Pray For My Holy Side Panels

Not an exciting image but informative. This is a side panel held up to the light. You can see rust perforations and metal loss in the centre where the hole for the retainer has been enlarged. I know I have to media blast the panels but I have not yet decided how to repair the damage. This weekend I am going to find the answer and I am going to give myself two weeks to attempt to clean, repair, and etch prime a side panel. I am hoping to be able to weld it rather than fill - but it has been many years since I did any welding. Anyway this is where I have decided to begin my work.

The Origin of The Species

How does a guy without a full Bike licence, and who has never ridden a scooter, end up with these two old birds? Simple - I set out to buy a kettle on ebay - admittedly the Kettle had two wheels, it was a Suzuki GT750cc. In the process of looking for a kettle to restore I came across the Durkopp (I think it was £136) and I just decided it was different and I wanted to get it. So there you are, that is how it began. I stripped her down and began to collect spares and manuals, the other thing I was unknowingly collecting was enthusiasm; Hence the Heinkel Tourist. The Heinkel seemed too good an opportunity to miss (about £400). Because there was so many parts with it I decided to buy it and put it away untouched until I have time to enjoy it. Time is a problem just now because I work and I often do overtime, plus I have about eighteen months of my English Literature degree left to do (OU). Anyway I have made a start and the scoots are dry in a tarp covered greenhouse that is going to make way for a scoot workshop. Today's job is to sort my shed out properly because at the moment it's a bloody mess and I can't work that way.

This is my Heinkel Tourist before she reached me. Many many parts in a very sorry state. A real challenge.

My Diana before she was stripped down to her component parts. The picture is very flattering.