Grey Flash 2751

Last night Bert sent through some images that I’ve been eagerly awaiting…

We know that 2751 left The Works with special finishes because the Record Card states: “Girdraulic anodized” and “dull chrome” as the finish for the petrol tank. However, we were not sure which other parts would have been finished thus and it was with great anticipation that we reached the point in the restoration process where we would be able to strip off the paint and see what was underneath. The beautiful cellulose paint applied by Terry Prince and Peter Johnson was a uniform finish and we knew that some parts were original to the bike, due to their rarity, whilst others might be correct but not the parts that 2751 left the factory with. Stripping off the layers of paint would reveal all and we would be able to ascertain what was what.

Some years previously I had rubbed a little paint off the rear forks and had been presented with a finish that indeed appeared to be a chromium plating of some kind – this patch didn’t rust over the years that it was left exposed.

Bert set to work on the UFM and RFM with 2 gallons of thinners. He toiled away for two days, high as a kite on the fumes whilst feverishly rubbing various layers away, his nub of a damaged thumb carefully protected from the vicious chemicals.

The Reveal…

It is with a great sense of satisfaction – and even pride – that I’m able to reveal to the world, in this blog, the results of his hard work:

The UFM.

The RFM.

So, a real pivotal point in the restoration has been reached and every moment savoured! I hope all subscribers to this blog will find these images as satisfying as we are at being able to share them with you.