1953 Terrot 125cc

[cardan]

Hi Joe,

Yes we are all mad. But pleasantly mad I like to think.

To remove the seat you will have to drill the broken bolt/stud out. This can be done very successfully with a hand-held drill. File one end of the bolt flat. Use a centre punch to mark the exact centre of the bolt. (Do a light pop first, so that if you miss the centre you can squidge the pop mark to one side with a couple more light taps.) You can tell if it's in the centre by eye. Make sure the other side of the bolt is supported so that the bolt is vertical. Carefully drill through the centre of the bolt with a 1/4"/6mm drill - depending on skill and luck it will come out the other side still on centre. Increase the drill size in 1/64" (or maybe 0.5/1mm) steps until you start to break through outer casing of the bolt. At this point there will be only a thin shell left that can be crushed and pulled out. Very satisfying when it works, but don't be discouraged if your attempts are a bit rough! Nothing here that can't be fixed with an oversized pivot pin.

Leon

[murdo]

Very good advice from Cardan. Give it a try Joe and see how you go.
We are all maybe a little mad for taking on these sort of projects, but it is much better than spending all day in the pub and having nothing to show for it other than a headache.

[chaterlea25]

HI Joe,
Theres a 55 for sale on Ebay, the photos may help in identifying parts you need or where parts you have fit !!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1955-Terrot-125-ETDS-vintage-motorbike-project-bobber-cafe-racer/221648648467?_trksid=p2060778.c100276.m3476&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D28722%26meid%3D2c36daaf17224573b85743a8ea53edff%26pid%3D100276%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D181634768681

HTH
John

[JoeJ]

This weekend I will give one last try to bang out the bolt on the seat frame. If not I will proceed to drilling it out as Cardan suggested. Of course I'll keep you posted!

I will take a look at the 55 that's forsale and check it out.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[cardan]

Joe,

From experience, it would be a miracle if you could bang the seat pivot out. If it was a bolt, with the head twisted off, it's possibly threaded into the other side of the seat frame anyway. If you've tried already banging, I wouldn't bother again. But if you insist start dousing it in you favourite penetrant (eucalyptus oil is a left-field candidate, but google will give you 100 others) then use a torch (I use a small gas torch that burns MAP gas) to heat the lug before you try again.

That said, it won't work. Drill it out, or get someone to drill it out for you. Hitting things with big hammers will always lead to the "now why did I do that?" moment. Avoid.

Leon

[JoeJ]

Fair enough.  But a follow up question: the bolt is probably 1/4" in diameter and you mentioned to drill it out with a 1/4" bit. Is that the correct size to use? I was thinking (before you wrote) that I would use a smaller bit and that would "loosen" it up? Or does it not work that way?

[cardan]

Don't start too small as the last thing you want is a broken off drill. Maybe start with 3/16.

Leon

[JoeJ]

Ok.  I hope to try it over the weekend. One thing I can't figure out is who and why someone would have sheeted these nuts off to begin with. Probably the same person who cut the front fender in half and 4" of the back fender.......

[JoeJ]

Hello!

To all the mad restorers on this site I thought I'd post a few "before and after" pictures of some parts - this is before I put the parts in the rust remover and after.  The true before and after will be when the parts are painted, but not ready for that yet......

[mick66]

Hi Joe
We spoke about a year or two ago when you got your bike, looks like you have progressed with your Terrot, haven,t had chance to have a go at mine but will let you know when I do.

[JoeJ]

It is a bit hard to see the detail of the parts before having the rust removed....but maybe this one is better...

BTW - everyday I walk out to the front porch and look at the gas tank! Tickled, just tickled I have it....

[JoeJ]

Hi Mick66,

Yes please let me know when you start on yours.  I am totally new to this, but have found that a few minutes here and there have gotten me pretty far along (pretty far compared to the bike sitting for 35 years!).  All in good time, right?

I have been very pleasantly surprised that the rust has come off using Evapo Rust.  I'll have to post a pic of the headlight, that was stunning to me.

Anyway, thanks for writing!

[JoeJ]

A few more before and after photos. In the first photo, notice the headlight and how rusty it is; the next pics are after the de-rust soaking....

[murdo]

Good stuff Joe.

[JoeJ]

What is one to do on a very cold day in March when there is 4 feet of snow on the ground in Boston MA?  Sort of a "test fit" with some of the parts!