Another vintage project from Great Britain, target Speed Week 2011

[Vinsky]

Patrick,
You may want to check out Hunts magneto site for a modified kit which is made for  high compression or blown motors. Not sure exactly what they do, but it may simplify the ignition system using only one magneto. It's the last item on page 2.
http://huntmagnetos.com/xcart/home.php?cat=4&sort=orderby&sort_direction=0&page=2

[oz]

You really are pullin the stops out it all looks real good!
let me know how the documentation side of things goes and any problems,
you have my no if there is anything i can do to help.
Cheers Oz

[thefrenchowl]

Hi everybody,

jdincau: using copper for the plug spacers

Did not want something that will compress too much and stick to a bad or dead sparkplug, we'll see when it actually runs...

Vinsky: modified kit which is made for  high compression or blown motors

Must be a single fire kit based on the last XRs Fairbanks Morse, around 1980. Used to have bits for that conversion. Not so sure it's that good since a well proven old timer trick to revive a dying magneto is to cut the plug wire in the middle, strip a bit on each side and insert a bakelite button in the circuit to force the spark to jump across it, this produces a better spark. So me think 2 spark plugs on one coil isn't that bad???

Twin magnetos will also allow me a degree of change between front and back if needed.

OZ: let me know how the documentation side of things goes

The EPA man is a bit concerned, told me me bike don't look like a salt flat racer, wanted to know all the built details blablabla... Haven't received the race exemption yet!!! I'll give him another week before going back to him...

Did you use a custom broker to clear the USA customs? The DOT man pointed to me to one in San Francisco that seems OK and knows the procedures... but with a fee!!!

Did the bottom end this week end, took my time to make sure it's all decent...

Started by making a small alloy ring to reinforce one of the Torrington needle bearings, a known weak point in these trannies where the speedo drive normally sits, hence not very thick and hanging over somewhat. These cases, 55 years old, don't even have a crack there,( There are others elsewhere as you can see  ) but prevention is better than disaster...





Gear box shafts end play... Countershaft is hard to get to, fitted the cases without the main shaft, fit washers until it's just tight by checking/poking through the mainshaft hole, then delete a 6 thou thick one for about 6 thou end play...



Mainshaft is easy, you can use a dial... 6 thou as well:



Split the crank on a piece of hard wood to check rollers and pins, it'll do nicely, reassemble and trued, 2 thou on the wheels periphery:







Cleaned all the bolts, ready to close the cases!!!





Little bit of showing off, safety wire on the drain plugs!!!





So long, Patrick

[saltwheels262]

about the epa man-- I would think about showing  this build diary.
or most of it , anyway.


franey

[oz]

Hi patrick
our shippers had there own depot in Houston so we shiped to there and they road freighted the bike to Denver for us,they were very expencive but at the time and because of the sponsors going bust we didnt have an option.
Depending on which shippers you use they may have there own clearing facility,if not a delivery address whether it be residential or industrial might help I am sure there must be someone on the site which lives in that area that might help.
As long as the Carnet is sorted I dont think clearing the bike through customs will be too much of a problem.

As with the EPA you did state the lack of lights/side or centre stand/range of fuel tank/steering stops etc, as this is what makes it unsuitable for road use......A salt racer!! or alternatively all of a sudden by some strange quirk the fuel could be alcohol! A salt racer most definatley!

theres more than one way to skin a cat.

Cheers Oz

[thefrenchowl]

Hi OZ, Hi Everybody,

I've got an address in the States, my friend Jim Haubert in Winslow, Arizona, just need to weight up all the options and the easier way for Jim to pick up the crate or have it delivered at his workshop door...

New shinny bits from Brian, picked up this afternoon.

More substantial pulley guard, in 5mm thick duraluminium:







And the Ansin outlet, trimmed to bring back flat after my too hot welding passes!!!



More tomorrow!!!

All the best from Patrick

[thefrenchowl]

Hi,

Hum, too many distractions this weekend so did not do as much as I wanted...

Shimming out in the cams cavity... Had a small rubbing issue with cam 2, rear inlet, now sorted...



Spaced out as well cam 3, front inlet:



Both inlets and exhaust cams are ground at an angle... All the valves are tilted towards the cylinders... Most noticeable on the exhaust ones:



The inlet tilt is hardly noticeable, about 1 degree I guess...



Also reploted all the cam timing with one tooth advance on the exhausts:





Timing is a bit out from the factory, have to worry what tolerances they had when they ground them!!!

Front overlap is now 30 + 18 = 48 degrees while rear overlap is 30 + 8 = 38 degrees...

Cheers from Patrick

[thefrenchowl]

Hi all,

Feels like an eternity since I last posted... Still progressing along, but hit a few problems and spent time to resolve them, like some 4 hours spent on my clutch cable...

Oil pump done and dusted:



Valves and cylinders lapped and fitted:







Received my spring loaded stainless steel clamps, couldn't wait to try them!!!





Went to see Brian again, for skimming the biggest sprocket I had, 24 teeth, so I can use 520 chain rather than the wider 530, plus made the little tool to tighten the nut, bit of chain and a bolt with a pin... Required a bit of trimming on the sprocket cover and grinding down the bottom locating dowel pin... Anything bigger than 24 teeth won't fit under the cover...



The Ansin is on the bike now, so I finished the top end of the spacer and fitted the extra iddler on top:



Normal oil fill/level screw is now on top, so made another one that fit on the cover, plus a fitting on top for a breather pipe:



Lick of silver paint on the tin cover and oil tank, plus installed the chain guard...





This weekend is another long one, Monday off, so 2 more days of heavy grafting, the end of the tunnel is near...

All the best from Patrick

[saltwheels262]

and the best to you.

franey

[Old Scrambler]

Owl............I've been following with interest...........Nice plan and very nice workmanship........hope to see you on the Salt.

[thefrenchowl]

Thanks, lads,

1st thing this morning, started the cover for the belt, old 3mm thick alloy sheet



Jigsaw...



A few screws, spit and polish...



Engine is now finished, set up valve plays, timed the magnetos, settled at 35 degrees advance to start with. Been lucky with the back cylinder and using the small front lobe to fire, did not need to redrill the base. Had to grind a bit of the spacer to clear the plenum and clips. Heads on with lick of silver paint as a gasket, "torqued"  3 times at 1/2 hour intervals, will do the last one tomorow (there's no torque values available for the K Model, it's all "feel by hand"...)



Had a sit down next to the bike for a smoke and though again about water injection... Suddenly though I could use 2 Linkert DC float chambers back to back to make a bigger one... Had a rumage in the boxes, found 2 usable ones, will investigate further tomorrow... It's been a looong day...

All the best from Patrick

[coloradodave]

Beautiful!! Can't wait to see it.
 

[bubuche]

salut patrick
ton projet ce concrétise
tu as fait un super taff
félicitations
si tu pouvais me faire le même couvre courroie et fixation compresseur que toi moyennant finance bien sur ca serait super

je suis impatient de voir ton bolide en action

encore bravo
eric

[octane]

...

Did you use a custom broker to clear the USA customs?

The shipping company that send over my bike did the Carnet paperwork etc.
but hooked me up with this custom broker in Utah:

High Desert Chb

I paid ( as I recall it ) around 80$US.
They did all the custom clearing.
On arrival in salt Lake City I went to the shipping companys store house with my paperwork
and had the bike in 5 minutes.

All the best to ya' !

[ironwigwam]

Octane,
  Man that sounds easy peasey.
  Hope to see you this year.
   Girl power as well.
   Rocky