Been making more stainless fasteners. Bought a quantity of 17mm and 14mm stainless hex. When I say a quantity I mean 2mtr of each !!!!!!! Well had to, to get the no carriage deal. It will come in for other projects I'm sure.
Unique to these old Hondas are the hex and thread spec. So, did also buy a 10mm metric fine tap and die set.
Made the 2 top and 4 bottom engine bolts complete with nuts.
Like a lot the sharpness of the edges and left the nut and the bolt head depth on the large side. Reminded me of my grandads home built steam models, so that's a good reason as far as I'm concerned.

Almost too sexy for my bike......almost!

The excitement is immense !!!! Never in the history of mankind has so much love and attention gone into a pair of mudguard stays. Here at Oilyracer blogspot we respect old sh*t and these 50 year old Japanese pressings are no exception......so, let's get loved up and give them a reet grand fettling..
The screws holding the stays to the aluminium guard were obviously non original and the fact that they resembled fixings that may hold roofing sheet to a barn meant that their life would be terminated....IMMEDIATELY....Grinderman....do your worst.
The holes that remained were not only embarassingly large but nothing like symmetrical.
Solution ? Fill with weld and re-drill ? Hey, I'm happy with that, well I would be wouldn't I because l'm doing it.

Resting on a bit of copper helped hold the weld pool in place

Grind and filled....

And then textured to match with a de-burring tool in the electric drill

And finally new small holes in the appropriate position...

I really really love my mudguard stays now....😂

Old sh*t for sure...

Vintafaking ?......the recovery of old sh*t from beyond the scrapyard. Yes indeed. Why ?
1st reason....the lack of folding stuff and 2nd...doesn't matter how far and how often you scan the world if parts are not there then it doesn't matter how big the wodge is in your pocket ya gonna go without.
Haha....but dear readers I just happen to have a rusty relic of a most wanted peice of treasure. Just call me Lucky Old Uncle Albert.
Next job on my extremely long 'To do list' is to make something out of what remains of the front mudguard. Now, it's not an original but...and I'll write that again in big letters....BUT...it is a unique piece of history as far as this bike goes and the 1960s dealer badge is just drop dead lovely jubbly.....(oh, and the stays are real Honda)

Grays of Thrapston. Note the 4 figure phone number..that's yonk's old,.maybe I should ring it and see who answrrs.....the Belgium Honda must have been traded in and resold through this dealer  in the late 60's....gaining the little plaque at the same time.
Oh, by the way, Grays of Thrapston are still trading...Selling amongst other things microcars and Chinese motorcycles....How good is that ? Survivors just like this piece of treasure.