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British Bikes / Re: Coventry Eagle 1932
« Last post by ramwing7 on June 23, 2026, 03:35:22 PM »Any idea which Villiers engine this is?
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Identify these bikes! / Precision Big4 frame ?
« Last post by R on June 22, 2026, 11:18:28 PM »Can anyone identify this ?
Would this be suitable for a Big4 engine / build ?
https://i.postimg.cc/tgT7Zg3Z/veteran-frame.jpg
Would this be suitable for a Big4 engine / build ?
https://i.postimg.cc/tgT7Zg3Z/veteran-frame.jpg
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British Bikes / Re: My 1951 G2 Trials
« Last post by murdo on June 22, 2026, 08:04:39 AM »Well update on the nuts. I could not find the correct sized bar at any of the local steel merchants, so even looking at internet sellers gave no joy. The price of a tap to use once or twice was prohibitive so I just counted up the number I needed and added then to my Hiscocks order. Still not cheap but will be the right size and should fit with no dramas.
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British Bikes / Re: Coventry Eagle 1932
« Last post by R on June 21, 2026, 10:19:28 PM »Villiers loved those curly-whirly manifolds.
Keep your eyes peeled, this one is about the exact mirror image ?
Good luck.
Keep your eyes peeled, this one is about the exact mirror image ?
Good luck.
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British Bikes / Re: Coventry Eagle 1932
« Last post by ramwing7 on June 20, 2026, 02:58:31 PM »Thanks folks. You have to love the vintage motorcycle community. No matter how unusual the bike is or how strange the problem, somebody out there has ideas and tips they are willing to share.
I'm off pursuing some of these now.
Thanks.
I'm off pursuing some of these now.
Thanks.
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British Bikes / Re: Coventry Eagle 1932
« Last post by R on June 20, 2026, 03:38:59 AM »'The Vintage Motorcyclists' Workshop" by Radco contains a full double page photo
Split across 2 pages it must be noted. The manifold is slap bang in the page join !
All the online scans are awful in the picture dept, they must have scanned a photocopy
I've done some lost wax casting.
Doing a curly plaster central core of the actual gas pathway and coating it with wax to a suitable depth and then coating the whole
shebang in more fireproof plaster is possibly the simplest method ? You'd have to find a foundry that does this type of casting.
Simpler than it sounds, and cheaper as a one off than making moulds and core moulds.
The cast metal very accurately replicates the finish on the wax - so you could inscribe your image on it !
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British Bikes / Re: Coventry Eagle 1932
« Last post by 33d6 on June 19, 2026, 02:58:03 AM »If you want a really good picture of an original manifold, 'The Vintage Motorcyclists' Workshop" by Radco contains a full double page photo of his restoration of the same model. Pages 180 and 181 to be precise. Its a photo of the timing side so gives you a good view of the manifold.
Radco also wrote a fairly extensive article on restoring the engine for the Vintage Motor Cycle Club Journal. This would be back in the late 70's. early 80's as his book was published in 1986 and was mainly a compendium of all the restoration articles he had written for the Journal over the years.
He wasn't complimentary about the engine but I think anyone trying to beat Villiers at their own game back in the early 30's would have had a tough job. In the end Cov Eagle came back to the Villiers fold. They made a better and cheaper product.
All that aside I think looking at 3D printing is the way to go. I've made one batch of inlet manifolds. Made the patterns, got them cast and then machined the result. It is not as simple as it looks. Making a pattern the foundry was happy with was a learning curve in itself but the big pain was making a range of jigs and fixtures to hold the castings so I could machine them afterwards. Not as simple as it looks. I realised early on that making a batch was no harder nor dearer than making one so a batch it was. No one was interested in my efforts nor wished to help nor put money in until I appeared with the completed batch when desperate owners needing one just appeared out of the woodwork. All the extras went amazingly quickly.
It's 3D printing for me nowadays and that is more involved than you expect.
Have fun.
Radco also wrote a fairly extensive article on restoring the engine for the Vintage Motor Cycle Club Journal. This would be back in the late 70's. early 80's as his book was published in 1986 and was mainly a compendium of all the restoration articles he had written for the Journal over the years.
He wasn't complimentary about the engine but I think anyone trying to beat Villiers at their own game back in the early 30's would have had a tough job. In the end Cov Eagle came back to the Villiers fold. They made a better and cheaper product.
All that aside I think looking at 3D printing is the way to go. I've made one batch of inlet manifolds. Made the patterns, got them cast and then machined the result. It is not as simple as it looks. Making a pattern the foundry was happy with was a learning curve in itself but the big pain was making a range of jigs and fixtures to hold the castings so I could machine them afterwards. Not as simple as it looks. I realised early on that making a batch was no harder nor dearer than making one so a batch it was. No one was interested in my efforts nor wished to help nor put money in until I appeared with the completed batch when desperate owners needing one just appeared out of the woodwork. All the extras went amazingly quickly.
It's 3D printing for me nowadays and that is more involved than you expect.
Have fun.
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British Bikes / Re: Excelsior - or even Waratah - around 1924
« Last post by 33d6 on June 19, 2026, 02:17:57 AM »This may be helpful searching for commercial catalogues or not but our State Library has also improved its website and search function so you can really drill down and hunt out really obscure stuff. Its surprising what they have.
They also give lots of info on where stuff is held elsewhere and occasionally you can access it through their site.
Most old motorcycle stuff is now held off site and may take up to five business days to arrive. This is absolutely no problem as they run a 'click and collect' service. Order what you want from home, they acknowledge the order, then text you when its arrived to look at. They will hold it for five days before returning it to the archives and will hold it longer if you ask. They really make it easy.
As you can gather I'm a big fan. Have a browse.
They also give lots of info on where stuff is held elsewhere and occasionally you can access it through their site.
Most old motorcycle stuff is now held off site and may take up to five business days to arrive. This is absolutely no problem as they run a 'click and collect' service. Order what you want from home, they acknowledge the order, then text you when its arrived to look at. They will hold it for five days before returning it to the archives and will hold it longer if you ask. They really make it easy.
As you can gather I'm a big fan. Have a browse.
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British Bikes / Girls In Your Town - No Selfie - Anonymous Casual Dating
« Last post by expatriot on June 18, 2026, 09:04:58 PM »Private Girls From Your Town - No Selfie - Anonymous Casual Dating
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Private Girls In Your City - Anonymous Casual Dating - No Selfie
NEW GIRLS
Jamie Luna
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Mia
Lit1le Kitty
Luxury Girl
Sam
Natsumi
https://privatedates.life
Private Girls In Your City - Anonymous Casual Dating - No Selfie
NEW GIRLS
Jamie Luna
Aline Golden
Mia
Lit1le Kitty
Luxury Girl
Sam
Natsumi
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British Bikes / Re: Coventry Eagle 1932
« Last post by ramwing7 on June 17, 2026, 07:54:23 PM »You guys are spot on with the pics. I expect I'll have to fabricate one. Might go so far as to try fabricating a model and the sandcasting one. Although welding one up is starting to appeal to me as well. Expecting a few false starts, but that's why we work on these old things. Right?
But, if you have one around and have some time for measuring, I would appreciate any help I could get.
But, if you have one around and have some time for measuring, I would appreciate any help I could get.