Good morning, so I am helping a mate out overhauling his '93 Monster 900. it's been sat a while and has furred up a bit!!! I'm not totally new to Ducatis as, 20 years ago, I worked as a bike mechanic but I'm a little out of the loop these days. I have stripped the bike and am looking for recommendations on good people to paint the frame, wheels and tank around the Manchester area. We also have the old snapped cylinder studs issue which I will investigate this weekend and, fingers crossed, there will be something left to get a grip on!! Are there recommendations on HD ones or should I just get genuine? We're gonna need to tart up the crankcases and engine cases too as they have suffered from the bike being stored somewhere damp. Also if you fine people have suggestions for the corroded nuts and bolts? Are the good replacements or is it worth sending them of to get replated. All advice welcome. Eeek it's alot to think about. I'll try and post some pics when I get my finger out.
Good Luck with restoration, i'm sure much help will be along soon. There's much to be consider so I won't even start but I see you are getting frame painted so take time to carefully study the cruciform area on both sides of frame for hairline fractures (as below) as now would be the time to repair. It's rare and more likely to occur if the two long engine fixings have been left loose for some time.
Good luck with the Project. I’m partial to a ‘93 Monster Refurb so look forward to seeing lots of photo’s and updates. You’ll need to decide how original/modified you intend to make it as some of the components unique to the ‘93 and ‘94 Monsters are getting hard to find in decent condition, particularly rear mudguards, Swingarm, hugger, fuel filter rubber mounts, number plate lights, and silencers. Unless you’ve already got OK ones? Many parts were marked with the Cagiva Elefant logo, though later parts are similar but without the Elefants. That may then answer whether to replate original fastenings, or replace them with stainless, ally or titanium. Unless trying for complete originality I would recommend keeping the original fixings in oil in a jam jar for possible future use, and use polished SS and/or titanium now.
std front mudguards have a design flaw in that incorporated plastic fixing legs not man enough for the weight of the main mudguard part. Mudguard ends up "nodding" slightly and fixings fracture (usually at rear first). The absence of same is good to use as a confirmation of low mileage when buying.
Thanks guys. My mate isn't too bothered for standard just wants it to look nicer and to sort the broken studs on the engine. I've had a look at the frame and no signs of cracks but I'll take the paint back and have a good look. Welds are a bit toss so no wonder they cracked around there. I'll figure out how to post up pics later. Although its in bits now.
There are some original early bits there, but I see what you mean about the paint needing smartening up!
This may make interesting reading: http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/showthread.php?t=52061&highlight=Back+series
I would be very careful handling the petrol tank on these M900s. The design of the back of the tank drops below the outlet so moisture can settle out of the fuel (especially E5 7 E10) into that low area and try to rust outwards. As there is a hinge at the back of the tank and the prop is only on one side the hinge area gets stressed from the outside and rusted from the inside. Lovely to ride - really lovely.
