Hello all,
Just thought I'd introduce myself, I live in Wellington New Zealand. I bought a 56 Golden Flash on impulse a few weeks ago from the "local" version of ebay (called Trademe) and without viewing the bike. The bike had not been used on the road since 1979 but it was taken for a short "test run" a few years ago, and had been well stored in the dry.
I thought it was going to be easy to get this bike back on the road but I now know pretty much everything needs to be stripped and inspected. Never mind. At least it came with a huge bundle of spares, much of it of no use for this particular bike, but some parts might come in handy, and the rest will be sold off to placate the wife.
I had a 1959 Super Rocket when I was 16 (lived in the UK then) I can even remember the reg XOV 252, We parted ways (me to japanese bikes) as it kept breaking (4 big ends inside a year) - probably as I rode it flat everywhere and was still in the early stages of learning the art of maintenance. I've always thought of the A10 and me as unfinished business.
Anyway, this will be my first resto job (not planned) and I intend to firstly it roadworthy, have some fun on it and then work on improving the cosmetics and originality over time.
The "problems" to be overcome before it's roadworthy (so far) include:
Lower headstock housing is oval so the (new) head bearing is loose (I've not yet worked out how to fix this)
Bent frame downtubes (lower front engine spacers were missing and caused this)
Dented downtubes from a sidecar or crash bars
Swingarm spindle worn, I'm not sure yet about the frame holes (so I have to do the silent blocs job)
Front seat mount missing from the frame
Rear footrest mount needs remaking and welded on
Clutch welded yes welded to the gearbox mainshaft
Gearbox main bearing drive side worn (so a gearbox rebuild)
Timing side bush moving in and out in the rh case (so an engine rebuild, but at least its on original bore)
Cylinder head with 1.25inch bore - been gas flowed I guess
Wrong carb - it has a 389 monobloc on it from an A65
No center or side stands
and after 30 odds years every ball bearing race needs new grease....
It's going to take a few months....