, my M49 had and has been left on the back burner way too long although I did get motivated in 2011 as I was really keen to ride it. So I borrowed an exhaust and some missing parts including a motor off a mate for a test ride, it was a baptism of fire as l had zero experience with anal carbys. If my memory is right, I had a small ride and off to a Trial at Toonumbar Dam, all went well except I burnt up about 4 spark plugs. With help from some fanatics on here, we were able to sort out I had the wrong plugs and Brownie lent me a Mikuni that was well sorted for a M49.

So off to another Trial the next weekend for take 2, I can remember very clearly when Brownie saw the M49 for the first time telling me that I can't compete on those old rigid shocks, you can borrow these! So I was not sure how much of the bike was actually mine, I would like to think 50%? Anyway it all came together on the day as I actually won my class, certainly put a smile on my face until I had to pull the bike apart to give everyone's parts back!

For about 5 and a half years now, my incomplete M49 has been sitting on the back burner again until this week when M49 no 2 turned up. A little rough and not all there but the motor runs really well with good compression and no play in the mains, Happy Days! My first thoughts were donor motor for my rolling frame until I saw the frame and engine number, last 3 digits in particular and it must have been close to to newer M80 Sherpa T?

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Thank you Scott from this forum, I am really happy with the M49 and I intend to compete on it when I can source a rear silencer as I think that is all that I am missing now.

[David Lahey]

Greg, please use something other than the original rear silencer, because they run so much better without that type of rear silencer. No doubt a less restrictive rear silencer would be OK. If you need convincing, you are welcome to try out my M49 rear silencer
That VIN probably still fits in the 1968-70 criteria so what is the problem?
One thing I love about is that successive improvements to the production bikes just steam-rollered along relentlessly. I can imagine some poor stressed person at the factory who got more and more worked up through the post-65 period with many important changes made to the Sherpa T design with so few model designations. The three years of the M49 is an obvious example. That poor person may have finally had their way when they started stamping the M49 Kit Campeon as the M80.
When they got to the post-slimline era, the shoe was on the other foot and there were a few different Sherpa T models that seemed almost identical

[outforfun]

Hi everyone,

I've bought a couple of little TY175C basket cases and I'm looking for the correct colour for the engine parts. I've got 3 1976 TY175C's all with different colour engines... 1 is all plain alloy, 1 has a black head and plain barrel (both 525's) and the other 1 has a black head and looks like the barrel was black too (it's the IN4 road registerable model).

I've looked around the parc ferme at the TY challenge this year - great weekend by the way. I've looked on google as well, I have no idea now. There are an infinite variety of combinations, some have black barrels with silver fin edges, black head and alloy cases and barrel, all alloy/silver, all black and so on.

So what colour did the 1976 TY175C trials bike come from the factory?

[Bully fanatic]

Hi Outforfun. As far as I can remember the TY 175 C`s had a black barrel with a alloy head on them I think. The engines were silver or unpolished aluminium alloy with a clear coat over them. The same for the fork bottoms. David is the TY expert on here though so wait for his answer before doing anything. Graham.

[David Lahey]

I know this is a TY175JC brochure but am pretty sure the cylinder and head on these were painted the same as TY175C. If anyone has a TY175C brochure please post it up.
As you can see, the TY175B brochure photo shows a slightly a different paint scheme on the cylinder compared to the C and JC
Some later model TY175 and TY125 came with black painted motor casings but the B and C and JC were all as-cast inner casings and clear lacquer coated outer cases

[Greg Harding]

Hi Everyone,

David, no problem really, I was just curious how high the numbers went for a M49? I can't see any evidence of a Kit De Campeon ever being fitted but I think it was only an option that you could fit yourself until the M80 came out?

Don, funny how we have been doing almost the same thing. About the time that cyclone Debbie was causing destruction up your way, I received a call from a bloke wanting to sell a TY 175. His description of a 1975 B model was a little out but close enough for me. It came with a warning that the river he lived near had been predicted to flood and if it went over the levy, underneath his house where the bike was would Flood! Armed with his address and number I called a mate that lived fairly close and it seemed like he dropped everything and went on the mission. Apparently Pete drove through flood waters on the property to pick it up and the River rose to way over where the bike was later that night. Thanks Pete, I owe you big time. Anyway now that I have picked it up, here are some photos:

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Yes it is a 1/77 JC and I think it will go, I checked in the toolbox and I found most of the original tools.

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As for your question about engine colors, I think aluminum finish for the bottom end and black cylinder and head without polished edges.
Now for my questions, can you snap some photos of the blinkers as I think my ones are wrong?
Is the tail light right for a JC as it lines up with mudguard and underbracket holes?
Should the headlight have the chrome bars like yours on a JC?
Is the plastic infill in the chain guard right for a JC as it is different to my JE One?
Just went to post this and David has pre-empted some of my questions! No flies of the Guru!

[David Lahey]

Hi Everyone,

David, no problem really, I was just curious how high the numbers went for a M49? I can't see any evidence of a Kit De Campeon ever being fitted but I think it was only an option that you could fit yourself until the M80 came out?

Greg, I just looked up Historia de la Sherpa T and have part of the answer. The M49 frame change (to the frame you have which is structurally the same as M80) happened at 4902426
More book looking to follow
Yes Kit Campeon was indeed a kit but I would think they would have been selling them both before and after the M80 came out, because they were intended to upgrade an M49 to M80 specs (for people who already had them). Sort of the opposite of built-in obsolesence

[David Lahey]

Hi Everyone,
Don, funny how we have been doing almost the same thing. About the time that cyclone Debbie was causing destruction up your way, I received a call from a bloke wanting to sell a TY 175. His description of a 1975 B model was a little out but close enough for me. It came with a warning that the river he lived near had been predicted to flood and if it went over the levy, underneath his house where the bike was would Flood! Armed with his address and number I called a mate that lived fairly close and it seemed like he dropped everything and went on the mission. Apparently Pete drove through flood waters on the property to pick it up and the River rose to way over where the bike was later that night. Thanks Pete, I owe you big time. Anyway now that I have picked it up, here are some photos

Wow that looks very complete Greg. The taillight, battery box and speedo are so often missing from JCs. Looks to me like someone used it for commuting (based on the undented tank and exhaust, tiny rear sprocket, worn down road-trail tyres and that they have fitted other blinkers to replace the originals)
The plastic bit that extends the chain guide is not standard from Yamaha Japan, but may have been fitted pre-sale to satisfy NSW rego requirements. I've also seen some (NSW TYs) with longer chain guards

[Greg Harding]

Hi Everyone,

David, you are right again, my JE has a longer all metal chain guard with extra mounts. I will have to get busy and see if this JC goes......

OK so now I am thinking it is about time for guessing competition. In this over regulated Country of ours I am feeling obliged to formalize some rules, here they are:

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Now you have probably guessed that they are only important IF you can read them while driving at night with the lights off.

Yes I have been buying bikes, here is another one
Different I know but it's similar to the other one
So I am sharing these photos for you all to see
Where did I come from and who made Me........? 

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Has anyone experimented with Helium in their Tyres?
Before you respond, if you have owned one of these, can you please leave it for someone else to have a go? This includes you TOO Graham.

[David Lahey]

I accept those conditions. No worries mate. I love the challenge too. I just need to find my glasses so I see the bike properly