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Messages - R

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2
British Bikes / Re: Australian-made motorcycles in the 1950s - help please
« on: November 21, 2023, 09:59:29 PM »
It had been restored from a very original machine.

Do we spot a tinge of regret uttered there ?

And is that red likely to have been anything like original.
Or owner preference - as is so often the case these days ...

3
British Bikes / Re: Australian-made motorcycles in the 1950s - help please
« on: November 18, 2023, 07:51:46 AM »
Note the XXA etc engine number (on the rego label).
Caught my eye ...

4
British Bikes / Re: Australian-made motorcycles in the 1950s - help please
« on: November 18, 2023, 07:01:31 AM »
No aussie made content !

Cute little Sun autocycle on FB
Dunno where the Sunbeam reference comes into it ... (no option to select Sun ?)

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/959836385298085/

Entries elsewhere would suggest this is the full Deluxe model.
You got the extra front suspension AND a fluted engine cover.

5
British Bikes / Re: 1910s/1920s Silver paint?
« on: October 19, 2023, 12:18:39 AM »
Aye - thats good stuff too.
Non-destructive to most surfaces.

The beauty of phos acid though is that what you see is what you get.
You can wipe/rinse it off, and the process stops right there.
It also passivates the surface to some extent.

Whereas molasses exposed surfaces need some sort of treatment to prevent them rusting again, almost instantly.
And doesn't seem to enhance the paint either ?

6
British Bikes / Re: 1910s/1920s Silver paint?
« on: October 18, 2023, 10:19:02 PM »
It would still be worth trying a wipeover of phosphoric acid* on that tank.
*Industrial strength (50%), not coca cola strength.

Its amazing what comes back to life with all traces of rusty brown removed.
Someone with a rusty old Napier reported the pinstripes on the now green bonnet were visible again...

7
British Bikes / Re: 1910s/1920s Silver paint?
« on: October 17, 2023, 01:41:42 AM »
Can see why you might want the tank more silver-like though.

https://cybermotorcycle.com/gallery/classics-t/images/Triple-H-1922-0858.jpg

8
British Bikes / Re: 1910s/1920s Silver paint?
« on: October 16, 2023, 11:44:05 PM »
Oh it's gorgeous! If it were mine I wouldn't paint it at all...

Aye - I'll second that
They are only original ONCE !

A gentle wipeover with phosphoric acid will remove the rusty bits and brighten up the original paint.
and then (once washed off and dry) a wipeover with Linseed Oil will preserve and protect and waterproof the paint.
Phos acid is a major ingredient in Coca Cola, so is not exactly dangerous.
And Linseed Oil was a major ingredient in early enamel paints.
It may take a day or 3 to dry off, and may pong  a bit for a while. (do outside)
But can be polished (gently) once dry.
Should give a superb original paint bike....
A rare find indeed.

9
British Bikes / Re: Troubleshooting a JAP Special
« on: August 31, 2023, 12:06:46 AM »
.there is a 350 AJS on ebay now with a start of $16k/8000GBP.....and no ,its not a 7R.

Imported from the UK. !
That alone would have cost him an arm and a leg.
The "1938" Norton there for $25k would take some beating. ?

The days of pirates about may not be be over....

10
British Bikes / Re: Troubleshooting a JAP Special
« on: August 27, 2023, 11:46:01 PM »
Have you tried tickling it while its running.

The amal, the amal.
(Not while riding it either.)(could be a risk to life and linb)

If its fuel related, this should tell if its starving for fuel.
There is some chat about viton tipped fuel needles, or not, in monoblocs.

11
British Bikes / Re: Simplex in South Australia?
« on: August 22, 2023, 05:47:12 AM »
We have discussed Simplex Villiers before.
https://classicmotorcycleforum.com/index.php?topic=5942.0

Turner Bros were headquartered in 1923 in Swanston St in Melbourne.
Home of the Invincible JAP.
https://cybermotorcycle.com/gallery/classics-i/images/Invincible-JAP-1923-Turner-Bros.jpg

https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/a/3/9/im/a39372.jpg
Motorcycle and bicycle shops of Milledge Bros. at 287-9, Cottman & Co. at 291-3
and Turner Bros. at 295 Elizabeth St., Melbourne] [picture]

No doubt Leon can add to this ?
Many of the biggies seem to have had branches all over the place ...

12
British Bikes / Re: Fantasy dating: a "1914" Excelsior Villiers for sale
« on: August 21, 2023, 12:24:05 AM »
There is a contact listed there for Mark Bryan Motorcycle Manager
I thought about doing this, but could be construed as underhanded.

I've contacted a few such auctions over similar matters over the years.
They invariably amend/correct the glaring errors, at least.

P.S. I consulted a copy of "Excelsior the lost pioneer" by TS Liversidge on this.
You obviously needed to be on the editors board for this publication ...

13
British Bikes / Re: Norton gearbox mainshaft
« on: August 20, 2023, 08:41:43 AM »
The scary thing is that some of them sell ?
Or disappear from sale, at least.

14
British Bikes / Re: Ariel VG 1950
« on: August 20, 2023, 08:38:39 AM »
which is only 1" bore ..........question is ,do I bore out a 276 to 1 & 1/16 (correct size) or find a 289

Won't make much difference around town.
Unless you are planning some motorway trips ?
Getting it running nicely with what you have got is probably #1 priority.
By then a 289 will have fallen into your lap !


Those Indian mikcarbs are quite small bore anyway. ?
Maximum fuel economy was the name of the game there, for many a year.
Be interesting to know what they actually achieved.
"The Motorcycle" (magazine) used to quote fuel consumptions at various speeds.
Many a bike could do 100+ mpg, if you kept the speeds down.
I often wondered who chugged around on a Vincent at sub 30 mph speeds ?
Or a BSA Bantam for that matter, for the 10 hours a tankful would last ... !

The 289 is listed some places as being available new.
At a fair old price, it must be said...
Premiers are a bit less than that - no comment on visuals.

15
British Bikes / Re: cost of bike parts
« on: August 15, 2023, 11:29:20 AM »
And yes, spares are getting expensive.
I marked some prices in pencil in a spares book for a project.
10 years later, I notice that everything has been doubled.
Looks like across the board.
And they weren't especially cheap back then.

My fav-o-rite was the itty bitty grease nipple in a brake lever for a project.
The first example I came across wanted US $42 + $44 post.
Found it locally for $1
(and he said that folks are a little leery if you make things too cheap !)

Shop around is the moral of this story ?

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