classic motorcycle forum

I was reminded a couple of days ago of the NSU 250 Special Max I had about 10/11 years ago. It was one I bought as a basket case one practice week in IOM. It had been in pieces for years by the look of it. It was sold originally in Liverpool (I think) and had then found its way to IOM and after running for a few owners seemed to have passed between a goodly number rather readily.
It was an unusual one in that it was not in the colour scheme supplied as standard to the UK . It was an Orangey Red and Creamy Beige.
It's major fault was that it had in it a big end bearing made out of a solid billet of phosphor bronze. I rebuilt the entire thing  without first splitting the flywheels because the big end felt perfect and smooth. Sadly it nipped up after only warming up outside my garage. It soon freed off and it soon repeated the nip up. So it had to be torn apart and a proper NSU big end assembly was put in.
After about a year we decided to sell the house and so I had to sell off a number of treasured bikes to downsize to facilitate removal. A man rang me, answering my advert, and said he used to have an NSU Max and would desperately like to own mine. Did I have a manual and any special tools etc. When I confirmed that I did he made me an offer that to me was far short of what I wanted but it did seem that it would be going to a good home where the result of my work would be appreciated and the bike would be enjoyed. So I let it go for just less than £1000. About three weeks later there it was on the back page of Classic Motor Cycle in the centre of the Atlantic Motorcycles advert with a price of over £3000.
I often wonder what happened to it and to the deceitful louse that bought it from me.

First thing to do is get yourself a good workshop manual. No, not one of Mr Haynes books of nonsense and imagination, but a Norton one. They are often available in photocopied format. Then sit and spend many hours studying it and working out where everything goes, what it does and how it varies from what you have got...which it more than often will.
When you have done that decide if you are going to be sensible, and enjoy riding it, or foolish, and have it all concourse and pretty. Because this will dictate the level of spend and the level of  effort you put into trying to achieve something that was never there when the bike left the factory.
As far as sequence is concerned it will sort itself out, because you can not put the engine and /or gearbox into the frame until you have the frame ready to put them in, similarly you need to put the mudguards on before you put the wheels in and you need to have the stand fixed to do that etc etc.

Good luck

I have been watching your progress with this, arrow1, and I must confess to not being surprised by the absence of an avalanche of advice. They were so dire, even when new, that I would suggest you put it on eBay and start it 99p.
Sad really, because there were some features and ideas  in/on them that were quite good, had they not been spoiled in the construction. A sad end to a glorious marque. (Please do not mention the "3")