A new project

Just over 3 years ago I brought my new Triumph Thruxton, when I took it for a test ride the salesman that followed me on another Triumph, we stopped to have a chat when Kim (his name) told me he just brought a 74 Commando not so long ago but it was at a rebuilders place to get rebuilt, he payed $8,000 for it from BJs a British bike shop here in Brisbane, when he rode it home the primary was full of oil and was leaking everywhere, so he got one of the mechanics where he works to pull it down, he didn't even mark anything, push rods and conrods not marked where they came from.
He told me the rebuilder where he had the motor for rebuilding and I told him to watch out as I know about this builder, he takes on to much work and he be waiting a long time, also this builder has done a few of my mates old Triumphs and a BSA and they had so many problems with his work after he charged them lots of money for his work, I told Kim to go a get it and I will rebuild it for him, well after 12 months the motor was still there untouched and I told Kim that wasn't good enough and that he should go get it.
I ran into Kim at the dealers 2weeks ago and he told me he picked up the motor, so now the motor and gear box is sitting on my work bench, I now know why it filled up the primary, where the main seal sits part of the side where seal sits had a piece broken off, about 15mm or more, so now we got to get it welded, a close look at the head one of the exhaust thread is gone but the PO had welded each side of the fins and tapped two studs to hold the flanges he also did the other side but the thread is still good, the next bodgy job I found was the kick starter was fully welded to the shaft, why do people do this instead of fix it properly, other than that the rest of motor looks good it only has 15,000miles on the clock but it has had a rebore, the valves look good, but won't know till I pull it down to fix the exhaust flanges, I have a milling machine and lathe and going to make bronze inserts for the exhaust flanges.
Pics to come soon, I think I have enough knowledge to repair the flanges properly and the tooling to do it.

Ashley

Re; "the next bodgy job I found was the kick starter was fully welded to the shaft, why do people do this instead of fix it properly,"

I agree with you, however, Because the p o might be miles from anywhere and has found somebody who has access to a Mig welder……I did something similar myself once to a gear shift which had stripped its spines but it wasn’t a Norton……. :shock:

Bernhard said:

Re; "the next bodgy job I found was the kick starter was fully welded to the shaft, why do people do this instead of fix it properly,"

I agree with you, however, Because the p o might be miles from anywhere and has found somebody who has access to a Mig welder……I did something similar myself once to a gear shift which had stripped its spines but it wasn’t a Norton……. :shock:

Click to expand...

It's like anything we buy that's over 40 years old, not knowing the history, the weld on the kicker was done by a arc welder, a very nice weld but it's going to take a bit of work to grind it off as its a very deep weld, it be good to see if the lay shaft bearing has been replaced, but grinding the weld might also stuff the kick shaft and kicker.

Ashley

In today's connected world it seem impossible that anybody anywhere would be at a loss for parts for a Norton or almost any
older brit bike. You can order easily and receive your bits by carrier in short order anywhere in the world.
It seems penny wise to weld up a head rather than having it properly repaired.

The guy took Kims engine, had it for a year and never touched it.......
Unacceptable!

ashman said:

Bernhard said:

Re; "the next bodgy job I found was the kick starter was fully welded to the shaft, why do people do this instead of fix it properly,"

I agree with you, however, Because the p o might be miles from anywhere and has found somebody who has access to a Mig welder……I did something similar myself once to a gear shift which had stripped its spines but it wasn’t a Norton……. :shock:

Click to expand...

It's like anything we buy that's over 40 years old, not knowing the history, the weld on the kicker was done by a arc welder, a very nice weld but it's going to take a bit of work to grind it off as its a very deep weld, it be good to see if the lay shaft bearing has been replaced, but grinding the weld might also stuff the kick shaft and kicker.

Ashley

Click to expand...

I'd guess the kick shaft and kicker were already goosed... isn't that the most likely reason for our unknown 'resourceful' previous owner welding them together?

Anyway, lets not forget, these bikes may be 'classics' now, but for many years, they were simply old, largely unwanted, very cheap bikes. It obviously seemed like a perfectly good idea at the time!

Well we decided to give the gear box a miss for the time being, but one day I will grind the kicker off as the unknown about the lay shaft bearing, I think this bike has more miles on it than the 15k that's on the speedo and it looks like someone has been in the box as all the screw heads have some wear on the head from using the wrong size screw driver.
Have all the parts to reassemble just got to wait to find out if the crank can be welded, if not then we have to go find some replacement cases.
I am not asking Kim for any money to rebuild this motor, but he will help me to get good discounts on anything for my Thruxton, it will work both ways, he also owns 2 Bonnies one very souped up 2006 and a 2014 we have become good friends over the last few weeks and because he only works 3 days a week we will have plenty of riding time together, he lives less than 5 minutes away.
Another job I have to do is on the frame someone welded a mess for a side stand mount, he has a new side stand and new bracket, so I have to cut the bodgy job off and weld a new one, will do this in the next few days so he can get the frame back for painting, it's all striped down and ready to go.

Ashley