Okay, I've got a little progress to report on the Hornet. I tried using some rubbing compound on the front fender, and it really helps clean up the gunk and even a bit of the rust as well. So odds are if I want this bike to look a little nicer without ruining the patina, this'll be the way I go.
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Here's the reason why I tested the rubbing compound on the front fender: it's pretty mangled. I'd like to try and save the front fender if I can, but it's pretty banged up.
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I actually started taking this bike apart a few weeks ago, back when the weather was still relatively warm. Here's how it looked when I started. I had already removed the rear rack at this point, but I need to let some other parts soak in PB Blaster for a bit before I really began taking this bike apart.
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Turns out that rack preserved some of the original luster of the paint on the rear fender. I guess this was originally a darker red, like a crimson red. Pretty cool!
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This is as far as I've been able to get. I haven't attempted to remove the rear fender just yet, but that's the least of my concerns right now. I cannot for the life of me get the handlebar stem to break free of the fork, even though the bolt that holds the lock nut in place is already out. No matter how much I try to turn the handlebars in the opposite direction of the fork, no matter how much I've hit it with PB Blaster, a heat gun, and a propane torch, it just won't budge. I can't even get the front fender to come off, as the bolt that holds it in place has also become malleable, and I don't know how to remove it without the head snapping off. I really want to save the fork if I can, and I don't want to have to drill and tap that bolt out if I can help it. I did receive a tip earlier on how to use ATF and acetone to free up parts, but I've never tried it before, and I don't know if I might've already messed up by using a torch on the handlebar stem.
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Here are some parts I want to mockup on the Hornet. Since this is supposed to be a "barn find board tracker," I figured I could get away with using parts that are a little too far gone to shine back up. I have this rat trap springer fork and these handlebars I pulled off another bike, and I think I could make them work on this bike.
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I also have these rusty chrome wheels that I wasn't sure what to do with, as the chrome plating has flaked off substantially, especially on the rear wheel. I think they could work just fine on this bike.
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Here's my rough idea of what I want to do with this bike. Everything's liable to change, but I think this would be enough to help me fall in love with this bike without making too many changes. I also came up with a project name for this bike:
The Ratical Rustin' Hornet!
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So, that's where I'm at on this Hornet. At this point, I think I'm going to keep it, but I'd really like to figure out how to disassemble the rest of the bike without damaging anything. Also, does anyone know how to remove those reflective stickers without removing the paint underneath? I tried removing one of the stickers on the rear fender with the heat gun, but that didn't go so well. I basically just melted the sticker, and what bits I could remove took some of the paint with it. Any advice on how to remove the stickers and disassemble the bike would be much appreciated!