Author Topic: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build  (Read 23507 times)

Offline Terrotmt1

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1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« on: December 17, 2019, 03:57:39 PM »
Thought it was time to move on from the Terrot saga so starting another less fraught, easier, less stressful less urgent rebuild of another French folly, my 1952 Peugeot BIMA 'moped'.

Got my fire-proof gear on for comments from Mini, but I hope some will follow this with interest and guidance.

Bought this about 4 years ago and registered it in the UK then bought the Terrot to do first, so this has come out of the shed at the bottom of the garden for an inspection of what it actually might mean.
My current intent is to do a re-commission, an oily rag rebuild in the loosest of terms, but to get it working reliably and safely but keeping all the originality I can.
Never tried to do this before, and the urge to strip, restore, painful rebuild to original 'new' status is hard to keep in mind.

It owes me £600 already. It is worth about the same, tops, so as ever a loss making machine but should be interesting as a mini garage-in-the-winter project.
It was made when I was born, and has a few negatives, much like it's fragile owner...

Good bits:
Engine is nice and free, compression, and the de-compression valve is all free. I hope to leave the engine intact. (49cc 2 stoke)
Carb is in great condition, just full of dried French fuel and missing it's filter cover, £40 off ebay.Fr
It is the early chain drive so my fingers are crossed (notorious for snapping) but a good clean and maybe a new one.
Magneto looks great, coil is old French and not original (I think), need to check for a spark.

All metalwork is clean, rust free but some cosmetic surface rust all over, but was light cream and royal blue. Decals all distressed by time alone.
Saddle needs some delicate re-stitching, might send this to a DDK'r to rescue.

Over time the bike has been worked on and some original fasteners are lost. Can you buy 'distressed' steel fasteners? (ie M4 and M5)

Bad bits?
Not many.
The parts that are perished are the tyres, tubes, brake shoes, control cables, wrong fuel tank cap and a cracked rear reflector.

Budget is £500.

The way it all worked is a bit 'demanding' in that you can/have to pedal the bike like and push bike. The engine is engaged with the exhaust valve open (controlled by twist grip) by pulling an over-centre cam that presses a gritted roller to the tread of the rear tyre.
Still pedalling hard, you close the de-compression valve and open the throttle and the engine then runs and takes over.
Speed is controlled by twist grip and the engine will tick over so slowly you only need to kill it at very near zero mph.

A challenge then.. :lol:

Here we are: Engine covers off




Offline iansoady

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2019, 04:24:39 PM »
Some years ago I did a ground up restoration on an NSU Quickly. I liked the rather art deco styling (much nicer in my eyes than your Peugeot) but when complete it was so gutless I never rode it. Eventually sold it through Bonhams and felt fortunate I'd only lost £100 on it.

Before:



After:




Ian
1952 Norton ES2
1986 Honda XBR500
1958-ish Tre-Greeves

Offline Terrotmt1

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2019, 05:29:46 PM »
That looks great, nice job done!
The weak values are a problem, hence the oily rag route to kill the costs as much as possible.
Hope my £500 will suffice.

Offline mini-me

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2019, 06:52:14 PM »
 :o :o :o :oHave you tried a stronger medication? or some kind of physical restraint? If you are truly getting some perverse pleasure, try flagellation instead.

Offline Terrotmt1

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2019, 07:08:27 PM »
Ha!
Thought you would have a point of view!

I get bored really easily, this will keep me occupied for a few weeks..
 :)

Offline TGR90B

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2019, 10:25:09 PM »
If you were to concentrate on the bikes instead of spending so much time on line you might get somewhere.
Getting grumpy, but not as grumpy as mini-me.

Offline Terrotmt1

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2019, 01:16:13 PM »
Tasks before Xmas is to get all the prep done on the 49cc Wonder.

