Restoring - plan ahead for your machine dating.

Jonathan Lambley

VOC Machine Researcher
VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
Hi all,
I'll get it in early, Happy Christmas everyone.
Anyway back on track. Both Simon Dinsdale (Machine Registrar) and myself regularly deal with owners wanting to confirm their machines identity or check it's history and the like, which is great. The more the merrier really.
However, quite regularly, owners contact us AFTER they have restored their machines with the relevant numbers heavily covered in paint. This causes the problem of then asking owners to remove paint to ascertain the numbers, which understandably owners are sometimes reluctant to do.
Can I ask that in order to avoid this situation, that anyone restoring a machine, takes photos once the old paint is removed but more importantly BEFORE they are repainted, stove enameled or powder coated.
Quite a few people simply mask over the numbers before the parts are repainted, removing it afterwards, leaving the number exposed permanently and then just varnish or lightly paint over them.
It helps you and it certainly helps us
Many thanks
Jon Lambley
Machine Researcher
 

Simon Dinsdale

VOC Machine Registrar
VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
Following on from Jon's comment above, when doing vehicle registration applications the DVLA randomly select machines for their own inspection team to view to try and catch you out, and if the inspector cannot clearly see the required engine and frame numbers due to excess paint he will simply refuse to continue and the DVLA will reject the application. So reading the numbers clearly after restoration is just as important for DVLA purposes and also especially if you are selling the bike as buyers like to be able to see the numbers.

Powder coating is the worst culprit as the numbers just disappear, but heavy coats of two pack paint are just as bad. Its better to take care and lightly cover the numbers so they are readable than to have to remove paint later.

Simon Dinsdale
 

Jonathan Lambley

VOC Machine Researcher
VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
Following on from Jon's comment above, when doing vehicle registration applications the DVLA randomly select machines for their own inspection team to view to try and catch you out, and if the inspector cannot clearly see the required engine and frame numbers due to excess paint he will simply refuse to continue and the DVLA will reject the application. So reading the numbers clearly after restoration is just as important for DVLA purposes and also especially if you are selling the bike as buyers like to be able to see the numbers.

Powder coating is the worst culprit as the numbers just disappear, but heavy coats of two pack paint are just as bad. Its better to take care and lightly cover the numbers so they are readable than to have to remove paint later.

Simon Dinsdale
Good point Simon
 

vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Its easy enough to mask them off powder coating guys have special tape.
If people are that worried why not a microscopic shutter with a lock and key, pay up to look!
 

Jonathan Lambley

VOC Machine Researcher
VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
Its easy enough to mask them off powder coating guys have special tape.
If people are that worried why not a microscopic shutter with a lock and key, pay up to look!
I think people forget or just don't think about the consequences. I've done it myself.
I'm hoping this will gently remind people.
Thanks
 
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