Hi everyone this is my first posting, sorry if I get any of the workings of the forum wrong, I found the forum a few weeks ago (excellent) I wish I had found it sooner. Here is my story that got me back to my youth!!
I spent my younger days (about 45 years ago)on these bikes, and working as a bike scooter mechanic at George Clarkes in south London, spending most of my time at the Ace café and Chelsea Bridge, with the occasional bank holiday down on the south coast, loosing some good friends on the way.
I had to join the rat race in the end like every one else.(with a wife and five kids later) you know the story. You never get it out of your system.
I had to except the fact that I didn't have a chance of getting back on a bike again being content with watching and helping my sons on their modern stuff.
Anyway a friend of mine had a death in the family and they asked me to clear some bike bits out of their shed they knew I was keen on old bikes as I had seen all these bits some years before buried underneath loads junk and expressed an interest in them, the brother in law to which the all these bikes bits belonged left them there for storage, he had since died leaving his sister to sort things out, they just wanted it all gone. Everything was completely striped and in boxes and had been there for the last 30 + years. You know the story leaky shed with no door, boxes and old tea chests that the bottoms fall out when you picked them up. Anyway got it all in my truck and then home in my workshop! to sort out, what a mess, where do I start, I could see there was two frames a BSA a10 and an MZ. and boxes of engine parts and wheels, when I say engine parts I mean everything was completely stripped to the last nut and bolt with crankcases split, all mixed up MZ, with BSA. Why! Anyway the only part that was complete was the gearbox for the a10 that's when I new there was something special, it was a RR T2. It turned out that what I at first thought was an old a10 basket case turned out to be a rocket gold star, (still a basket case) but the best basket case I will ever see. It got better, as I got more involved with the numbers, it turned out to be a 1962 with matching frame and engine numbers and among the first 20 RGS's to come out of the factory in April 62, and I am well on the way retrieving the original reg. no. as all the paperwork was lost through time. Getting even better. As I continued to sort out and list the bits it turned out to be a café racer with all the Eddie Dow parts including lita fuel and central oil tank (Eddie Dow engine parts ) with twin leading shoe front brake with a full width hub on allow rimes, all in re storable condition. Also found was the crank and racing alloy con-rods, barrel and pistons (10to1) all wrapped up in grease paper reconditioned and re-board never been fitted.(gasp!!!)
I knew to restore this bike it was going to take time and money and there was a lot of parts missing like all the cycle parts mudguards ect. Also the oil tank, tool box and battery box as the central oil tank is not going back on, mag and dynamo along with other engine parts were also missing.
I did tell my friends family what it is worth and what I was going to do with it, they were still happy for me to have it for nothing knowing that it will be restored.
Update.
I am having great satisfaction in rebuilding this old girl although running a tree surgery business and a family it has to take it's place!. I only have two children at home now and a very understanding wife who has no interest in bikes of any age! She never complains about my time in the workshop or the money being spent!! (well into four figurers now and my marriage is still intact!).
The bike itself is coming on, not at a very fast pace so as not to rush it. Anyway it's a change from repairing chainsaws and wood chippers ect.
After being out of it for so long I have made a few mistakes when getting parts, I didn't realise how much new rubbish there is out there. I am very careful now and trying to stick to new old stock or re-con, a bit more expensive but on a bike like this well worth it. All bolts, wheel spindles and wheel spokes are now replaced with good quality stainless steel supplied by Lightning spares who have been most helpful in supplying many other parts also and some good advice. Clutch and primary drive are on belt now from Bob Newby Racing excellent quality it almost seems a pity to hide it in the chain case, and again he is more than willing to help out with advice. The bike is looking good on its wheels with all new chrome and polished alloy, just the top end to fit and some paintwork to do. Should be ready for the summer.
I know there is not many originals of the RGS, it would be interesting to know roughly how many are left.
I am not restoring this bike to sell on, I do intend to use it just for the pleasure and maybe take it to a few shows, before I get to old to enjoy life. If or rather when the time comes that I have to sell the bike I will make sure my good friends get something out of it..
O' yes the MZ 250, well I haven't had time to do anything with it only to separate the parts I needed for the BSA but it turns out that there are two engines (mz) and a stack of extra parts. The only thing that is missing is the seat because a fox used all the foam to line her corner of the shed to have her cubs.
Strange though she never destroyed the seat of the RGS. (a fox with taste.) And guess where the mz is now, back in a shed yes my sisters shed, probably for another 30 years waiting to be discovered by another generation.
Steve
West Sussex
