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Well I have finally decided to start getting my '88 RL-20b back into shape. I have been acquiring some parts lately so I would be ready when this day finally came. I went down this morning after sipping some coffee and turned up the heat in the shop and snapped this "before" photo...

I got the bike disassembled without too much trouble, the only issue I had was with separating the stem and the forks. It had rusted and seized up so I used a little heat to break it all loose. Here I have a photo of my parts...I am missing a front Odyssey brake caliper and both levers, I still need to track those down.

I have been reading up on everyone's great results with the oxalic acid bath, so I figured I would give it a shot for the first time. I tracked down the same product that cmb used in his forum and I have to say, it worked really great using the same method he describes. It only took about 4 hours to finish up the forks, front and rear pegs, and the stem bolt. They looked so good I didn't see any reason in leaving them in any longer.

This wrapped up day number 1 for me. I have not taken any after photos of the parts after the bath, I will do that tomorrow. I am still soaking the cranks, chain, and my bent seat post overnight as they were a bit worse off. I have also put the front pegs into my reloading tumbler that I use for shell casings. It had some walnut shell media in it and I threw in a couple small parts last night to try it out and let it run all night. This morning the parts looked great so I'm trying it on the front pegs. The rear standers came out great in the oxalic bath, but I may put those in it too and see what happens. I'll post a photo of the pegs in the morning, just wondering how they'll turn out since there is a lot of knurling on them. Till next time...

Last edited by nels (2013-01-06 9:31pm)

NOPOSERS · 2013-01-05 9:36pm

hey there .. the front brake was an odyssey 2000FS and the levers were Lee Chi... the look like DC Tech 6 (128). Nice that you have the rear standers and the pegs .. they are hard to come by. I cant seem to find the rear standers for my RL20B. By the way ... your bike is an 88... ( gray rear triangle and those fork pegs are a dead giveaway of that

nels · 2013-01-05 9:47pm

Yea...realized I typed '87 in the title after I posted it...idiot. I have it listed as an '88 with my other bikes, don't know what I was thinking. I also hit a button with these fat fingers and have two of the same pages posted. Anyone know how to delete the other one and/or change the title of this one? HELP...newbie here.

Last edited by nels (2013-01-05 10:03pm)

nels · 2013-01-06 11:46am

Pretty pleased with how the pegs and rear standers came out. Gave them the oxalic bath and put them in the tumbler to polish them up a little more. I have the second stander in the tumbler yet.

Last edited by nels (2013-01-06 9:23pm)

manida · 2013-01-06 11:50am

Wish I had a tumbler

nels · 2013-01-06 8:55pm

Got to work on the bike a little bit today, I received a set of bars from gtiguy that were in pretty nice shape (CHECK OUT THAT WRAPPING!). Gave them a quick bath and they are ready to install once everything else is done. Also worked on removing the factory RL printing from the new CD I got and installed a new correct decal in its place. Got the other rear stander out of he tumbler and it turned out great.

Last edited by nels (2013-01-07 5:35am)

Joebikesbaby · 2013-01-07 12:11pm

Well it looks like some or most of us are going to go buy a media tumbler. Those parts look awesome.

NOPOSERS · 2013-01-07 6:43pm

Joebikesbaby wrote:
Well it looks like some or most of us are going to go buy a media tumbler. Those parts look awesome.

they work pretty good. I saw it used in an issue of " Project Car". Harbor Freight Tools sells them.

Joebikesbaby · 2013-01-07 7:07pm

NOPOSERS wrote:
Joebikesbaby wrote:
Well it looks like some or most of us are going to go buy a media tumbler. Those parts look awesome.
they work pretty good. I saw it used in an issue of " Project Car". Harbor Freight Tools sells them.

Gun stores sell them too.

Gnatmorris · 2013-01-08 4:42pm

Wow those pegs came out great . I need that for my pegs

Chitowndad · 2013-01-08 5:23pm

Marked, I've got an '88 as well, looking forward to what you do.

NOPOSERS · 2013-01-10 6:29pm

hows it looking Nels ?

nels · 2013-01-10 9:45pm

NOPOSERS wrote:
hows it looking Nels ?

Well, I rec'd a care package in the mail yesterday...I scored an NOS Odyssey 2000 brake set that the bike was missing. Have the frame ready to sandblast and refinish, but I'm on the fence.
I met with a guy here in town that powder coats bikes, says he can get color pretty close but didn't have a matching sample at his place. He's a hot rod guy like I am, so we talked forever about building cars and whatnot, but for some reason I'm really worked up about this bike. I used to make my living painting at a body shop and think maybe I should just paint it myself, but I would also kind of like to have it powdered. I've got a red here at home that is damn close, and the black & gray aren't much of an issue, but I don't know what the heck to do.
I also went and talked to a plater thinking I might want to get the bars and forks done, but holy crap, how much do I want to spend on this thing!? It's not like it's gonna be worth a million once it's done anyways. This is my first bike build, I'm sort of approaching it like a street rod and I'm not sure that I should be doing that. What are your thoughts?

Spector007 · 2013-01-10 10:17pm

Chitowndad · 2013-01-11 5:20am

Where do you get e oxalis acid? What is the primary benefit of it? Does it eat through rust? New to full restoration...thinking if I want to go as far as stripping my 20b or just a rebuild and polish. My Decals are still in pretty good shape, and the paint is not horrible.

Plan on restoring to original color or something else?

