Help My sons bought part of a 30's motorcycle!

[winchman]

My son went to an Auto Jumble and bought an engine as he thought it was from a bike, turns out its a 1934 Royal Enfield Model A.
So whilst looking for parts he find a 70% complete bike ( It was miles away too).
So her we are, two gear boxes both in bits and no idea how they should go together so any thoughts help would be appreciated.
We have three engines one seized two with the barrels off.
He wants to just get it back together and running, so he needs Wheels, mudguards, lights some of the fork parts.
Initially he can't afford originality so he is looking for any period bits just to get it back on the road.
Any help would be appreciated as it looks like there is very little info on these bikes, Royal Enfield etc don't seem to bother with pre war stuff?
We cant even find one in a museum?
Here is how it should look.

[ColinF]

Try contacting Hitchcocks motorcycles and ask them if they have any info or could point you in the right direction.They might have books/manuals etc. I was offered a competition Royal Enfield a couple of years ago  that i wasn't 100% sure was a genuine competition bike so i sent them an email and got a very helpful reply from the main man. Worth a try!

[winchman]

Thanks tried them first as its pre war they don't have anything, well only a gear box and a rusty back wheel from a newer model

[cardan]

There's a coincidence: only yesterday in another topic http://classicmotorcycleforum.com/index.php?topic=5942.15 I mentioned that the Model A Royal Enfield was sold in Australia as the Cottman Colt in the late 1930s.

Of course RE also sold bikes out here, and there a couple of surviving Model As, in addition to a few Cottman Colts. They a quite a nice little bike - not hugely valuable so a few not-quite-right parts in the rebuild won't matter.

First step: get a copy of "The Vintage Motorcyclist's Workshop" by Radco. It makes a great companion to any rebuilt.

Good luck,

Leon

[R]

Thanks tried them first as its pre war they don't have anything, well only a gear box and a rusty back wheel from a newer model

If you can get a hold of a parts list, you may be surprised how much prewar stuff Hitchcocks have.
Model A parts may be different enough that they are a bit limited, but the small detail stuff is probably common,
and very helpful in piecing something workable together.
Ebay offers endless parts lists, some patience and persistence may be needed for the exact one you want.
havefun !

[winchman]

There's a coincidence: only yesterday in another topic http://classicmotorcycleforum.com/index.php?topic=5942.15 I mentioned that the Model A Royal Enfield was sold in Australia as the Cottman Colt in the late 1930s.

Of course RE also sold bikes out here, and there a couple of surviving Model As, in addition to a few Cottman Colts. They a quite a nice little bike - not hugely valuable so a few not-quite-right parts in the rebuild won't matter.

First step: get a copy of "The Vintage Motorcyclist's Workshop" by Radco. It makes a great companion to any rebuilt.

Good luck,

Leon

Thanks that all helps and gives us another brand to search for

[winchman]

Thanks tried them first as its pre war they don't have anything, well only a gear box and a rusty back wheel from a newer model

If you can get a hold of a parts list, you may be surprised how much prewar stuff Hitchcocks have.
Model A parts may be different enough that they are a bit limited, but the small detail stuff is probably common,
and very helpful in piecing something workable together.
Ebay offers endless parts lists, some patience and persistence may be needed for the exact one you want.
havefun !

Thanks much of the 30's stuff is common, we do have a parts list but its for a later model

[john.k]

You will find that wheels were shared with the common smaller sidevalves,and seem to be pretty common....Guards for anything are hard to find,and you will end up with Indian imports.

[winchman]

Well that was a top tip, only found one colt but much is the same bits are different, but its a great way to see what parts should be like
https://www.facebook.com/pg/HVR.Australia/photos/?tab=album&album_id=631130383575003

[john.k]

I see some 1935 catalogue  pics in an old Classic Bike mag,and the two stroke is identical to the 250sv ,except motor and related parts......the forks are also pressed ,so wont be all that expensive or hard to find........

[winchman]

I see some 1935 catalogue  pics in an old Classic Bike mag,and the two stroke is identical to the 250sv ,except motor and related parts......the forks are also pressed ,so wont be all that expensive or hard to find........

The last owner struggled to find any parts, he managed to find a tank and the fork side plates but no other fork components, only thing we have seen is a carb for sale in Italy but we missed it and we have been offered some bits from Belgium but postage is expensive and out of the collection only a few bits look to be correct. Still no wheels or any tin wear, going to Newark again at the end of the month, tried a small local Jumble at the weekend but nothing.

[Rex]

..the forks are also pressed ,so wont be all that expensive or hard to find........

Hmm, the Law of Supply and Demand says anything old or rare will be expensive, and I don't recall ever seeing any pressed girder forks for sale.

[winchman]

..the forks are also pressed ,so wont be all that expensive or hard to find........

Hmm, the Law of Supply and Demand says anything old or rare will be expensive, and I don't recall ever seeing any pressed girder forks for sale.

This is our issue, we might drop on and find something the seller doesn't recognise and has been trying to sell for years then we might get it cheap, but as is often the case the smallest item is big money, so we have to be inventive the light switch is a car one as to was £2, the rivet counters won't like it but its all about getting this bike back on the road and riding it to local runs and events, we just have to use what we can get, make and afford. All too often a vehicle becomes a list of names of the people who have worked on it at great expense, this is a young lad with loads of enthusiasm and not much money who was inspired when he read "The Land Beyond The Ridge" and just wants an old bike.

[33d6]

I just had a quick look in both the VMCC Library and at the BMS booklist and found quite a bit on the 1934 Model A. You can buy copies of the Owners handbook, illustrated spare parts list, hints and tips for owners and so forth. That should cover most of your info worries.
The electrics and coil ignition come via one of those Lucas dynamos with a set of points on the end as used in various 1930's makes not just Royal Enfield. The above sources cover such Lucas equipment as well.
Same goes for the Amal carb.
Being Royal Enfield the gearbox and clutch are bound to be an Albion which being only the 3 speed version as shown in the picture is the easiest of the lot to both work on and find parts for. You'll soon learn the relevance of Albion gearbox numbers and what to look for.
By far the best way to approach any restoration is to first gather as much information as you can. You can never have too many photos or photocopies of parts lists, catalogues, handbooks etc and there is lots about. The more info you gather the more you will find what cycle parts the Model A shared with the rest of the Royal Enfield range and what parts were used for year after year and are completely interchangeable. 

[john.k]

The forks are close enough to the post war 125 forks,to use a set......the post war wheels are also similar ,in that the rear has a sprocket one side ,brake t'uther........so If it was me ,I would look for the postwar 125 parts,and I dont believe they could be that hard to find..................and I notice you have the fork blades anyway..........the rest isnt hard to fabricate ...............................not wishing to hurt feelings here ,but Enfield tiddlers have always been bottom of the totem pole.....even a 500 single with girders never very expensive.......unfortunately the cheap WD models have fallen victim to the millenials desire to re enact WW2.......without the risk of injury or death ,of course........just got to see the recent  D Day re enactment  in France.....millenials saving the planet driving round in hundreds of trucks that get 1 mile to the gallon.