classic motorcycle forum

Villiers Aust carved out quite a niche for themselves in the small industrial engines market though.
Oddly enough, all 4 strokes !

If ye search on fleabay gumtree marketplace etc, there are whole legions of them.
And especially the instruction booklets, for quite an assortment of models.

I have no idea if the Norton Villiers industrial engines are a carry-on of this, but quite likely ?

I set out to replace the speedo drive bushing and what seemed to be a simple task suddenly isn't.  It seems as if some goober has totally destroyed the retaining pin that holds it in.
If I remove the inner timing cover will I be able to get to the bushing and replace it?

If the answer to that is yes, the next question is how do you get the thing off?
So far I've only found two screws toward the back that seem to hold it on.  That doesn't seem right.

In the attached pic, what must come off to get this plate off?  My parts manual leads me to believe that the shifting mechanism stays in one piece.  Do I remove all the kickstart mechanism?
My shop manual says refer to a BSA dealer.  Those folks are far and between these days.

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

At least one Villiers powered Star survives (sort of). I saw it for sale at the VVMCC Scoresby Swapmeet a few years back. Supposedly restored it wasn't done well plus the original Mk XII-C engine had been swapped out for an earlier MK VI-C retrieved from an Atco lawnmower. 
I've long since learnt it never goes down well telling a hopeful owner that his exotic and rare early Villiers engine is in fact a rather common lawnmower engine. Yes the MK VI-C was only used in motorcycles for 1923 but it survived for many many years afterwards for lawnmower use. Anyway, a surviving Star with incorrect engine is better than no Star at all. I hope its still around.

I too found the Williams notes fascinating and the Velo remarks do tie in well with Phil Irving's autobiography but reading them was a pain as when expanded the page was too big for my computer screen. Manoeuvring them around to read was a pain and I probably missed a few of the more subtle points. Pity about that. 

Not for me, personally.

Elsewhere in the Malvern Star front, I recently came across two frames that I think might be Malvern Stars from the Tom Finnigan era - pre 1920! The bicycle guys have found that Tom Finnigan used the prefix TF on his bicycle frames, so when there are two surviving motorcycle frames (albeit rather different) with prefix TF1... fair guess that they're Malvern Stars? One frame is very AG Healing (Melbourne), and both frames are Aussie built.

Leon

Quote from: R on August 16, 2021, 02:10:55 AM

There's little evidence that Villiers engines were built into locally made frames though.
Photos of any such assembly are in very short supply - even from makers who were reputed to be doing this
Full imports seems to have become the norm in the 1930s and postwar ?

Yes I agree. Mind you, in the 1930s very few Australian firms claimed to be building their own Villiers lightweights. Perhaps only Acme (Bennett & Wood), and I suppose I believe them. The others - Star, Essex, Simplex, Utility, Waratah, B&W Wasp, B&W Hornet, Utility, Cottman Colt (RE), and probably more - were very likely just rebranded imports, although I have an open mind if more info comes to light. It's not very glamorous, but it is part of the story.

Leon

The accompanying notes appear to be an interview with Reg Williams by Peter Jones sourced from his National Library boxes of materials. Reg Williams mentions the Wasp in particular. I am not sure if Peter Jones ever published this anywhere.