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Pantah 500SL

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 3:22 pm
by Derek
Not a Paso but I thought some of you may be interested in this Pantah 500SL that i've just finished restoring.

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Re: Pantah 500SL

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:55 pm
by Fraser
Derek,

That's a beauty.
Cheers,
Fraser.

Re: Pantah 500SL

Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2016 10:39 am
by paso750
nice job Derek :thumbup:
You missed the bent brake lever ;) Did the bike fall on the right side?

Re: Pantah 500SL

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 10:25 am
by Derek
paso750 wrote:nice job Derek :thumbup:
You missed the bent brake lever ;) Did the bike fall on the right side?
I didn't miss it G, it was a lot more bent than that but I didn't try to get it any straighter in case it broke. Yes, I guess it must have fallen on it's tight side at sometime in the past.

I bought the bike in March this year as a pile of bits in six boxes. The engine at least was complete.
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The previous owner had bought it 3 years ago from the first owner who had stripped it down in 1987 but never got round to re-building it. So it had lain as a pile of bits for 29 years. It has done only 29,000 km in the 5 years it was on the road.

I sent the frame to be powder coated. Meanwhile I removed the cylinder heads to check on the condition of the cylinders. I gave the valve seats a light grind and re-shimmed the valves. When I got the frame back I bolted it onto the engine and attached the swinging arm and forks and fitted the wheels so that I had a rolling chassis to work on.

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A few parts were sent off for re-chroming and the tank and body work to be painted. Meanwhile, I stripped and rebuilt the carburettors with new seals and gaskets, I rebuilt the brakes with new pistons and seals and new braided hoses and fitted all the electrics, which turned out to be fun.

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The wiring to the pickups had become so hard and brittle that the insulation just disintegrated at the slightest touch.

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I ditched the 30 year old unused Metzeler ME33 and ME99 tyres and replaced them with new Avon Roadriders and re-painted the wheels.
Eventually it was all together and I just had to wait on the bits from the painters.

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This took some time because they found that when they out the newly painted parts in the oven to dry the water-based that are used nowadays the resin based plastics gassed bubbling up the paint. So it had to be left to dry out naturally. But the final job was beautifully finished.

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Re: Pantah 500SL

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2016 8:54 pm
by englishstiv
I've always loved that particular colour Pantah and nearly purchased one along with a mate - who did the month after they arrived in the UK as I had just flogged my tired and old 860 GTS, I still mull over the various auctions and for sale Forums. A very nice example you now have there Derek I bet she sounds sweet with those pipes. As an aside did the original owner live towards the East coast of Scotland?

Re: Pantah 500SL

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2016 9:43 am
by Derek
The original owner last lived in Scarborough and was apparently, according to the man I bought it from in Dunoon, at one time the President of the Manchester Japanese Motorcycle Club!
It sounds good with the 2-1 Conti but much quieter than I expected and I also find it weird to have all the noise on one side.

Re: Pantah 500SL

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2016 7:21 pm
by Mc tool
Huh , I found one just like that in Picton years ago ... in bits in boxes , complete , same colour 500 bucks , EXCEPT I wasn't allowed to buy it , dumbest idea I ever had ..... apparently :x and guess what .............NOW she likes them , bless her :(
That looks good Derek , like the custom brake lever :lol:

Re: Pantah 500SL

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2016 9:42 am
by Derek
Mc tool wrote:...That looks good Derek , like the custom brake lever :lol:
Image It will staying customised Hamish until I can find another bettter one. You should have seen it before I "straightened" it. I didn't dare try to take it any further.