Wednesday, December 30, 2020
File this under something new
An attempt at loading a blog up from the phone. After seeing Ed G's file setup from his shop tour,I thought to make one last night. Now its a matter of where to hang it.... No real wall space.
Friday, December 11, 2020
Always something to do
Monday, December 7, 2020
Snow interferes with frame, other chores abound...
Got to the shop ok, we all check into different approaches to its repair. The twist in the steering head added to a slight complication. The best thought was to replace the down tube and go from there. After gasbagging for a bit and admiring all the pretty machines it was time to head back before the real storm hit. However, right out the door the snow was well on and the 'wagen fully covered and smogged up. It was going to be a typical 'first storm' drive back. One hour down and almost two hours back. Ugh, the worst was being trapped behind a FedEx truck doing 15mph on the flats and 5mph down the hills. This really took the wind out of my sails. Most people were driving as typical New England drivers did; most 5 under the speed limit with the exceptional fly by boys. One fly by was quite the spectacle; blew past the group of drivers on the interstate at plus 35. He was arse backed into a ditch the wrong way with one wheel off the ground shortly there after. I'd feel the fool to be that dude. Made it back into town ok, the 'wagen did as it always does; gets where you need to go. A lot of use of the old gearbox, not much use of the brakes.
The slush covered road back home |
The next day was spent clearing the slushy frozen ice/snow mixture from walkways and the drive. While at the bike shop we talked about frame jigs for straightening out the tweaked frame. As I slugged it out scraping up sheets of ice from the driveway it occurred to me that I've a pile of steel collected from a fire escape someone was throwing away. Maybe this could be re purposed? Thoughts to ponder...
The frame as it awaits the next step towards repair |
After about an hour sitting in the sun thinking about what to do with the trees, no extra motivation soaked into my head as to where to start; so on to the next chore of fixing the kitchen range hood fan. It been acting up for the past few months. You'd start it up, it'd run for awhile then shut down. Back and forth this dance we did until it just wouldn't fire off at all. Except it would run if the whole stove kicked up enough heat to set off an internal thermo switch. At that point, the fan would work fine until it cooled down. Bugger.
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Down to the frame
With the engine and gearbox out last night, it was down to the last chore of pulling the rear wheel, fender, front wheel and forks. Most everything went according to Hoyle except the rear axel. At first it didn't want to come out of the wheel, then it didn't want to go back in. The nut that secures the left side hub/brake plate didn't want to budge until the axel was back in an tightened. The wheel nuts posed no troubles, though I expected they would. After a short dance all was released and off the frame. Exposing decades of road grime and grease inside the fender. If its anything like the front fender I'll gain 2 horsepower after removing the 12 pounds of dirt.
using the 'add a' wrench to pry the axel out; pry a little, add a wrench. |
missing parts and munged up threads? no surprise there... |
looking to recover extra horse power after cleaning. |
broken bolt or stud? you decide. |
The Dowty forks came off without much trouble and no spilt oil. They were easy, in a relative way; support the frame, let out the air pressure, take out the two fill plugs and the center stem nut, pull up the upper triple, catch all the ball bearings from the head races. I did have the fore thought to have a place to hang the forks while the caps were off and no way for air pressure. After which I reinstalled the upper triple, the fill caps and then pumped up the forks. With a little luck they'll stay pumped up and not leak, Ha!.
Digging into the 47 Velocette
The modified generator strap, not factory. |
Does this qualify as "safety" wire? |
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
A Velocette MSS complete
Inspired that Ed G. was back in the shop, I decided to have another look see at the 1947 MSS project. Its one of "those" projects; every thing that might be ok, isn't.
The biggest difficulty has been that its a complete bike. Complete is a funny word in this case. As is everything is completely worn out, busted or just bodged. When purchased, the Dowty forks leaked air. Within a few seconds after removing the air chuck they'd fall. So there was no front suspension except for the front fender on the sidecar lug.
Upon a more through inspection of the Dowtys, I found the frame was cracked on the down tube. It might have been cracked before at a lower spot. However that had been covered over with a patch and some welding. So this was a new crack right through the frame down tube. But the engine was unstuck, the mag sparked and if it was provoked, might just fire off. What would be the point though if you can't ride it?
So it sat, and sat and ,sat some more until last fall when I had enough of a complete non-roller bike. It looked the part but was about as useful as a cinderblock in the dark. So the Dowty forks were torn down and apart. Just about everything on the forks is functionally obsolescent; tubes are worn, lower triple is cracked, brass spacers fell off years ago and are mangled to the death. bearings are all rusty, races are ready for the bin and a dodgy air valve. if you bump it, the forks collapse in a heart beat. With a super duper extra long valve stem cap the air now stays in. After a replacement of all the seals and a good filling of oil the forks can now hold a person and the bike up. And as worn as they are, they can go a few months before sagging back down it seems.
Dowty forks have many small parts and seals |
This summer, the forks began to leak oil. They stayed dry for about 6 months and then just began to leak. Seems the old solder joint in the base, where the lug meets the tube can't handle the air pressure? With a bit more time of observation its looking as if the front wheel is offset of the frame. Hard to really say though; is the frame more bent, the forks twisted or the spokes not correctly laced? One couldn't see this directly with the fenders on. Nobody like a stinky llama, time to tear it apart.
On one hand it would be great to get this bike back on the road. On the other, its complete as it rests. If you tear into it as stall, you run the risk of a basket case or worse. And this bike has it all going wrong. As things come off more and more is wrong.
the oil can be used as paint |
not even sure where to start with this. |
Hammer tite threads? |
As things came off to get down to the frame a list started to present itself. The carb flange will need to be address, generator a full rebuild if possible, magneto is a given for a rebuild, respoke the wheels in the proper pattern, exhaust has no baffles, fuel tank is leaking, clutch slips, shifter is sloppy, chains are worn, sprockets worn too. Pretty sure the engine needs attention if its anything like the rest of the bike. good thing the battery died decades ago as the wiring wasn't up to the task and the horn just rattles internally. So the bike is complete; completely worn out!