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"L'Elephante Blanche"

The log of my sidecar restoration project I swapped a 1991 CBR600 with race bodywork for this errrr...sidecar - plus some cash.

It's in less than brilliant condition.

Wiring horrors, seized rear brake with glued-in seals, buggered splines in the rear hub, that's just half a days investigation as I started stripping it today.

I discovered it's impossible to remove the rear wheel unless you unbolt the disc first, as the bleed valve on the caliper contacts the rim before you can remove the caliper. Maybe if the pistons hadn't been seized, there'd have been more waggle-room and it'd have come out?

But....it's a very early 1976 bike (my fetish year!!) with the correct carbs, and I love the weird styling of the Héchard 'STD Couvert' period sidecar.
The sidecar is in pretty good condition,with good chrome, but will be re-trimmed to match the new colours of the hack. Currently the paint is Pearl White, but not in good condition.

I'm going to see a pair of wheels which are at least the same as each other, both being 8 spoked round section type,as the one on the front of the bike is not the same as on the back.
I'll get a new faux-tank tray and rear hub while I'm at it. Then a Minilite replica wheel for the sidecar itself.

This'll keep me busy for a while!
  • FrontRight2

    • FrontRight2
  • Butterfly door

    • Butterfly door
  • Right

    • Right
  • Spoiler

    • Spoiler
  • Right2

    • Right2
  • Rear right

    • Rear right
  • Batterycase

    • Batterycase
  • Batterypositive

    • Batterypositive
  • Wheel

    • Wheel
  • Stripdown1

    • Stripdown1
  • Wiring tankLeft

    • Wiring tankLeft
  • rusty sidecardisc

    • rusty sidecardi…