The carb came off easy, I'm a bit suspicious of the carb, looks too 'new' compared to the rest of the bike.
However, 24 hour soak of the parts in paraffin after a strip got the crud off well and with all the parts off/out I gave the drillings a good poking through.
Main jet was blocked solid and also the main 'feed' port.
All freed of the blockage thanks to my set of BOC gas welding nozzle cleaners bought in '72 when I built my first hot rod!

The carb does not have a jet needle and is very small, just 10mm choke diameter, but all cleaned nicely.
Have to make 3 paper gaskets and it can go back together.
The carb has no name on it but I think it is a Gurtner.

Next came the coil. It was loosed in place by one odd screw, somebody has been at this bike recently, I think the Brit I bought it from who used to buy/import French 'barn-finds'.

It is the original, made by MOREL who I think made the magnetos for these mopeds too. The mag has no name on it.
Have to find out which wire goes where yet:

I have 2 wires from the magneto, orange and white, both with eyelets for the coil terminals, The MOREL coil has 2 posts, N and R.
Which wire goes to which terminal please?

Got a plug and have a silencer, original with a good array of small corrosion holes in it at one end so some brazing coming up.

With some fresh petrol I should be ready to try to start it with a good 240v pistol drill on the flywheel nut.

Good fun!





« Last Edit: December 19, 2019, 03:01:50 PM by Terrotmt1 »

Offline Rex

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2019, 03:51:12 PM »
I used to buy "Custom Car" with my paper round money back in 1972. Rods were rare then, did you ever have one featured?
I later went on to buy a Norman Nippy fitted with a Villiers 3K engine. Reliable, but put me off "little" bikes for life. :D

Offline Terrotmt1

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2019, 04:44:57 PM »
Yes, the car was a Y Type Ford, 1937, chopped with independent suspension etc.

Great little car, had a great time in the 70's!

Found the old albums:


Offline Rex

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2019, 07:10:19 PM »
Nice job! Is it still around?
Look at that sh*tty chop though.
ps Did you get to meet the girls? ;)

Offline Terrotmt1

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #10 on: December 19, 2019, 07:26:26 PM »
Chop was all diy on the driveway of my mothers house in Birmingham, such good days!
Car is in the USA, exported about 15 years ago. I had put a Capri V6 in it before I sold it to a deaf and dumb lad , Clive Prue.

Bought a Model A Ford after, steel, chopped it and used a Paul Haige chassis, Super Bell front, Jaguar S type rear etc. The car went to Germany.

Sorry for the thread drift, good Rosy Glasses Days.
Sold it in the late 80's and bought the yellow Porsche.

Turning through those dusty albums today bought back some memories!

Offline mini-me

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #11 on: December 19, 2019, 07:36:04 PM »
Looking at the backside of the girl on  the right was a trip down memory lane........

Offline Rex

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #12 on: December 19, 2019, 09:09:09 PM »
Chop was all diy on the driveway of my mothers house in Birmingham, such good days!


I meant the sh*tty chop on two wheels! Is the car still on the DVLC register? Always seems like a lot of customs get pulled apart for a "Quick refresh" and then stay that way for ever.

Offline Terrotmt1

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #13 on: December 19, 2019, 09:19:43 PM »
The bike and my Y type were on the CC stand that year, all expenses paid for at Ally Pally.
Driving down to London was made, driving such a car in the city madder.
The photo shoot was in a small studio also in London.
We met the girls in the studio, all dressed, and we were removed to a seedy cafe round the corner for the journo to write the story.

There was clear evidence of the girl sat on the wing!

A few weeks later it was in Hot Car mag, pics shot locally and then in a French magazine.

The car is no longer on the dvla.
I still have the buff log book!

I ran the car for 10 years and it has so many stories for me, most very very good.

Offline Terrotmt1

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Re: 1952 Peugeot BIMA re-build
« Reply #14 on: December 20, 2019, 03:42:02 PM »
Back to my immediate problem, borne from my ignorance:  ::)

Anyone know which terminal the magneto wires go to on the coil please?
OR, will I damage anything if I guess wrongly?