John Player Special restoration project

grandpaul · Dec 18, 2015

Inside the crank was the cleanest I've ever seen (18 Norton big twin engines overhauled)

Just a bit of creamy sludge in the crank, no particulate whatsoever.

The last of the parts washing. Re-assembly will now begin, with the crank re-assembly.

grandpaul · Dec 18, 2015

Tires are original spec, I'm betting they are the actual originals.

Front and rear tires are the same size

Still a good amount of tread depth, but too dry/hard/cracked to trust for actual riding.

TT100 Dunlops are also referred to as "K81"

gortnipper · Dec 18, 2015

Decide on new tires yet?

swooshdave · Dec 18, 2015

Where were the tires made? One of mine said Made in Ireland...

grandpaul · Dec 18, 2015

Original molds I believe were "Made in England", new ones are Japan, (again, I believe)

swooshdave · Dec 18, 2015

grandpaul said:
Original molds I believe were "Made in England", new ones are Japan, (again, I believe)

I believe you are correct. So do yours say England then?

grandpaul · Dec 19, 2015

swooshdave said:
I believe you are correct. So do yours say England then?

Close...

Maybe I can make some rubber "Made in Great Britain" stick-ons...

Fast Eddie · Dec 19, 2015

grandpaul said:
swooshdave said:

I believe you are correct. So do yours say England then?

Click to expand...

Close...

Maybe I can make some rubber "Made in Great Britain" stick-ons...

They've probably still got 100% original Great British air in them too ... !

grandpaul · Dec 19, 2015

Fast Eddie said:
They've probably still got 100% original Great British air in them too ... !

I already bought 2 cans of British air and a bottle of Lucas smoke for the eventual start-up and test ride.

grandpaul · Dec 20, 2015

First small batch of new bits arrived yesterday...

Next week should be a big week, re-assembly time.

grandpaul · Dec 22, 2015

Sandy Claws has been here early. "Hepolite" (JCC) pistons

JCC makes pistons for many marketers

Stainless adjustable isolastics will NOT be original but are a "hidden" major upgrade worth every penny. Concourse judges and rivet-counters won't be able to see them.

grandpaul · Dec 22, 2015

Good quality Hastings rings to go with the JCC pistons

Rubber bits, exhaust crossover, and left sidecover/keyswitch bracket (centerstand spring is for the Green 880)

All the gaskets and seals, and a Champion oil filter. Not sure which brand were originally fitted, but this'll do (it's British, after all).

grandpaul · Dec 22, 2015

Beautiful black chrome mufflers. Too bad they don't have the gold stenciled "US, German, Japanese and British patents applied for"

I have a friend that MIGHT be able to produce the stencils. Here's hoping...

jaguar · Dec 22, 2015

This is going to be a killer bike!

850cmndo · Dec 22, 2015

grandpaul said:
Good quality Hastings rings to go with the JCC pistons

Rubber bits, exhaust crossover, and left sidecover/keyswitch bracket (centerstand spring is for the Green 880)

All the gaskets and seals, and a Champion oil filter. Not sure which brand were originally fitted, but this'll do (it's British, after all).

I'm gonna guess a Crossland oil filter. Not that it matters...

Nater_Potater · Dec 22, 2015

grandpaul said:

Mine arrived with the same label. I can't bring myself to throw it out! Instead, I'll be making a large wall clock out of it.

850cmndo · Dec 22, 2015

Nater_Potater said:
grandpaul said:

Click to expand...

Mine arrived with the same label. I can't bring myself to throw it out! Instead, I'll be making a large wall clock out of it.

I have one here marked the same. Great tread, no checking but harder than a rock. I'll hang on to it for whatever reason.

grandpaul · Dec 22, 2015

I keep these old tires to put on rolling projects and to replace totally blown out tires on some of my scruffier bikes.

It's been a few years since I've hauled a bunch of bikes to a show, but they look much better with an armor all polish job on decent old tires than really rotten dry tires with huge cracks in the sidewalls and/or chunks missing. They're okay to ride up and down our private road and from a trailer into a show venue.

I rarely ever throw ANYTHING out; it's got to be completely useless for a slapped-together parts bike for me to even consider it.