After tear down, I found a big crack in the chassis. As it’s made from cast aluminium, I wanted to get a specialist welder to repair it. After receiving a few quotes over $100, I received a tip about a (and I quote) “strange old guys who specialises in aluminium. He works out of a weird little lane way down the back of a house”. I was a bit put off but was assured that “he knows what he’s doing and he was great”. I took the chance and paid him a visit. $15 later, the chassis was repaired. He even ground the top flat so it doesn’t have visible scars, but put a heap of weld on the underside to strengthen it.
We’ve (Reel Solutions - my side business) made new mud flaps out of stainless steel and will be machining four new brass quadrants. It’s not cost effective, but I’m far too obsessive compulsive to have one quadrant that looks different to the others.
Some of the original threaded parts can not be replaced, so I took them to the electroplater and had them zinc plated. I’ve also sourced an original mud flap on loan from a friend and will reproduce that in stainless as well.
As for the wheels, the plan is to machine them out of white acetal. I’ve sourced a wheel with the closest ‘rubber tyre’ I can find to the original. I’m hoping to be able to use them on the new acetal wheels. We’re still brainstorming on the replacement red caps though. Perhaps a 3D printer?
