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ARIEL W/NG project


Grease monkey

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Hello to all,

let me start telling about my WN/G project. I bought a frame without the back part, engine, gearbox, saddle, oil tank and some smal stuff. I found by a member of the dutch ARIEL club a frame with the backpart but not with the engine fixation part. In the mean time i'm getting more and more parts so finaly i'm on the way to get it complete. My problem now is that the secon frame i bought(served by the RN as my engine) is bent. Some where when i put the fork in it is not in line with the central tube. Of course i have to repair the back part aswell. The other frame is ok but no back part. I have allready started with the engine revision, but due to the fact that i have two other classic bikes its not making a big progress. I put yesterday all the parts "together" to give yoy an impression.

If some one can give me some tips how to align my frame your more than welcome. For the reparation of the back i hev found plenty pictures how it should be so i hope thats not an issue.

 

Bram

WNG Bram 001.jpg

WNG Bram 002.jpg

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This will be a difficult restoration I fear........both the W/NG and 16H Norton featured 1-piece frames and if cut and/or latter modified they can be a pig to restore correctly without a jig.........cut frames need re-tubing for absolute safety and these are usually inserted into the cast frame lugs, pinned in place, and then brazed, all on a jig to ensure trueness..........

 

The Ariel owners club may be able to assist with original factory drawings with measurements, etc, but I am not certain on this.....

 

The cheaper option would be to source a 2nd-hand rigid Ariel frame, not necessarily from a W/NG but of the correct model suitable for a rigid 350cc single.......try Dranganfly, Yeomans and John Budgen in the UK to see if they can help with the supply of a rigid frame.....unless a rare model I personally wouldn't waste any time or money attempting to repair a cut frame........!! Good luck...!!!!!! :laugh:

Edited by wdbikemad
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  • 4 weeks later...

My opinion differs in that if I could repair it safely I would try ..the frame has surface corrosion and I would suggest getting rid of this to asses if the frames repairable or to heavily corroded ..You can get Rust removing Dips and Gels and I would Soak the frame in a dip and see what you are left with ...

 

At that point you can make an assesment of its strenght ..There are a number of specialist companies that can do frame rebuilds and straigthens and I would suggest getting the frame in for professional work....

 

 

Jenkinov

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My opinion differs in that if I could repair it safely I would try ..the frame has surface corrosion and I would suggest getting rid of this to asses if the frames repairable or to heavily corroded ..You can get Rust removing Dips and Gels and I would Soak the frame in a dip and see what you are left with ...

 

At that point you can make an assesment of its strenght ..There are a number of specialist companies that can do frame rebuilds and straigthens and I would suggest getting the frame in for professional work....

 

 

Jenkinov

 

I agree wholeheartedly that it's always worth considering saving original parts, but in my own case I am always governed by a budget.........a friend of mine spent well over £350 on getting a Matchless frame re-tubed, only to find that he could have bought a decent used example for half of that........his frame was away for nearly 10 months (a long story) and he'd seen these other frames at autojumbles during that period but didn't buy them.....afterwards he wished he had ! :-(

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Its always a balance ..with most of my motorbikes ..A triumph 3SW I have always struggled for parts so .My natural route is to repair , but I have a troublesome petrol tank and despite the authenticity issue would swop it for a replacement if I could ....

 

If ypu can get a frame I fully understand your decision.....

 

 

Jenkinov

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Its always a balance ..with most of my motorbikes ..A triumph 3SW I have always struggled for parts so .My natural route is to repair , but I have a troublesome petrol tank and despite the authenticity issue would swop it for a replacement if I could ....

 

If ypu can get a frame I fully understand your decision.....

 

 

Jenkinov

 

I couldn't agree more ! Always a balance between originality, price, safety and availability.........and Triumph singles in comparison to some other makes are arguably an even greater challenge.......:D

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  • 4 weeks later...

I haven't start with it yet. I have also an other frame whitch is less rusty. The only thing missing on this one is the back part. I have to see what is easier to do or repair the rusty one ore use the parts from the rusty one to make a new rear section on the less rusted frame. Maybe the last option is the best.

