classic motorcycle forum

My little Waratah spent its entire life on a farm, going to check on the cattle every morning.

When it was about worn out, it was replaced - by a CL175. Circa 1971 I think.
I bought it at the farm clearing sale, one owner, never been off the farm.
It still ran, but the teeth were nearly entirely worn off the gearbox sprocket.
And the big end talked to you
Probably never had a penny spent on it ...

That bike could be greatly improved by dabbing on some phosphoric or citric acid ?.
And careful rinse off and then a light wipeover with linseed oil.
(gently removes the bulk of the rust, and puts a shine back in original paint)

Or even just a wipeover with an oily rag.
But that precludes any future gentle rust removal.

I know some folk like the rusty crusty look, but when it has sooo much potential as an original paint bike ... 

You may think it better to fit the alternative 250cc Villiers engine Cov Eagle used that year in the same machine.
Just a thought.

While this might be a 'simple' solution, it entails shock horror gasp FINDING another engine, and PAYING for another engine. !!
And also ditching the original engine. Shock horror gasp again, etc etc.

And if all ?  that is missing is a couple of manifold studs, then this sounds to be well in hand.
Maybe ?

Vintage motorcycle chaps are well known for being a stubborn tenacious lot, so look forward to progress reports.
Cheers !

No, it's not an "Australian copy of FEB Bakers Precision Motor"

I don't think I suggested this, did I  ?
I've read that if you bought 20 or more, they could cast whatever name you wanted on the crankcase and timing chain cover..

Interesting detail, thanks
If this had come up 20+ years ago, would have been really keen.
Having a warm tank between your knees.
And a carb that iced up on frosty morns ...?

AI has this to say -
The Albion HJR is the classic and well-known vintage mid-1930s middle-weight Albion gearbox featuring 3 forward speeds
and 1 reverse gear, commonly used in motorized three-wheel delivery carriers, light agricultural auto-trucks, and cyclecars.

I think I've seen one in a light car at a show someplace
Hence the reverse gear

If you pay them enough, someone is sure to take it off your hands  !!

I wouldn't know a BSA clutch from a bar of soap, but I'll give my 2 pennethworth. !

The band around a Norton clutch is intended to keep oil out of the clutch plates.
As long as they are not flooded in oil, they work perfectly satisfactorily without the band at all.
A trace of oil on the plates is not the disaster it once was.

Norton clutches came in 3, 4 and 5 plate versions.
A 750cc would need the 5 plate version if you expect the clutch not to slip.
A 350cc might get away with 3 plates, but you'd have to be able to assemble and adjust it  OK.

Binding when you do up the retaining nut usually means the clutch basket is rubbing on the bushing in the high gear bizzo,
maybe even pulled up hard against it.  You may need some sort of washer or spacer to hold it out slightly further on the shaft.
Could be the clutch is machined slightly differently or deeper than the original. This MUST be corrected.
How is the chain alignment. ?
Hopethishelps.

Well saved - thankyou.

This is the PowerHouse Museums postwar example, for comparison.
About identical to mine - except my (original) tank has a much finer gold pinstripe.
(as I suspect that 1939 should have ?)



Edit. Hmmm, how do I make the pic appear smaller - no auto resizing here ?

It wasn't unknown for the frames on the bigger bangers to break either !
They should really have had a reinforcing tube inside the weak points - but didn't do so.
It was with a sigh of relief that the industry moved to all welded frames mid 50s (mostly).
In fact, postwar Waratah frames had some of the fixtures welded on, rather than lugged.
Half and half, as it were.

Is there a casting number anyplace on that head lug ?
M&B in Walsall (near Birmingham) supplied a number of the big firms.
And maybe more.
I've got the little "Excelsior the Lost Pioneer" booklet, but it doesn't go into the head lug supplier details !
(nor does any other brand I can think of)
But someone might know...