NOPOSERS · 2013-01-11 5:42am

nels wrote:
NOPOSERS wrote:
hows it looking Nels ?
Well, I rec'd a care package in the mail yesterday...I scored an NOS Odyssey 2000 brake set that the bike was missing. Have the frame ready to sandblast and refinish, but I'm on the fence.
I met with a guy here in town that powder coats bikes, says he can get color pretty close but didn't have a matching sample at his place. He's a hot rod guy like I am, so we talked forever about building cars and whatnot, but for some reason I'm really worked up about this bike. I used to make my living painting at a body shop and think maybe I should just paint it myself, but I would also kind of like to have it powdered. I've got a red here at home that is damn close, and the black & gray aren't much of an issue, but I don't know what the heck to do.
I also went and talked to a plater thinking I might want to get the bars and forks done, but holy crap, how much do I want to spend on this thing!? It's not like it's gonna be worth a million once it's done anyways. This is my first bike build, I'm sort of approaching it like a street rod and I'm not sure that I should be doing that. What are your thoughts?
http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 … 08c808.jpg

my opinion and how I would do it ... just clean it up as good as you can and survivor build it. I did that w/my 20b. But if you restore,I say paint it if you have that skill. I know what you mean about looking at it from a hot rod perspective. It`s you bike in the end. If you have the resources...do it up the way you`d like to see it.

So far so good on your build. You can try putting those larger chrome parts in CLR for about 30min-1hour and see how they turn out. if no good .. replace or rechrome. I like how the standers and fork pegs came out.

Joebikesbaby · 2013-01-11 8:00am

Did you strip off the decals? I ask, because I searched for months looking for 20b decals. NO DICE. If I had a 20a or 20II, those sets are like pennies, they're everywhere. Build it the way you like, it's looking good so far. Keep it up.

NOPOSERS · 2013-01-11 12:39pm

Joebikesbaby wrote:
Did you strip off the decals? I ask, because I searched for months looking for 20b decals. NO DICE. If I had a 20a or 20II, those sets are like pennies, they're everywhere. Build it the way you like, it's looking good so far. Keep it up.

Museum member jlewis makes em. Contact him

nels · 2013-01-17 6:16pm

Finally got a little bit of time this evening to work on the bike. I have decided that I am going to just paint it myself. I checked out the red that I had, and it is damn close, about as close as I think I can come to the correct red. I forgot to look into the gray color for the rear triangle, so I had to stop my sandblasting early tonight. Here is a photo after I stripped off the decals and had it in my blasting cabinet. I think me and the kid are gonna go race BMX this weekend, but I'm gonna try to get the bike prepped, and maybe painted before Monday. I'll post it up after I get that far...

nels · 2013-01-17 6:33pm

Chitowndad wrote:
Where do you get e oxalis acid? What is the primary benefit of it? Does it eat through rust? New to full restoration...thinking if I want to go as far as stripping my 20b or just a rebuild and polish. My Decals are still in pretty good shape, and the paint is not horrible.

Plan on restoring to original color or something else?

I found the oxalic acid at a Hirshfield's paint store, tried my local Menards but they didn't carry it. There is a thread on how to do an oxalic acid bath that cmb put together, that is the one I watched and followed. I ended up with that same acid as he used too.
As far as the paint color, decided to stick with the red. Tempted to go all black with the gray rear triangle since that was the color I had as a kid, but I like the red so I'll stay with that. Might put some different wheels on it so I can have time to clean up mine and make them presentable, but not sure on that yet.

NOPOSERS · 2013-01-27 7:21pm

any progress on this ??? .............

bob70 · 2013-01-27 7:44pm

i am really interested in the resto of this redline keep them updates coming:)

NOPOSERS · 2013-02-08 6:29am

Z Z Z Z Z .....ANY UPDATES ???

shadowandbones · 2013-03-27 3:56pm

Hope you found some decals. Im not going to paint mine till I have new ones in hand

nels · 2013-04-29 8:41pm

Sorry I haven't posted any updates lately, this was a very busy winter for me. Did a kitchen reno, and my job keeps me busy since it gets difficult for people to drive when there is snow on the ground! Now that there will be fewer people running into one another, I'll have more time to get started on the bike again! I'll have to admit that I haven't even been on the museum for a few months too...shame on me. This warm weather also gets a guy in the biking mood, I'm in MN and we thought this winter would never end!
I've actually picked up a couple more bikes too that I need to get posted, one old and one new, kid really wanted it when we were in the bike shop the other day. So, I'll get going on the RL project and start getting some updates posted.

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1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#2 2013-01-05 9:36pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#3 2013-01-05 9:47pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#4 2013-01-06 11:46am

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#5 2013-01-06 11:50am

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#6 2013-01-06 8:55pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#7 2013-01-07 12:11pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#8 2013-01-07 6:43pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

Joebikesbaby wrote:

#9 2013-01-07 7:07pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

NOPOSERS wrote:

Joebikesbaby wrote:

#10 2013-01-08 4:42pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#11 2013-01-08 5:23pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#12 2013-01-10 6:29pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#13 2013-01-10 9:45pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

NOPOSERS wrote:

#14 2013-01-10 10:17pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#15 2013-01-11 5:20am

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#16 2013-01-11 5:42am

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

nels wrote:

NOPOSERS wrote:

#17 2013-01-11 8:00am

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#18 2013-01-11 12:39pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

Joebikesbaby wrote:

#19 2013-01-17 6:16pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#20 2013-01-17 6:33pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

Chitowndad wrote:

#21 2013-01-27 7:21pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#22 2013-01-27 7:44pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#23 2013-02-08 6:29am

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

#24 2013-03-27 3:56pm

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#25 2013-04-29 8:41pm

Re: 1987 Redline RL-20b Restoration

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