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I haven't start with it yet. I have also an other frame whitch is less rusty. The only thing missing on this one is the back part. I have to see what is easier to do or repair the rusty one ore use the parts from the rusty one to make a new rear section on the less rusted frame. Maybe the last option is the best.

 

Do try Draganfly, John Budgen and Yeomans in the UK though......they just may have a used W/NG or similar civvy frame in stock that may prove cheaper in the long run.......members of the Ariel owners club also often have used frames for sale.....:-D:-D

 

I just love Ariel WD motorcycles (along with Norton's).......I certainly won't ever part with mine......

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  • 1 month later...

Today i will have my cylinder back. I brought it away together with a new piston. soon at least the engine is ok. Bought also some parts for the gearbox. I'm on the way to start the project. As probertly most of you know, at the moment you want to start there's allways something which needs more and immidiately attention. So the project is again put away.:embarrassed:

Bram

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 months later...

Its difficult to sell, so i decided to build it as far as i can. I startedv to bend the rear frame and it succeded. Now i have to heat and loosen the old frame parts and use them again on the new frame. In the mean time i started to paint the parts. I found a collor wich was exactly the same as the original paint found in my frontwheel brake drum.:-) Than there was no paint left. no problem i buy the same at the same store, i tought. All prepaired had a sunny afternoon and than after al was spraid the collor was not the same:cool2: Now i going to see if i can find some at Souchez at the liberating memorial at the end of this month. I will be there with the dodge.

In the mean time trying to get my WLA gear box back into good krancking shape. After revision the kickstart keeps slipping true.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...

Gents,

 

it has been a while since i've been here. Just a small update regarding the W/NG project. 3 weeks agoo started again with the frame. I had allready made the missing frame tubes. Now i have put everything together. Waiting for the brake lug to come in and than next week it will be welded. So slowly we're getting there.

 

and Tony B maybe you're right. If you working on a project like this and build it nearly from scrap it will be hard to get rid off. An other thing is my daughter is getting her motorcycle driving license and of course she wants to drive it in Normandy.

GetInline.jpg

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  • 5 months later...
  • 9 months later...

Hello to all,

 

beeing back on track with my W/NG. Lots of work. Try to get the clutch alligned so it will not touch the casing/housing. There must be play on the mainshaft which is created by the small tube under the kick ratched. If i make the play it is not touching the housing but between the gearbox main bearing and the clutch bearing is about 2.5 mm play. If i leave this the clutch will be moving a little free but it can thouch the casing and will wear it out. I am thinking of cutting away some material.

 

Other question, does some have the messurements of the prop stand and its top fixation so i can copy it?

Tried to get pics on it but it wasn't working. Will post asap.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...
  • 3 months later...

That is absolutely inspiring.

I have had what I believe is a W/NG Ariel frame that came to me in pieces sitting in a box for years.

I pulled it all together off a table at a jumble and it seems I managed to get all of the frame.

I think it differs from yours in that it has a great big lug poking out on the top tube for what I presume is a side car mounting.

The markings on the frame are almost gone but I can faintly see a W / and perhaps an NG.  Anyway it looks just like yours and just like it at the back the tubes are all rotten.

The drop-out lugs have been cut off right at the lugs leaving me nothing to grab on to to heat them up and pull out the old tube :/

Also the whole front motor mount area has been modified by some kind of monster for goodness knows what engine. I will go out tomorrow and grab some pictures if anyone is interested. I think this frame probably has an interesting story. 

So I wonder did you mill/lathe out the rear drop-outs to fit the new tubes ( what I presume the previous hairy paws that cut them off had in mind ) or or did you heat the lugs up and extract the old tubes before putting new tubes in ?

Also did you base your jig on some drawings with dimensions or take them off the bike itself ? 

I've been looking everywhere for some basic dimensions of the W/NG frame. I feel like if I could just find a drawing of the frame from the side and the front with some measurements I might be able to save this beast.

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Damien,

nice project. Sorry for not responding earlier, i'm not that often on this forum. Comming back to to your issues, i have kept the pipes in the lugs for so far as it could. Re-inforsed the new pipe by puting an bushing insideon the welding. I did a lot with messuring on the eye by fixing the lugs and the pipes and see where to bend. I have a lot of info for the frames.  I can send tha to you. As well more info.

Brdgs Bram

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