A new Mikuni carb was installed for smoother power delivery. Some cajoling to make the fitment work but after a few kicks and cable tweaks a nice bark came from the new trials silencer.
August 7, 2016
Beware of Dog
July 19, 2016
Red Special
The Fireplace – Brian May’s guitar, was made by him and his father Harold back in the sixties. It has created, with the magical touches of a musical maestro, some of the greatest sounds of the late Twentieth Century.
The Old Lady – her secrets were revealed during a full nut & bolt restoration. The tremolo arm is sprung by a pair of motorcycle valve springs from a 1928 Panther.
Happy Birthday Brian! 69 today!
July 17, 2016
Moto du Table
Put finishing touches to my bike work ramp. Made from mostly found scraps it lets me raise the Moto a couple of feet to carry out maintenance without crawling around on my knees. Starting to line up the off-season list of work: replace slipping clutch plates, replace oil lines, oil cooler… But, hey, it’s still only July! Plenty of riding to do yet!
July 7, 2016
Diorama #3
Oil Thumbed Haynes manual, packet of Players No6 fags, and a well used pein hammer. Yes, it’s another scratchbuilt diorama fabricated from base plastic and wire. Scaled reality.
Based around the sublime BSA Goldstar it’s a watchmakers motorcycle restoration. Love the daylight beaming in from a roof light.
July 6, 2016
Diorama
Amazing Intricacy – a well used motorcycle workshop in miniature. As well as moto’s being worked on there are shelves of parts, walls of tools, machinery, posters and a cursing mechanic.
So much detail to explore, you can smell the oily workings or metallic contrivances. Even a corrugated roofing. I bet the Whitworth set is articulated too!
July 3, 2016
Garage gubbins
Workshop worship – on a Sunday if not road bound I’d rather be in the garage. Here’s a well lit, amply tooled, bench backed space ready to work on any two wheeled vehicle.
One day I’ll have one as good as this… One day.
June 29, 2016
You’ll wake the neighbors!
The Moggy – Tiger Cub takes her first tentative, and loud, paces along a Chicago alley. Rough engine but the gearbox shifted smartly up and down a couple of gears, clutch action light. Who says we can’t start having fun with this bike?
June 23, 2016
Hear Me Roar!
The Tiger Cub gave its first yowl tonight! Engine back in, oil lines and ignition reinstalled, exhaust pipe plumbed. A few hicks with ground but once that was disconnected an easy hoof on the kickstart and a healthy bark. A bit a coughing and spluttering. But hey! “It’s Alive!”
June 21, 2016
‘Gin ‘n’ Tonic
Gearbox buttoned up this evening. Smooth kicker action and crisp changing ‘clunk’.
Just need to put on the head with adjusted valves then drop it back in the frame. Hopefully get a firing soon!
June 11, 2016
Open heart surgery…
Ok, so I bit the bullet and opened up the engine. Trying to accomplish this without the guts spilling out. Well the cam pinion gears were synchronized at top dead center, and the valves are now snug with a smidgen of clearance, well ten thou clearance. I could use a fresh splined gear lever spindle…
June 7, 2016
I keep forgetting restoration is 99% frustration.
I need to contemplate tranquility – a zen peace of mind like a content fox. The Cub is taking a major step back. It is decided to take the whole engine out back to the bench and strip it down. Something major isn’t jiving…
June 6, 2016
Valve Job
Well, I think I may have worked out the reason for the Cub woes: the valve retaining collar was of a type with a high rim which interfered with the rocker arm action. I dug out another type which provides excellent clearance. Top photos show two types. Fitted valves back in all looking tickety boo.
June 4, 2016
It’s Alive! Not!
Not a peep. No bark, non-ignition. Looked at valve timing, ignition set-up; workshop manual settings were followed … And still no chirp. Here it sits in Deans garage with big brother Bonneville sitting nearby.
I took the cylinder head off and perhaps the valve seats have exceeded recess allowance so the rocker arms bind against the valve spring collar perhaps keeping a peep of valve open and hence zero cylinder compression…
May 31, 2016
Sunlight
Yesterday the Cub emerged from its formative hibernation. Though it didn’t kick-over due to a possible ignition timing issue it sure looked good in the sunlight. It was loaded onto Deans truck – well we’ve seen a bike in the back of the Ranger before…
May 29, 2016
Pipe Dreams
Oil Bag – with some bracket fabricating tomfoolery the Cubs oil tank is finally attached to the frame. The exhaust pipe slotted into its rightful position snugly ready to pop-pop-pop into action.
Weather permitting we may be firing it up tomorrow!
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