I met the next milestone with my #2 Zundapp Bella. This is the R203 that I made the trek to Pocatello, Idaho to pick up last year. The sheet metal has been media blasted. The photo shows the result. The parts are very straight. Very little repair needed.

My new blasting shop does a terrific job and they are very prompt in getting the job done. I will prime it this weekend and put it away for a while. No plans for the finish coat at this time. The engine needs to be removed from the frame. I have a few OEM finish colors in mind, but haven’t decided which one. Before that happens, the frame needs to be media blasted and powder coated. 

After several weeks of inactivity due to a short vacation and the demands of my day job, I have resumed work on several projects:

Lambretta LD Mk 1 - The blasting shop called to let me know they were finished. The voice mail informed me of the final cost. I thought my head was going to explode after listening to the message. The cost was about 40% higher than the same job a year ago and about 30% over their original estimate. What’s even more annoying is discovering that they didn’t remove all of the old filler. “As a matter of policy”, they don’t do this since it can lead to the blasting process wearing thru or warping the metal. No matter. The remaining filler will be removed. My restoration projects conform to a strict, no “Bondo” policy. Puget Sound Coatings wont be getting any more business from me. I’m sure they don’t care.

This is the scooter that I have entered in the Put Up or Shut Up Build Off in Las Vegas. The damp, wet weather has arrived here in Mosstown, so I’ll treat the metal and prime it right away to prevent surface rust from forming. That can happen in a matter of days after blasting. You can see some evidence of this in the photos.

Zundapp Bella R203 - This is my #2 Bella – a project scooter purchased about a year ago. All the sheet metal was sent out out to be stripped. Some of the body parts – battery cover, and the hinged access doors on either side of the engine cover - had been chromed by a previous owner. That’s not original and it looks cheesy. Bella parts are hard to find, especially sheet metal. The stripping process won’t remove the chrome but should rough it up sufficiently to provide some tooth for the primer and final paint.

Heinkel 103 A1 - I picked up the frame and mudguards from the local powder coating shop. They did a really nice job. Quick turnaround as well. I like dealing with these guys. Fair prices and good quality. The shop isn’t interested in doing this kind of work for others and has asked me to not advertise their name.