TDR Project – Strip Down Day 1

I’ve finally managed to get round to starting the strip down of my TDR250, a combination of traveling with work and watching Cheltenham Town has delayed things by a month or so.

I have big plans for this project but I’m not really sure how long it will take to complete but it will never get finished if I don’t start.  I reckon I will have done well to get it finished by June 2010 but will be happy just to finish at some point next year.  Let’s see what the reality turns out to be…..

Here’s what she looked like before I started the strip down:

The Finished Article - 1

I’ve got a huge list of things to change/refurbish; body work, wheels, frame, front end (would love to fit USD forks), seat, tank, dash, swingarm, rear end.  Enough of that and on with the stripdown.  Every fastener is being tagged and bagged as I go along and I have a load of storage boxes for everything that comes off.

Fasteners Tagged and Bagged

I’m also obsessively taking as many photos as possible.  I do I have a full workshop manual but photos also help when it comes to a rebuild in another 6 months (probably).

The first thing to come off was the exhaust as I cannot use my bike lift while they are fitted.  Once up on the bike lift it was off with the plastic body panels.  I have some excellent condition replacements so the panels from here will end up on eBay or sold to a member of the most excellent TDR250 Forum

Exhaust and Rear Plastics Removed

The first strip down day was spent working on the front end of Mildred.  Dash, headlight, forks, yokes, bars and levers being removed.

Fairing Removed

The bulk of Mildred’s electrical wiring is contained in the front end and the stripdown has revealed a number of repairs and other issues that need resolving unless I want long-term electrical problems.  The indicator wiring has been repaired a number of times and the headlight connector has a terminal that has broken free from the connector housing it.

Iffy Wiring

Broken Headlight Terminal

Once the headlight, dash and temperature gauge were removed I could then drop the front forks out and remove the radiator guard.

Forks and Front Wheel Removed

Next the front brake system fluid was drained so that the parts could be stripped down.  My excellent MityVac again made short work of this job.  It quickly and cleanly drained the brake system.

MityVac In Action

The bars and associated levers/switches could then be removed.  This was quickly followed by the top yokes and rev counter and that was that for day 1.  Front end stripped down and no parts damaged, result.

Front End At The End Of Day 1

Mildred At The End Of Day 1

I shall be cracking on with the tank and draining the oil/water/rear brake fluid from Mildred later today.  At this rate, the strip down should be complete by the end of next weekend.