The Wardill - Replica build

[P.V. Motorcycles]

Great project, and an interesting read.

Just a thought - was the frame Wardill's own, or is it from another complete machine, like they did with the Grigg frame in the picture you posted?
It was a golden age for buying in proprietary parts, up to, and including frames (both Sun and Chater Lea did lug sets and the like), so if they had enough on their plate developing the engine, it might have been expedient to buy in a suitable frame to go with the Brampton forks and other 'rolling chassis' components.

Nick

[Wardill]

Mark, the boost figures were taken from an article in the "Motor Cycle" written by one of the builders James Wardill, I'm not sure what fuel was used sorry.



Nick, as you say the prototype used a Grigg frame, but the production bike used a Wardill built frame, but the frame does resemble a Chatter-Lea frame that I have seen, so I can only assume that it utilised Chatter-Lea lugs, this would make sense.

Wardill Motorcycle


Hemming (using Chatter-Lea lugs) restored by Martin Shelley


I am planning a trip to the national Motorcycle museum over the Christmas holidays, for a bit of a fact finding mission to see how the bikes go together. this is a very big learning curve for me, but one I am enjoying.

[mark2]

was in with the best of the day \
Page 23, January 1925
 



LIST OF FINISHERS in the LONDON-EXETER.





LIST OF FINISHERS in the LONDON-EXETER.

SOLO MACHINES.

H. B. Browning (596 Scott), P. J. R. Heath (1,30r Henderson), E. Eland (349 B.S.A.), W. S. Bishop (596 Scott Squirrel). I. F. Anderson (350 Indian), W. Bucknell (348 Matchless), H. W. Clark (348 Raleigh), E. A. Marks (35o Indian), H. W. Harrington (346 Zenith), L. N. Stan.nah (498 Ariel), H. C. Nias (498 Ariel), W. H. Hardman. (347 Matchless), G. A. Pidgeon (492 Sunbeam), H. B. Hadfield (348 Ner-a-Car), N. Runnels-Moss (348 Ner-a-Car), H. Crowther (499 Sunbeam), J. B. Perkins (499 Triumph), J. Lewis (499 Sunbeam), J. Stagg (348 Douglas), W. W. Jenkins (346 Monopole), L. G. Smith (348 A.J.S.), P. A. Thatcher (499 Du.nelt), George Brough (98o Brough Superior SS roo), B. S. Allen (980 Brough Superior SS Too), E. H. Pielden (17o Powell), H. E. R. Polden (499 Sunbeam), J. P. Wardill (346 Wardill), E. W. Spencer (346 Douglas), C. H. King (346 Douglas), V. C. 0. Anstice (346 Douglas), E. W. T. Howard (349 MatadorBradshaw), J. I. Faulkner (55o Triumph), E. H. Gifford (348 Beardmore-Precision), C. Aschan (4)6 Beardtuore-Precision), M. B. Hutchinson (499 P. and M. Panther), A. H. S. Love (996 Matchless), R. H. White (348 Beardmore-Precision), J. S. Wakelin (989 Harley-Davidson), R. G. Tull (348 A. J .S.), C. J. Wheeler (499 Triumph-Ricardo), T. J. Medlen (348 Ner-a-Car), B. Bragg (490 Norton), C. J. White (499 Triumph), A. T. Clark (344 Zenith), J. J. Boyd-Harvey (348 Raleigh), T. Clark (348 Raleigh), R. J. Low (492 Sunbeam), G. Stannard (350 Grindlay Peerless), G. S. Wright (998 Indian), J. O'Donnell (348 Indian), J. J. Hall (980 P. and P.), W. H. Wells (348 A.J.S.), N. Hall (172 Excelsior), C. V. Bennett (499 Burney), C. A. Lewis (486 Scott Squirrel), C. Lintott (499 P. and M. Panther), G. W. Copeland (490 Norton), A. M. Kni11 (399 Raleigh), F. H. Kni11 (348 Raleigh), W. W. Lawrence (492 Sunbeam), T. W. Buckle (348 P.N.), S. G. Huntley (293 New Imperial), S. A. Tomson (494 Triumph), H. H. Barrett (348 Ner-a-Car), N. A. Taylor (499 Rudge-Multi), C. W. Seth (490 Norton), W. H. Kennedy

