Time for a make-over

[marcmax]

I have been collecting bits and pieces for a little over a year to change the look of my R65LS. I finally think I have everything and the weather is cooperating so it is time to make the transformation.

Mechanically everything is fine, maintenance is up to date and she is running fine. It's just time for the old girl to get some new clothes.

[marcmax]

Might try this exhaust but I am afraid it will be just too loud to be enjoyable. I had a set of LS mufflers that had rotted completely through is so many places they were unusable. I cut off the end caps, cut out the rotten silencer and turned them into a pair of short megaphone style pipes (with a small baffle inside).

[montmil]

Whoa! Very nice selection of pieces parts. Credit card a melted lump of plastic?

How do you plan on mating the vintage speedo to the R65's speedo drive ratios? Or is the headlight assembly a modern repop. Liking the yellow lens.

What's your plan for the bags and wind screen? Perhaps a sporty Cafe Commuter.

You gotta get busy... Springtime riding weather is about to hit Jawjia.

Keep those photos flowing. [smiley=beer.gif]

[marcmax]

Thanks Monte. It actually wasn't that expensive when you space all the purchases over a long enough period of time. I think the most expensive part was the paint. It is a three part Cadillac pearl white. It really looks good out in the sun. Everything else was picked up battered and abused at flea markets or motorcycle swap meets. It just takes time. I don't add the cost of my bringing all the pieces back to life since I enjoy it but if I charged myself for labor it would have been cheaper to buy a Ferrari.  

The headlight shell is from a '59 Puch Twingle modified to take a standard 7" headlight and trim ring. The yellow lens is a transparent yellow paint (Duplicolor Metalcast) painted on the inside of the lens before assembly. The more coats the deeper the yellow gets. The original LS ignition switch is mounted in the shell with a folding key.

The speedometer is a repop from India. The vendor was easy to work with and very accommodating. I explained what I needed and he tweaked the ratio of the speedo before sending it. I connected the BMW speedo cable, wire tied it to the bars and went out to check it against my gps. It reads about 4-5 mph under the actual speed but I can live with that.

[montmil]

Nicely played, Marcmax.

I'm familiar with the Cadillac Pearl White as that was the color of Pretty Wife's last DTS. Her latest has a paint that changes hues depending on sky and sunlight conditions. I call her Cadillac Woman, but infrequently to her face... ya know.

I have the Indian speedo website bookmarked. They offer a number of intriguing products including tractor gauges for those so inclined to restore "farm implements" like our Airheads.

I may be able to find the photos I snapped at last year's Barber swap meet. A couple Puch/Sears Allstate twingles for sale. In the mid-50s, that was one of my rides! Well, actually all I did was sit on them at the big Sears Roebuck store in Dallas. But I did put many adventurous miles on them in my young mind.

I'm a lifetime subscriber to your philosophy of buying used and doing a resto. Most all my bikes have like-new looking but gently used items on 'em. My '86 Cabriolet, too.

Get after it. Charlie Mike! [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[CaptainSlow]

Like the colour, LOVE that headlight! This will be a rebuild to watch - please keep posting updates & pics  

[montmil]

Spotted in the Swap Meet during the 2012 Barber Vintage Days, these Puch-Allstate 250cc "Twingles" brought back many pleasant memories. Note the headlights; as soon-to-be-seen on the Marcmax BMW R65.


This deep red museum-quality resto was absolutely immaculate. No price was posted on the bike. I was afraid to ask. These bikes were but a few hundred bucks back in the 50's. To put the price in perspective, the mortgage, taxes and insurance on our new home in North Dallas was a cool $100.00 monthly.
 


A runner in fine condition. More like the ones I saw rockin' the roads in Dallas.



Very unique Trials version available in Europe only. Now too rare and nice to ride off road.

[marcmax]

One piece done. Many more to go.

[Dave 2]

I love your new exhaust and I look forward to seeing how it will all come out. Nice pics monte. D2

[marcmax]

Finally got a chance to get some work done of the changes. My daughter has been home from school for spring break and I didn't want to ignore her and hang out in the garage. Now things can get moving again.

I am in the process of doing all the rewiring to accommodate the changes. I am also making changes I have been putting off, replacing the fuses with weatherproof ATM style fuse holders and adding a resistor to the charging circuit.

Still couldn't resist a trial fitting of the new body parts.

[CaptainSlow]

Thats quite a change - like it  [smiley=thumbsup.gif] (I love white bikes)

[marcmax]

Made up a little plug-in fuse assembly to replace the oem ceramic fuse/box with weatherproof ATM fuses. The nice thing about it is all the oem connectors plug right up to it.

[montmil]

Very sano way to handle the new fuse install. May want to alter my ATMs install -steal your plan.

With all those new, sexy hard parts on the R65, I might consider naming her The Trophy Wife.  

[soliecirc]

That headlight/speedo set up is great. Nice work!

[disco51]

Nice looking mods...
Did you cut down a stock front fender or source it from somewhere else?
Liking the white