Hi Everyone,
I have been encouraged to open up and reveal myself - due to the efforts of my good friend and mentor, KiwiGF. Responses to his thread, "Breather Timing" - suggested I join up and handle my own dialogue. KiwiGF had been conducting this topic all on my behalf. Replies have been very helpful. One of the amusing ones suggested I was "an imaginary friend" - so KiwiGF sent this link:-
http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/bikes/77816816/fatherson-bond-over-vintage-bsa-motorcyclesThis newspaper article about us made me think I should call myself "Scott and Jay". The story tells of a father-and-son "team" and it's still like that.
The '58 Golden Flash is still treated as "my bike" and the Bantam "Jay's". We ride each other's however, if we just ask the "owner" first. KiwiGF is the "friend" in the article who said "humour me and swop the spark plug leads round". I have been "stalking" the forum for 9 years. I bought my A10 in 1976, but with relationship, marriage and eventually kids, it sat - partly re-assembled (in different homes), for 31 years. As soon as I contacted the BSA Owners club in 2007, here in Wellington NZ - they were round in my front yard, admiring the (basket case) "shed find in my own shed".
Anyway, my A10 claims the "bitsa" space. There is too much, visibly, non-original - alloy guards, tls front brake, stainless headers that are straighter (local maker doesn't have a pipe bender - to concentrate on restoring to concourse. It's what an "amateur" can look to get on the road and ride. We have done everything ourselves that doesn't need engineering expertise and equipment, including painting. The complete rebuild, however, has still retained anything serviceable. I kept the 8.5-1 comp pistons that were in it, at 60-thou oversize, and the original con-rods (just polished and shot-peened).
I have a big dossier of material gleaned from this forum. Orabanda poured my white-metal timing-side bush. I hope to contribute occasionally in future, more from my lessons than from expertise...
