bpilgrim Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 Hello everyone, I'm trying to make my 348 as original as is practically possible (money limiting at the moment). This is the first bike I've ever rebuilt, and I'm attached to it, so I wont ever be selling my 348, as I'm only 19 too, I'm going to have it a long time! I thought it'd be best to gather all the original bits before they become too rare. I have already bought a complete-ish donor bike, which seems fairly original, but has been in a house fire. I picked it up from a salvage yard for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windlestone Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 Looks to me like these are incorrect Twist grip Rear Shock Absorbers Fork Gaitors should be black Should have top and bottom chain tubes Petrol tank cap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbo349 Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 The wheels are MH349 items the rear is the same apart from the colour of the rim but the early 348 hubs had a tendency to break off bearing boss behind the brake shoes. The front rim has a larger hub and better brake as a result, unless you are realy set on the origional hub keep it, but if you want an origional with a gold rim I have one with all the brake plate for a swap. The kick starter you have is off a cota 200 and if in good nick worth a few quid as they strip the splines and are no longer available unlike the 348/9 on which is available from millers or inmotion. Good Luck with the rebuild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 The front hub on the wheel with the gold rim is from an MH349. That hub is made by Honda and is notorious for spoke flanges breaking apart. The front wheel from the bike that was in the fire is the correct front rim and hub. Those hubs are very reliable and can provide good braking IF THEY ARE SET UP PROPERLY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigshineybike Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Ben, check out these pictures of an unrestored 348 http://www.loeil2fred.com/photo/8766-France-Trail-Classic-La-boutique http://www.francetrialclassic.com/uk/ You can buy most of what you need here but they seem expensive. There is a guy from Brazil that pops up on ebay now and again selling complete rubber sets for a reasonable price. Increasingly In Motion have all the proper bits as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpilgrim Posted January 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Looks to me like these are incorrect Twist grip Rear Shock Absorbers Fork Gaitors should be black Should have top and bottom chain tubes Petrol tank cap A few more questions! Do you know what the original twist grip would be? I got it with a broken Domino throttle and I put an new Amal T80/200 on. For the shocks, any ideas on the make and length? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpilgrim Posted January 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Thanks for the info on the rims and hubs, that's good news! I can now get them refurbed and get some new tyres on the bike! I was initially planning on doing the rims myself, as I wanted to learn how to lace wheels, but I don't have access to a jig to true them, so I think I'll send them off. Anyone know of any wheel refurb places? I don't think they need to be chromed, on the link above to an original 348, they look like they're just polished. Thanks Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbo349 Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Thanks for the info on the rims and hubs, that's good news! I can now get them refurbed and get some new tyres on the bike! I was initially planning on doing the rims myself, as I wanted to learn how to lace wheels, but I don't have access to a jig to true them, so I think I'll send them off. Anyone know of any wheel refurb places? I don't think they need to be chromed, on the link above to an original 348, they look like they're just polished. Thanks Ben I would be wary of the rims with the heat they have been subjected to the ally will have softened and the rims are realy to be considered scrap in my opinion. The throttle whold have been a straight pull amal thingy and as for the amal levers buy them they dont beak like cheepo atermrket stuff I have had my MH 25 years and its still on the origional levers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b40rt Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) Remove the gold anodising on the wheels ? Edited January 30, 2011 by B40RT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 I would be wary of the rims with the heat they have been subjected to the ally will have softened and the rims are realy to be considered scrap in my opinion. The throttle whold have been a straight pull amal thingy and as for the amal levers buy them they dont beak like cheepo atermrket stuff I have had my MH 25 years and its still on the origional levers. Yes if the front 348 rim has been heat-affected then use the MH349 front rim with the 348 front hub and remove the anodising and polish it. Standard rims are plain polished aluminium alloy - no coating or anodising. You can polish the hubs while the wheels are apart. If you have a bike, you don't need a jig to relace the wheels, you assemble them on a bench and true them on the bike. My 348 came with a black aluminium side-pull twistgrip and will take photos of mine today to show it for other people's opinions. I thought it was the original twistgrip because everything else on the bike was original. Be careful buying AMAL levers. There are cheap replicas available that look right but are brittle and there are also replica AMAL levers that are very good quality (as good as the originals). Cota 348 AMAL levers are