CCM Marauder restoration

Snow is melting away and the sun was present all weekend with temperatures above zero. All that is needed to go for a ride. I went in the shed and the only bike not tied up in a knot with all the others was my CCM Marauder.

The ride was nice but the bike is truly falling apart at the seams. Even if it doesn't show up in my pictures, a recent clean up of my shop afforded me some space to start a new project. I have found most of the missing parts for this bike and I was planning to rebuild it, so now is a good time as any to begin the restoration process.

I originally bought the bike for $10 but with the different parts that I got for it, the spend-o-meter now sits at $90. I plan to salvage what I can and use what I already have to avoid any more expenses.

If you want details on how I took this thing apart, just follow one of my older blog here: bikeoverhaul.blogspot.com The information there covers the tear down of the exact same type of bike.

What I do want to share with you are a few tips that can make things easier, especially for when the time comes to rebuild the thing.

Tip number one is to set aside a box that you can dedicate to your build for the loose items big or small. Sounds too obvious, but it can save you a lot of cursing in a near or distant future when you are looking for that elusive, impossible to replace, little thingy part that you absolutely need.

Tip number two is to leave whatever you take apart in some relative state of sub assembly until you are ready to work on that specific part. Example: All the bearings and cones left on the fork or brake calipers with all the attached nuts and bolts.

Tip number three is take a picture! You're about to take something apart for the first time in your entire life? Take a picture of it with all the parts exposed in a few angles and Bingo! You got yourself documentation to save your life when that little gizmo goes "Pop" somewhere in your shop. Most everybody has a camera these days, you just have to discipline yourself to use it.

All these tips will help you even if you are just doing a simple repair job, not just a full restoration. When you come back to your bike after a long work week or a couple of months down the road, all the parts and information will be there, ready to continue from where you left off.

I'll keep you posted on the build.

Until next time, ride safe and Godspeed.

Gerry :)