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1979 Montesa 349 Restoration


cliff montesa
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Hi, I have just got my first twin shock trials bike and intend to do a full restoration on it.....I fact I have already stripped it down ready to get the frame painted.

No doubt I will have many questions as I start to put it back together, but I just have one quick one at the moment. Could somebody tell me what colour the upper engine support bars are supposed to be. Are they polished or painted silver? Apologies if that is not the correct name for them, but they are the bars that go across the engine at approx 45 degrees. At the moment mine are black but I know that is incorrect.

Many thanks.

post-19461-0-22262000-1389565086_thumb.jpg

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Thanks guys, thought it might be chrome plated. I wouldn't mind seeing some pictures of a completed bike!

I am going to have a few problems with a few bits......

1. The bracket for the front brake arm is snapped off the left fork leg. Will need a new fork.

2. There is a little bit of oil weeping out of the gearbox drive shaft (where the front sprocket goes on). Is this normal or a big job to change a seal?

3. Not sure if it has correct footpegs on.The guy gave me the springs in a box as he couldn't figure how they went on!

4. Will need a new airbox cover, this one is cracked.

5. Rear shocks don't seem correct, can they be serviced or do they need to be replaced?

6. No idea what the front forks should feel like? feel a bit bouncy at the moment haha

7. Chain tensioner is missing

8. Electrics for lights to figure out.

9. What joints the main two pieces of exhaust? These were just pushed together with loads of exhaust putty!

Think that is about it. The rest of the parts are available, mudguards etc. Think no 1 and 2 could be the problem ones!

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Looks very sorted, if you ask me about my personal opinion I would leave the optical apperance of the bike as it is, the patina looks quite good.

I would firstly sort out any technical issues that might be there, then all get these parts back in original shape you need or want to have and then probably do a paint job, if there is any need ...

I have to admit my first restaurations were also complete dependig technic and paint,

but it turned out they were also costly and very time consuming, especially getting every

part shiny again.

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No. 1, can be welded and reshaped to original dimension, any good workshop can do this,

No. 2, well how is the bike running, still good, do the engine need a top job, if so check con rod and crank if these go rough then you have to split the engine and any other bearing and seal can be replaced,

No. 3, footpegs show up at E-Bay here and there,

No. 4, cover should be available as repilca in Spain,

No. 5, The rear shock looks contemporary and even to be the right one, but I don't think it's working spot on, you have to adjust the suspension to your weight anyway, so a replacement should be necessary,

N0. 6 take the fork apart, clean out the mess and debris inside, you might need some new oil seals and again check the spring if it suits to your weight,

No. 7, replaceable, also in Spain available,

No. 8, you need a wiring diagram,

No. 9, not sure here, at least a hose clamp I guess, you need a parts book too,

I would too look up the wheel bearings, bearing of steering stem, swing arm axle, and try to get a new kicker, look very bend on the photo?

Then I would take a look at the brakes, at least the rear brake arm is very unusual mounted.

Edited by pschrauber
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Hi there,

Looking at the picture the bike looks very original. It appears to have the Akront fat bars and twistgrip which came with the bikes when they were new. The rear suspension units are also the same as fitted to my own 349 which was bought new in 1980. From memory they are Telesco Hydrabags. I cannot recall if my own bike came with a rear chain tensioner when new. I know there was one when I parted with the bike. The tensioner mounting boss is fitted to the end of one of the crankcase screws in place of the nut.

From the picture I would suggest lowering the stanchions through the fork yokes until there is about 6 mm of the stanchion above the yoke. This should keep the steering quick enough without the front mudguard contacting the exhaust on full fork compression.

The rear brake torque arm looks too long, standard should be about 220 mm between the centres of the holes. A new rear brake cable may be needed. Changing the torque arm should improve the action of the brake.

If the kickstart lever is mounted too far forward the stop lug on the kickstart shaft can punch a hole through the flywheel housing.

When the foot pedal is folded aim for it to be parallel to the cylinder fins or just pointing downwards.

Gearing is good with a 10T gearbox sprocket and 40T on the rear wheel.

Set the ignition timing at 3,0 mm BTDC for a good starting point, if the power is too fierce try retarding the ignition.

The joint between the main exhaust and rear box is sealed with two "O" rings fitted in grooves in the rear box pipe.

Hope the above helps.

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Thanks for the information so far guys. I have two quick questions.

In the picture below it shows the blocks fitted to my bike for the foot pegs. Do you think these are the original blocks? If they are I can't figure how the springs are supposed to go. The springs were loose in a box when I bought the bike.

post-19461-0-35702300-1389740959_thumb.jpg

In the second picture, the main drive (output) shaft where the front sprocket goes on is leaking oil. Is this a big job? And is the seal accessible from the inside?

post-19461-0-44667800-1389741132_thumb.jpg

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hi

those look like kick start return springs

i have the same model 349,it too leaked from the same place ;it had been modified by fitting a metal sleeve round the shaft' and a larger internal diameter oïl seal to fit the sleeve this appears to lubricate the chain ....in reality it only lubed the floor....i took the sleeve out and the carefully hooked out the seal(no need to split cases) i then carefully pressed in the new seal using a large seal and the old seal flat face to face....looks like your missing the chain tensioner on mine it is mounted on the lower bolt holding the chain guard it should be the longer of the two bolts don't know if you can swop just the one bolt and not split cases you will have to remove the clutch cover ;to get at the bolt head

on mine i'm fitted 348 springs and use two preload spacers each side and no air overwise they need about 15lbs but you can't trust them to keep the pressure,i also raise them in the yokes as per your photo or if you find acomplete set of 348 legs which are shorter hope this helps

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hi

i think the chain tensioner is standard as per the parts book and is the same as on the 348

mine is a french reg 1979 and an early number

only difference to a uk bike should be the petrol tank ,mine is plastic,

for the uk it should be a cover with a alloy tank underneath,

when i read my previous post i have not made it clear?that the chain guard is the one in the picture mounted on the crankcase

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