black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Yes if the front 348 rim has been heat-affected then use the MH349 front rim with the 348 front hub and remove the anodising and polish it. Standard rims are plain polished aluminium alloy - no coating or anodising. You can polish the hubs while the wheels are apart. If you have a bike, you don't need a jig to relace the wheels, you assemble them on a bench and true them on the bike. My 348 came with a black aluminium side-pull twistgrip and will take photos of mine today to show it for other people's opinions. I thought it was the original twistgrip because everything else on the bike was original. Be careful buying AMAL levers. There are cheap replicas available that look right but are brittle and there are also replica AMAL levers that are very good quality (as good as the originals). Cota 348 AMAL levers are black. Here are close-up photos of an original Cota 348 clutch lever and perch. The lever mud/dust covers have been removed in this photo because they make it hard to do cable adjustments. My Cota 348 twistgrip in the photo looks the same as the one on the "eye of Fred" Cota 348 so I reckon mine is original Cota 348. It is not on my ride bike because I prefer to use a modern AMAL sidepull twistgrip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reallymadmonty Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 (edited) Hi BPilgim, I've just seen this thread. I must admit that I was a bit of an originality jedi where my first 348 was concerned, but eventualy I had to ride it. I must post some pics. You have decide if you want 100% originality and, given the cost of NOS spares means, that if you can find them, you won't want to use the bike or do you build a bike you can have great fun on in twin shock trials and tweak a bit with sudo modern bits but does not detract too much from the original design? It's always a trade off? They were a great bike in their time and are still very comp in twin shock if set up correctly. RE: Your wheels - I agree with the general consensus that if the rims have been fire damaged then it is unlikely, without considerable expense, that they could be safely used in any form of competition - might be OK for a museum piece. However, if you're still looking for a set of 348 wheels, I have a couple of sets of used 348 front/rear wheels, original Akronts, etc that I would be willing to exchange for your MH349 wheels (one for one of course)? PM me if your interested? Regards RMM Edited February 1, 2011 by ReallyMadMonty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toofasttim Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Hmm, typical 348. Rooted frame. Right at the headstock. Mudguards, original, semi-translucent, slightly pink mudgaurds. You can't get them. Jared at South West Montesa flogged the last a few years ago. Pics below are from evil bay. The bike in the pics was completely original and only been run for about the miles. It is and the pics have served as the gold standard. Componts like the chain guides are available from Spain. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02-apr Posted February 2, 2011 Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 Can't see the last pics but I'm sure my 348 came as original with a traditional throttle and a big loop of cable which I replaced with an Amal side pull. Original grips were really super as they were made for gloveless riding. Original cables had oiler holes in them too if I remember right. The first 348s were high quality stuff in terms of "extras" but this was diluted on later models. The standard rear units were, possibly, Sebacs but they had orange "bags" at the bottom. You'll be lucky to find these as the standard method of tuning these was to put them in a receptacle for the binmen to take away on a Monday morning. Don't worry about the missing headstock - that even happened to works bikes out in the wilds at the SSDT. And it's time all modern mudguards were made from whatever the originals were instead of "instant break" toffee - so much for advancement of technology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpilgrim Posted February 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2011 (edited) Hi BPilgim, I've just seen this thread. I must admit that I was a bit of an originality jedi where my first 348 was concerned, but eventualy I had to ride it. I must post some pics. You have decide if you want 100% originality and, given the cost of NOS spares means, that if you can find them, you won't want to use the bike or do you build a bike you can have great fun on in twin shock trials and tweak a bit with sudo modern bits but does not detract too much from the original design? It's always a trade off? They were a great bike in their time and are still very comp in twin shock if set up correctly. RE: Your wheels - I agree with the general consensus that if the rims have been fire damaged then it is unlikely, without considerable expense, that they could be safely used in any form of competition - might be OK for a museum piece. However, if you're still looking for a set of 348 wheels, I have a couple of sets of used 348 front/rear wheels, original Akronts, etc that I would be willing to exchange for your MH349 wheels (one for one of course)? PM me if your interested? Regards RMM I'm just gathering the original bits at the moment. As you correctly said, I wouldn't want to ride it with NOS bits on it! Most of the good bits I currently have, intact crankcase covers etc are just being stored for now. I'm planning on getting a modern trials bike soon though (Beta Rev 3), so that the Montesa can rest and the beta can be used instead! Edited February 2, 2011 by BPilgrim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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