CB250 rebuild part 3

**Day 7 - 19/5/18**

So much powered brushing. Who knew bodywork could be such hard work?

I've long believed that if you leave a thick layer of oily grime on metal it will be protected, but all I found in areas that had been caked for years was that the paint fell off and there was lots of rust underneath. This won't change my cleaning regime because I'm too lazy to spend my time washing machinery but at least I'll understand the damage I'm doing from here on.

Also I couldn't brush the very end of the frame because the seat release mechanism is still attached and I can't remove it because I can't remove the lock which is fitted with anti-tamper screws. So it stayed as it was, bugger it!

**DAY 14 - 26/5/18**

I bet you're wondering why I hadn't stripped the frame back to shiny metal, eh? Partly this was because I completely lack the tools, skill and patience to do so, but also partly because I'd seen a guy called "Dai" on the K100 forum use some stuff called Neutrarust which acts like some kind of rust eating protective layer making magicness. So, after spending £19.95 and waiting a week a litre of it arrived in the post. I'd spent money now, I'm in too deep!

Basically, apply to ferrous metal with a light coating of rust and it'll do its thing. In reality it has phosphor (or phosphorous? I can't remember) which will tear the oxygens away from the irons leaving shiny metal and a weird kind of plastic protective layer. One thing the bottle is quite clear about is to not let a rusty brush touch the pure white innards because you'll set off the whole lot, so I decanted a bit into an empty takeaway container.

It turned out this was almost enough to quickly go over the whole frame, I have no idea why they sell it by the litre. Hammerite Kurust is very similar and can be bought in smaller tins/bottles from Halfords or wherever, you pay more per ml but you don't need a litre unless you're treating a ship so I'd probably go that way instead. Anyway, with a new but sacrificial brush (it'll never be clean again, you must understand this) get brushing.

I started with the swingarm as a kind of test, not that I was going to chicken out after spending £19.95 and £4.99 on a 3 pack of brushes. It dries quite quickly, this was immediately after I'd finished painting (?) it on:

I still had loads in the tub so I had a quick go at the frame as well, making sure to get my finger over the camera lens.

** DAY 15 - 28/5/18**

I might have put several coats on.

The Neutrarust is water thin and can start to foam when agitated by the brush, this leaves bubbles in the coating which then set. Funnily enough I wasn't too bothered, I was far more concerned about keeping it out of the swingarm bearings/bushes..

And a bit more for you..

**DAY 20 - 1/6/18**

I was kind of hoping to not have to do this but the fever was strong and I was feeling good/enthusiastic about the Neutrarust so I decided to give it a go. I had to remove the VIN plate.

Partly this is to make painting much easier, and partly because I have no idea what horrors lurk beneath. Certainly the plate itself is incredibly moth-eaten. So, out somes the dremel tool with a little grinding stone aaaaand..

Surprisingly easy, that. The plate then peeled off, it was stuck in place with some kind of adhesive/double sided tape which sounds like a good idea when I come to put it back on.

Ready for brushing and Neutrarust-ing!