Snowbeard's :Update: '57 Spitfire Scrambler!: project

[a10 gf]

Hi Snowbeard - vertical split cases don't have to leak,

Indeed, if nobody has butchered the flanges thay never leak. I have some impression that most leak problems comes from the chaincase.

[snowbeard]

oh, good to hear!  I haven't cleaned off what is leaking, so it's hard to say.  it is the left side that get's the drops on the floor, makes sense it would be the chaincase.

G/F dave, I didn't realize when you told me these were the best wheels that you were also telling me they aren't stock on my bike, I was just happy they were good! 


My plan is to get it running first and foremost, then start picking on the details as I go.

thank goodness I can access this forum online, otherwise I might get some of the work I'm paid to do done?!?!! 

[snowbeard]

well Mister Moderator,  I think I need another title change 

from all the sources I can find, namely the bsaoc identification list from Daniel Boss's link, and leespeedracing's spitfire history page, I have a 1957 (or 1958) Spitfire Scrambler, modified or not has yet to be determined. 

The reason I wonder on the year is that the engine number is a lower serial than the 340 that the 1958 started with, only by a few tho, and it is in the 300's.  so it makes me wonder if it was one of those in-betweener models, where they still had some 57 wheels and parts to use, but wanted to release it as the 58?  or, hope of all hopes, it might be one they sent over early for some special rider/customer...

and someone was right when they said that A65 was a thunderbolt, it is A65T on the engine and frame, matching too!  maybe that one's worth rebuilding as well, but we'll see at some other point.

[snowbeard]

well I haven't been around on here much. but I wanted to share.  Finally got thru most of the troubles, those which I've identified at least, and the bike is running great!!  I've had it out a few days now and it just keeps running better and better.

just for a list of what the bike needed to run well, so far I've replaced, fixed, procured, added or made:

*new drive chain,
*new rear wheel bearings with modern sealed bearings,
*verified the rectifier is working, as is the generator, amazingly enough. 
*new battery
*changed the handlebars,
*and the seat. 
*fitted a pancake filter on it,
*and a fiber carb spacer to reduce heat transfer to the carb. 
*replaced gaskets on the primary, timing cover, and tranny. 
*replaced the kickstart ratchet and return spring,
*adjusted the valves,
*cleaned the oil delivery to the top end,
*tightened all the head and rocker box bolts to reduce the oil leaks from the rocker box
*soldered the screen back into the sump plate,
*and patched a hole in the oil tank filter screen.
*replaced the tail lamp lense and bulb,
*replaced the plug wires,
*replaced the oil line, fuel lines
*replaced the ewarts petcock, and what the heck ever that other hunk of water valve was bodged on the reserve side with some newer ones.  not fully period correct, but clean and easy.
*patched the electrical wiring that was burned
*made a spacer clip ring to the kickstart to help keep the bushing inside the cover
*new footpeg rubbers and kickstart
"*cheap" repop badges
*made a cover for the tach drive, which I removed for now since I don't have a tach or a cable
*and added a drip tray of my own making
*polished and cleaned immensely, with still a long way to go.
*"sealed" up the leaky exhaust at the head, at least the badly leaking one...
*made up cables to run the clutch, the throttle, choke and front brakes using bicycle cable housing and cables. I need to replace that brake cable with standard issue, but the others are great, never had a smoother pulling throttle!
 

*the biggest one was replacing the magneto!! thanks to Don in CA, who generously set me up with an all original '54 K2F with a manual advance endplate and spark(for now )!!  after at least six attempts, one of which only served to show that I had a slack-line advance...   got lucky and had a left handed lever, tho not the "long" lever, and procured a cable assembly

man, I've been wanting to see the laundry list for awhile now, that's a lot of fettling!!!  but she pulls hard now, idles well (I think, I have no reference, but she idles) shifts cleanly, even stops pretty well, and I've had neither brake open.

here she is as she sits today!







with the really tatty old bags I devised for it, they sling over and hold on with a wingnut clamp setup.  the inside of the bolts is covered by 1" webbing so the heads don't scratch the fenders. 


well thanks for all the help and encouragement, I'm really happy to have met you all, and I doubt I'm really anywhere near done, with all that work, there's still plenty for me to ponder. 

happy ridin!!!