(347 Matchless), H. H. Knights (344 Royal Enfield), R. P. C. Franklin (349 New Scale-Bradshaw), T. G. Meeten (17o Powell), E. A. Cullum (172 Francis-Barnett), F. A. Longman (989 HarleyDavidson), H. R. R. Harte (980 Coventry Eagle), A. Fraser (980 Coventry Eagle), W. A. Bouette (346 Zenith), P. F. Lucas (492 Sunbeam), A. S. Guthrie (498 Scott Super-Squirrel), R. B. Clark (172 Diamond), H. E. Cosby (249 B.S.A.), L. B. Chimey (346 Rudge-Whitworth), A. C. Godfrey (493 B.S.A.), R. A. Kelson (499 Triumph), A. S. Hassell (700 N.U.T.), W. J. Abernethy (348 Douglas), R. Dalton (492 Sunbeam), G. L. Welts (172 Ray), S. C. Hubbard (348 Indian), F. W. C. Bennett (292 O.K.), G. Kuhn (248 Velocette), L. Heller (248 Velocette), W. Driver (499 P. and M. Panther), A. C. Payne (348 Connaught), W. K. Hanning (348 Cedos), J. E. A. Chipling (349 O.K.-Bradshaw).

[Wardill]

thanks Mark, I had seen that before, the J P Wardill, Was James Percival Wardill my great grandfathers brother, and one of the builders.

I have found some info you may find interesting today, this is an extract from an article

"It has been found that there is defiantly no trouble with stuck piston rings, while the deposit of carbon is very slight, ordinary splash lubrication is employed, of being deployed by a Best and Lloyd mechanical fuel pump direct to the crankcase. For high-speed work there is a needle-valve controlled by-pass which diverts a small quantity of lubricant direct to the working piston, through a duct drilled in a web which runs from the outside, through the annular chamber, to the working cylinder between the transfer ports. This hole, incidentally is never uncovered, and there is thus no need for non-return valves"

I have had thoughts that they used 4 star petrol, not two stroke, what are you thoughts, would it be possible?

thanks

Mark

[mark2]

Im guessing your talking pre mix , I would have thought the whole system was running on a two stroke type ?  total loss oil of the day but no pre mix , the beauty of a two stroke is its simplicity  power and manufacturing cost too my mind , but this engine appears to have none , add to that the fact that the oiling system may prove over time to be its Achilles heal and a fine balancing act which the public would have struggled to understand  or master , your relative obviously got it to work well and should be commended for  this (we would still be riding houses if it were not for men like him) but I can see a good reason why it was never taken up . Best of luck and I would love to hear one run one day

[Wardill]

I thought it is about time I updated this thread, there has been some progress albe it rather slow, largely due to a house move and a family that demand much of my time, but I now have a rolling front fork.



I visited the vintage motorcycle show at Staffordshire county show ground this weekend and managed to find a perfectly fitting wheel, it's very rusty but fits like a glove, including the notch to keep the brake backing plate from rotating.



Next up is some sketch work and start work on the frame.

Here is me standing next to a 1:1 printout of the bike



I'm looking for a 26" X 2 1/2" 36 spoke beaded edge rear wheel with an internally expanding brake, may consider a hub on its own as long as it's complete.

Thanks Mark

[33d6]

Hi Mark,
I've also been watching with interest and thought I'd put in my two penn'orth regarding the carburettor. As shown in the pictures it is a Mills. Villiers bought Mills in 1926. They immediately started fitting an exact copy to their engines and slowly refined it internally over the years. It looked identical externally. Essentially you can fit a prewar M/W (Medium Weight) Villiers carb set up for a Villiers 350 engine of the day knowing it looks identical and will be jetted etc, very close to Wardill requirements. It's nice to know there is some part that shouldn't cause you too many problems.
Cheers,

[Wardill]

I thought I would give you a very brief update on my progress. The frame is starting to take shape, Carl at Turnertech Engineering has the honours of producing replica Chater-Lea lugs, here is his cad drawing that will be used to aid with their manufacture.



I am till on the look out for a 36spoke rear wheel and an Albion 3 speed gearbox, any help in sourcing these items would be much appreciated

You can follow my progress on Instagram and face book, just search for Wardill Motorcycle Company

Thanks

Mark