classic motorcycle forum

In vintage times it was common practice to hide the spark plug in a deep hole away from the combustion chamber. As with every thing else back then spark plug technology was on its infancy and oil fouling was a problem. Plugs were positioned to avoid oil fouling and down a deep hole was a simple (and cheap) solution. Your ES2 engine was designed in the 1920's so is a relic from those days. Ride vintage bikes and you will often find spark plugs positioned thus and all working quite well. You can fit a long reach plug if you wish. Modern spark plugs are much improved over those from the 1920's It will make no discernible difference.

You've also received good advice about the timing. Personally I go along with Chaterlea25 I prefer his approach but that's just me.

Can we see a photo of the finished beast? I think the ES2 was at its peak in that plunger sprung frame era.  Lovely bike for just loping along at a steady 50-55mph. Like being on a steam train.

Locally, industrial felt is made in three grades and your seal is made from the hardest. One glance at the others and you will understand why.
Unless you have a remarkably well equipped workshop don't think you can cut your own. It needs to be accurate or it will be no better than the one you remove.
In my own case the firm not only provided the material but cut it as well. Not cheap, but accurate. If the firm has a minimum charge for the job see how many you can get for the minimum charge and you then have a few extra to trade or sell.
You don't say which S/A box you are working on but Chaterlea25's suggestion is the way to go if at all possible.

Best of luck.

I think you're right Per. It's mostly a bike built up of proprietary items. Most are a reasonable price. An Albion gearbox for example, won't break the bank. British Hub wheels are fairly easy to find.  The killer is the JAP engine. Even the cooking 250 ohv as used here is in high demand.  Nevertheless it is eminently do able and the joy of a Montgomery is that no one quite knows what is correct or not. From looking at the Montgomery in my shed its fairly obvious they were a small firm who used whatever was available. Some parts are very good, some are quite agricultural.

As far as the frame number is concerned the VMCC Register lists three Montgomery similar to yours. A 1936 model. frame number 92**. A 1937 with frame number 93** and 1939 with 95**. My entirely different 123cc Villiers powered 1939 model has a frame number starting 10***. I suspect Montgomery was so tiny they used the one set of numbers for all machines regardless of what model it was. Whatever they built that day got stamped with the next available number. The VMCC Marque specialist should be able to accurately date it for you.

Tanks aren't that expensive to have made. It's not the drama you may think. It's not as if it's a Brough or Vincent where every man and his dog will look at it and have an opinion. As long as it looks broadly like the catalogue picture, fits neatly and the handlebars don't hit it no one will know if it's slightly out here or there. If it looks right it is right.

Copies of catalogues are available from both BMS and the VMCC Library. Tank transfers are available.

It would be an attractive and smart little bike

Cheers,           

Yes, I think I've just ploughed through the same illustrations and the mounting seems to be a curious use of a banjo union. I suspect that will be a bit of a one off turning project. The illustrated spare parts list doesn't show the tap in clear enough detail to check what make.

I think a careful look at a finished restoration is needed.

Cheers,

Hi Mike,
Can't help with the M/W carb I'm afraid. This is just to say that a single lever or double lever M/W are one and the same. You don't have to specify which one you want when you are seeking to find one. Whatever M/W you get you just build it up into whichever one you want.

As it happens Villiers continued with the double lever style right up to and including the 6E introduced in 1949. The throttle slide and jet cable assembly from the 4/5 cab as fitted to the 6E just drop straight in to your prewar M/W carb. Have a good look at the 6E spare parts list and you'll see what I mean. I bought my last set from Villiers Services.

Just be aware that Villiers manufacturing accuracy way way back when was nowhere as good as modern computerised parts so you may find the throttle slide either a rattling good fit or too tight to go in.  I have a natty little holding fixture I use in my lathe so I can turn oversize slides to size if need be. It used to be that you could take your carb in to the dealer and sort through his stock to find the best fitting slide but unfortunately those days are long gone. It's make the best of what you find nowadays.

Finally, to finish off, the single lever style with natty little adjustment lever sticking out of the carb was just a cheaper version of the double lever. It saved the buyer a few pence at the expense of the rider losing the convenience of instant carburettor adjustment on the handlebar. The double lever style is much to be preferred and si the easiest both to source for parts and to ride with.

Cheers,

Alex,
There is always an element of doubt in what is written here given what we can see in the photo. We can be very confident, we can be almost positive but never surer we are utterly and unequivocally right.

But, there is one thing we can be 100% positive about and that is the capacity of the engine in your photos. It is most definitely a 250. Like many makers James fitted different sizes of engine in the same cycle parts. They also tweaked them with extra paint or chrome or different shape if exhaust to make "de luxe" or "sports" models. This is why pinning down the exact model of the family bike gets a bit fluffy at times but to repeat, have no doubt. It is a 250.

Cheers,

Alex, you posted whilst I was writing mine.

The Adelaide guy has had been trying to sell that bike for some time. Villiers powered bikes of any sort do not bring high prices. Certainly not out here in Oz. Nor does anything 250cc and under. The seller knows that and hopes you don't.

The external flywheel is a standard Villiers item. Some manufacturers fitted them and some didn't. It is absolutely nothing to worry about. If anything it's good for amazing the natives as it goes round and round when the engine starts. You'll get asked lots of silly questions.

Cheers,

Why not look at the photos of the Baker held on this site? James bought Baker in the late 1920's and used the Baker frame for a few years.
You might also find it helpful to buy copies of the 1931 and 32 Annual Sales catalogues from the NMM. They usually contain illustrations of help to a restorer. They may even have an illustrated spare parts list as well. That makes life a bit easier.
Cheers,