Why don't you send me that

I'm learning more and more about restoring obscure classic motorcycles.  Mostly - that even though it is hard to find parts, there are specialists out there that can help.

A week or so ago, I took the front fork apart.  The fork tubes were pretty corroded.  I thought about having them re-plated, but my friend Alex suggested I call Forking by Frank.  Here's how that conversation went:

Me:  I need fork tubes for a 1966 Bultaco Mercurio
FbyF:  What?

Me:  Fork tubes for a 1966 Bultaco Mercurio

FbyF:  What model Bultaco?

Me: Mercurio

FbyF:  We don't have prints for that.  Send us one of your tubes.  We'll make you new ones.

So - off went one fork tube, and we await the results.

Next - I've been taking apart the wheels in order to send the drums out for new brakes.  Since I was doing that - I figured I'd order new spokes for my wheels as well.  The place to call?  Buchanan's Spoke and Rim of course.

1st call to Buchanans:

Me:  I need some spokes for a 1966 Bultaco Mercurio

BSR:  Hmmm - that's not in the catalog.  We have a 65.  Is it the same?

Me:  I don't know.

BSR:  Here are the hub dimensions.  Go measure.

So - went home and measured.  Looked OK.

2nd call to Buchanan's:

Me:  I have a 1966 Bultaco Mercurio.  I need spokes for front and rear.  A 66 isn't in your book, but it's the same as a 65.

BSR:  What size wheel do you have?

Me:  17", 28 spoke

BSR:  There are two sizes of rim.  One with a 16-1/4" ID, one with a 15-15/16" ID.  Which do you have?

Me:  I don't know.

3rd call to Buchanan's

Me:  I have a 1966 Bultaco Mercurio.  I need spokes, front and rear.  A 66 isn't in your book, but it's the same as a 65.  I have the 16-1/4" ID wheels.

BSR:  OK.  Are the inner's and outers different?

Me:  I don't know.

BSR:  Why don't you send us some samples?

Me:  Well - I've already taken apart the rear, and I can't remember which are inner and outer.

BSR:  You can send us all of them, it's OK.

So - I bagged up the rear spokes (long ones in one bag, short ones in another) and the front ones - freshly disassembled (insides in one bag, outsides in another) - and boxed them up to go to Buchanan's.  I'm actually glad they asked a bunch of questions.  These are all custom made - no returns!  Very nice people to deal with as well....

http://www.buchananspokes.net/