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Petrol head thread!!!

Started by billy rubin, October 29, 2019, 10:41:33 PM

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Icarus


Tank

If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Asmodean

...so that's how he out-ran that there *point* wave crashing down on all them people?!

Makes sense. :smilenod:
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

billy rubin

yet another Motorcycle That I Would Own If I Were Rich.

thi s is a 1966 BSA spitfire mark 2.

this is the fastest superbike of the 1960s, arguably running 120 mph stock. this one is for sale.

i havent asked the price.









a stunningly beautiful example of this phase of motorcycle design. the spitfires were the pinnacle of BSAs development over many, many years. 653 cc vertical twin, four speed, high compression, hot cams, the whole thing. this particular motorcyle is stock, with the original GP2 carburetters.

just the carburetters and the remote matchbox float assembly are worth US$1500 these days. this motorcycle in the condition its in is worth about US$10,000. th ecarbs have never had fuel in them. the tank has never had fuel in it. its a restored, uniused, unstarted perfect example of its kind.

if i owned it i would run the shit out of it at the races in the pure production class, and it would get muddy because i would run it every day from home until i couldnt start it any more.

this is a spectacular museum piece, as is, and is totally worthless unless you thrash it as its designers intended it to be thrashed.

you only live once.



"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

billy rubin

i actually do have a 1966 BSA 650, this venerable thunderbolt.



mine is not pristine, runs on one old 30mm concentric carburetter, has such poor compression that it only goes 65 mph at screaming top end, and currently is waiting for me to open up the primary drve to see what is wrong with the clutch. but unlike the spitfire, thjis one i own, and can ride.

so theres that.


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Tank

Both those bikes are beautiful.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

billy rubin

BSAs were gorgeous.

they were problematic inside though. primitive oil pumps, plain main bearings instead of balls or rollers.

but the 1960s stuff had much more thoughtful cylinder heads than triumph's 1930s relics.

dunno why i keep beating them at the races. maybe i just have a more conservative development programme


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

jumbojak

Buy it and push it to the limit billy.

"Amazing what chimney sweeping can teach us, no? Keep your fire hot and
your flue clean."  - Ecurb Noselrub

"I'd be incensed by your impudence were I not so impressed by your memory." - Siz

billy rubin

#413
lol

i spend all my money on my kids educatiln these days. but im buying a lottery ticket tomorroe and if i win i will buy that spitfire.

and that 1938 HRD vincent series A thats farther up this forum.

dont need a brough superior. thats too hoity toity for me


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Icarus

That Beezer is scrumptious looking Billy. 

If I had it I would not put fuel in it either...or oil.  I'd leave the oil out on account of not wanting to have oil leaked onto my garage floor. Damned Limey crocks of that era had not yet figured out a way to not use kraft paper gaskets.

Not an exclusive BSA disgrace however. It was not uncommon to see cookie baking pans under Harleys in the dealer show room. Back in the day it was a routine chore to Gunk ones Harley on weekends.

Gunk was an essential item for most of the motorcycle world.  It was a solution of creolic acid (?) that dissolved grease and oil when sprayed with water. Gunk smelled good to motor head types.  sniff..sniff...aaaah!


Dark Lightning

Yes, those are some really nice looking bikes!

Icarus, I think that you meant cresylic acid, the strongest known organic acid of that era? Cresols were bad news for grease. Shell used it in their gasoline as "TCP"- Tri-Cresyl Phosphate. One could always tell when people ran Shell gasoline, as it left yellow deposits on the spark plugs, eventually fouling them. It was used to scour the tetraethyl lead (used as an anti-knock compound) deposits from the valves and combustion chambers.
My dad used to bitch about my Harley marking its spot in his garage.  8)

Tank

I remember Gunk and I remember that smell!
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Icarus

Thanks for the correction DL. We can still buy Gunk branded solution but it is not the same as the original.  The newer concoction does not work nearly as well as the old stuff.

In fact there is little need for specialty products of that kind. Strong soap will do the job nicely. Powerhouse soaps have names like Purple Stuff, Simple Green, and other cute names.

billy rubin

um, my shop floor has oil under everything i own except the buell and the kawasaki. the oil under the 441 Victor actually runs across the floor to the drain.

the BSAs and the norton also wet sump so badly all the engine oil drains to the crankcase and makes a mess until the scavenge pump clears it out


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Icarus

Improvement of manufacturing machinery made it possible for parts to fit more precisely. Something like a primary case has a lot of area that needs to be sealed efficiently. Modern bikes, using modern machinery make the interfaces of those parts near perfect. No leaks.

Even Harley has gone to machinery that can produce exceptionally precise surfaces that will not allow oil leakage.

My long time friend, who recently died, had several Honda VFRs,a silver wing, two Honda Hawks, a Suzuki 350 single, and a sweetheart little triumph 500.  They have been unused, in his air conditioned barn for  10 years. The only oil I see on the floor is under the little Triumph. Modern Triumphs do not have that characteristic. The Brits also have modern machinery these days.

I wonder why I like the little Triumph better than the clearly superior Honda and Suzuki bikes.