swinger time...

Its gonna be a Swinging Year

or is it...

no nonsense tough shov

from oldstfblog/murrey baxter site

Wholy holy...

Christines caliper

ain't so heavy now

crowfoot...

I got this crowfoot extension for my torque wrench so I can torque my heads, I'd use it on the cylinder base but not enough room. Could grind it like my 9/16th chevy door spanner but I think I can get along just fine with the spanner for the cylinder base. You need to adjust your wrench to the following calc I found here:
http://www.norbar. com/calculators/torque-wrench-extension-calculator.aspx

M1 = M2 x L1 / L2
Where:
M1 is the torque setting of the wrench.
M2 is the actual torque applied to the nut
L1 is the normal length of the wrench
L2 is the extended length of the wrench

big mistake

these make my bike look crap

after spending ages looking for some second hand forwards and trying to put together the old style type I panicked and ordered these with the last remnants of my card. Fuck what a mistake.

finally, thirteen weeks later...

 christine

 got

 her 

 new

 outfit

slightly flawed, but so's she  

you wanna put a banging donk on that pal...

 malcoms hole set

can cause problems

half your bike may be left down the road

its a disease

bitchin shim...

 a multi-tasking brewsky

trace that pattern bro

 cut the mutha to shape

and voila - a bitchin shim for my engine mount

stolen from 'Wrenchs' tips from back in the day

only prob is the fucking gearbox will not line up with the inner primary 

when bolted to the engine

hmmm, seemed ok before, but not fitted by me on the early frame build - bugger.

Swinger time

from backstreet buckets

Its gonna be a Swinging Year

or is it...

Wholy holy...

'Malcoms' Special  Hole Cutter Kit 

- fuck knows what I'm gonna do with it!

And an expensive large round heavy thing that was missing after my engine build 12 years ago supplied from stock! by Cycle Haven

badda bing...

 she's got to have it

brass dress up kit from Old Stf Cycle

found in 12 year old pack of flora margarine...

 My thirty year old 'woodruff key' found after twelve years in a flora margarine pack at the bottom of a big old cardboard box after a couple of hours of increasingly panicky searching!

And after realising I would need a bearing support of some kind (removed by somebody) and those special tab washers for the drive sprocket - and clutch, that if not put on properly will allow one's clutch basket to fall off in the middle of nowhere - haha - but thats another story.

Funny, they arrived today first post the day after ordering from the lovely Angela @ Cycle Haven yesterday but the rotor ordered and sent the day before won't be here till monday earliest - still with me? - post - schmost. 

gorgeousness...

 the cone head shovel is

one gorgeous looking engine

don't try this at home without supervision...

New-fangled expensive metal and rubber gaskets 

for todays shovel builder - no sealant req'd

Today reminded me of early scooter days, the confidence of youth - fitting the piston and rings without a compressor -  still, kept the lambretta parts man happy - haha. 

Made me sweat today though (even with a compressor tool)...

and who spent a couple of hours taking the rockers apart and doing a bit of grinding when the rear rocker cover wouldn't fit and then discovered the he'd fitted the front cover on the rear? 

lowbrow land speed

 bloody fast delivery too 

and isn't that 'trawlers' shovel on their leaflet?

shovel downunder...

 Rogers shovel, NSW Australia

 he's been running a BDL unit for over a year now

Rogers tale:

' I was offered a rolling chassis which consisted of a chrome moly frame using original castings, 18in Akront alloy rims, a 2in over springer and the tinware as painted. A 71 Shovel 1200 motor was added along with a new Revtech 4 speed box.......all the other odds and sods were worked out over the build. It's registered as a 1941FL. I've made a few subtle changes already and more in the works, it's a great bike to ride and I use it most days including to and from work.' 

Nice bike Rog, 
how's that front brake, is that the 1941 bit - haha

(guess the reg must must be down to the 1941 castings)  

- stickers on their way mate, cheers

repent unbelievers...

 and on the 30th day of the twelth month, the engine is back in! 

thanks paul...

there's that fat bloke again - and holding my dog too!

the black stuff...

 While the world watched the wedding, I called Elliott @ Eltec. 

I just new he would be open, so off to Heathrow

 along refreshingly empty roads and picked up some more of my bits.

One thing, getting powdercoat isn't like chroming, they bead blast but don't polish unless you ask.

I didn't think about it, so my stuff ain't perfect, just saying. 

She's not a show bike. 

'so is IT going to be on the road this year'...

Todays package  - took 21 days, cheaper to order here rather than direct from the states this time.

New-fangled metal base gaskets - but the bloody prices! Of course you have to get them separately cos they are just the old paper ones in the new topend firering set.

So when people ask me the question - when? 

I've stopped wincing - its gonna have to take its course.

Parts req'd : Alternator rotor, foot controls, hand controls (using originals for now, maybe the old mids too) front caliper (may have to use the original crap), wiring, cables, brake hoses, headlamp and a seat.

Bugger.

and 19 days later...

 BDL clutch and belt drive arrived today

direct from kentucky usa, saving nearly £150 on the euro price

fun and games to come ... 

seen at least three articles on bust belts that seem fitted correctly

 ...don't happen with chains

now where are the gaskets for my engine?

 there's another bloody bank holiday coming up!

fats where its at, but lean is mean...

Iconic ad from back in the day...

and back then I thought that bike was the nuts

...and I still do 

I think they are long gone now, anyone know bacc story?