classic motorcycle forum

The only event we have in the real North (Lancashire ) is Garstang autojumble once a month in summer but they all start packing up at mid day so its hardly worth going but it dose go dark a lot earlier up here.

Not far from Garstang http://leightonhallmotorcyclehillclimb.co.uk/ normally a lot of older bikes entered and in the car park.
Plenty of VMCC runs in and around Cumbria
Classic bike nights at Wray 1st Thursday every month from April to September.
Or there are often events at https://www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk/ but its just worth a visit with or without an event.

Here is the toolbox midway through modifying it.

My toolbox how it looked when I got the bike. The lock was broken and the key long gone so i've since removed it and now the lid is held in place with a leather strap that has a nice period look.

There is this one a Glasgow Auto Cycle Services, sorry no other information, i saw it a few years ago.

I've circled around electronic ignition a few times but eventually concluded it wasn't worth the bother. The standard Villiers magneto can be made very reliable with little drama and parts are readily available so why change?
Have you started on the carb yet? They are also remarkably simple and easy once you learn the Villiers way and realise everything you've learned about any other carb is just a handicap.

I went with the electronic ignition for my Cadet because it offered a 12v conversion as part of the system. I live near the Lake District and there are miles and miles of great little roads that just suit the cadets 35-45mph speed, none of them have street lights on and i do like to be out riding it in evenings after work, often getting carried away and returning home in the dark so having 12v lights was an essential for me, the ignition conversion seemed the ideal way to go about it, and it gives me the option of fitting indicators at a later date as its a bike that gets used a lot.

I got a manual from the National motorcycle museum on the carb, interesting reading.
At this moment in time i'm not sure if i'll keep the lever throttle or just use a normal throttle, i've never ridden a hand change before so the normal throttle might be better, i'll getting it running first then try it and decide.

There are a few tips about the engine you may find useful. Supposedly the three types of point box are interchangeable. That is not quite right. Some of the pre war engines have a bigger diameter points operating cam in the flywheel. Only the pre war type points box provides enough points adjustment with these bigger cams.

Yes i know what you mean, from what i've found out so far the Pre-war engines have a brass points box thats a bit different in size to the normal one.
I converted my James Cadet to electronic ignition so i have a full set of electrics left from that, while they look very similar they just dont fit right, even the old brass flywheel is about 1/2 smaller on the Cadet.

The original 2E piston was cast iron. It is a heavy lump causing much vibration. The 196cc Super Sport piston is aluminium, one third the weight and dimensionally identical. It transforms the engine.

That is very good to hear, mine has at some point been fitted with an aluminium piston, plus i got 2 spare pistons with it, one is in reasonable condition with rings, the other will make a nice ornament once polished.

Very little is written about Albion gear box maintenance. The best available is found in Volume 1 of Newnes "Motor Cycle Repair and Upkeep" published 1931. The odd reprint appears on eBay or you can get copies of the relevant chapter from the usual sources. It's never a bother replacing bearings in an Albion box. They are either plain bronze or common metric sizes. I've never yet met an imperial size ball race in an Albion. 
Cheers,

I got lucky in that someone put me onto a link where i got a parts list for my gearbox, if anyone else wants it its here.
http://www.barnstormers.co.nz/barnstormers/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Albion-PDF-1.pdf
Mine is the E model, that list gives the bearing size as 2-1/4 x 1 x 5/8
After another tip off i found a company that has the bearing in stock and at £8.50 delivered thats not a bad result.
Thanks again i'll see if i can find a copy of that Albion book.




The James manuals i downloaded came from a website http://klassiekrijden.nu/ which had about 500 manuals for all types of British bikes, i also downloaded about 20 Villiers manuals from there, but at the time had no interest in Pre war so never bothered downloading any of them!
The sad news is that site is no more, when you click on the link the domain name is for sale, but the person who originally owned the site must have all those manuals somewhere even if only in PDF format, hopefully he'll show up again it was a wonderful site with so much information to download, pity its gone.

http://classic-motorbikes.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/11564.jpg

Despite spending many hours online searching thats one of about 3 pictures that are online, and they are all the same bike, and thats the bike i've just bought.

What i'm looking for or hoping to find are any online manuals for the bike or engine or Albion gearbox (model 3, three speed)
Thanks to everyone that replied, i'm ok for the engine parts i need, it came with some spares and Villiers Services have some items in stock that i'll need (all the electrics)

Or if anyone else has one or the D12 model, they were only made for 2 years so i'm guessing there are not many left.
Though the 2E engine was used in other bikes, mine is the 196cc single port engine.