1932 Wolf Cub

[Crock40]

Hi
Can anyone supply any information or parts of any kind to help with my restoration of a 1932Wolf Cub.
Any help would be appreciated
Thks
Dave
07709565118

[cardan]

Hi Dave,

To be able to help, we really need to know what state the beast is in at the moment. A very tidy little Wolf sold on eBay Australia recently http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/121191671535 , and my advice to that owner would be to leave well alone. (I doubt the date of 1927, but that's a different matter.) A rusty pile of loose parts would obviously require different treatment.

So post some pics, and if you're missing parts ask for them explicitly (preferably with a photo or description of what you're missing). If you don't have any original literature, that would obviously be a good place to start.

Cheers

Leon

[gossie]

I kept an eye on that Wolf, and agree it was not a '20s model but more likely from the '30s.  Good price for it though regardless.

[Crock40]

Thanks for the reply
My bike appears to be pretty complete apart from footrests rear brake lever, wiring etc.
I desperately need a photo to let me see what I am looking for.
It appears to be fitted with a Villiers midget engine and desperate 2 speed hand change gearbox.

[cardan]

We have a world expert on little two strokes on this site: he'll be asking for the engine number, frame number and some photos. Be prepared!

If the bike is mostly complete, I usually suggest a modest restoration with the aim of getting it on the road. Full restoration can be very expensive and difficult these days. Do you have an idea of what you want to do with it?

Leon

[Crock40]

I have considered selling it but I have no idea of what it is worth

[cardan]

Worth? Very much less than the $A6,000 paid for the bike on eBay - closer to $600 you'd think but you never know.

This photo http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/OtherTrades/BCN/Wolf1.jpg is probably muck like your bike, and comes from a page about the works where your machine was likely made: http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/OtherTrades/BCN/NewGriffin.htm

There is also a separate page on Wolf motorcycles http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/Transport/Motorcycles/Wearwell.htm

Leon

[33d6]

You're right Leon, we don't start any sort of any sort of conversation on Villiers powered beasties without knowing the frame and engine numbers first.
Cheers,

[Crock40]

Thanks for the replies to date
The frame number is 1675
Engine number C1 2878
Gearbox CH660
Original reg PJ 7178

[33d6]

Hi Crock,
I think you'll find the engine number prefix is CY, not C1 but that is no matter. CY is the prefix for Villiers first serious 98cc engine. The original Midget. They made many 98cc variants thereafter for all sorts of usage but you have the grandpappy of them all. About the only tricky item is the unique piston. All the rest is more or less standard Villiers of the day and no great drama.

The VMCC Library is your friend as they have all the info you will want. www.vmcc.net will get you to their site. I've already looked and they do have a 1932 Wolf catalogue. As with many bikes of the period there is no workshop manual. This is no problem as being a bike assembled from proprietary parts you just go to Villiers for engine info, Albion for the gearbox, Webb for the front forks and so on. This is pretty typical of most Villiers powered lightweights.

Your Albion gearbox sounds like the standard Albion two speeder C type. The internals are very simple and are broadly common to the whole range. Not so the shell which can be bottom mount, top mount and pivot mounted with various chain lines all of which can be frustrating. They all suffer the same problems but are easily fixable if you have any sort of trade background. I have an extensive series of photos on restoring these boxes. I can put them up here or send them to you privately, whatever you wish. Mostly it is a matter of fitting skill not expensive parts.

The forks appear to be standard Webb lightweights of the day and don't present any special problems and I suspect the wheels are the usual British Hub Company items found on the majority of British lightweights.

All in all you have an uncommon bike very representative of a particular period of history. It has no performance to speak of but you will always have people interested in it wherever you take it. It is also capable of any journey but only at pushbike speeds.
Cheers,

[Crock40]

Thanks for the info it is extremely useful. Would you be able to advise what carburettor in need as all the ones I have seen are slightly too long to go between head and frame tube

[33d6]

Hi Crock,
The CY Midget engine had its own Villiers carb which can be identified by the word 'Midget' on the knurled top ring. Villiers also fitted this carb to the mid thirties Mk8D and late thirties Mk9D 125cc engines before going up in size on the later 9D's. The later Villiers 'Junior'carb as found on later 98cc autocycle engines is too big.

I don't know about England but the Midget carb was copied a lot by lawnmower makers out here in Oz and comes up on the lawnmowere sections of Ebay rather than the motorcycle section. The inlet stub on the Midget is 7/8" diameter and I would expect to easily find a lawmower Villiers copy to use whilst I looked for the exact original.

If it looks like a Villiers carb and fits onto a 7/8" stub then I'd use it. If it needs a little hacking about to fit I wouldn't worry too much as long as it doesn't interefere with the operation. You know the correct one will fit when you find it.  I also find the lever throttle as used on a lawnmower much easier to use with the hand gear change as it doesn't automatically shut off  when you take your hand off it as does a modern twistgrip.
Cheers,