AlfRim

On 3/23/2022 at 6:34 PM, WD Flea said:

Do you have any early parts?

Only the rubber mounted top yokes I think. I’m used to the lighter bikes, so not sure with differences between early and later parts!

Cheers

Alfie

Deleted

Just now, welbike said:

Nice Ron!  Alfie, those pictures can be ordered from Stilltime Archive, I am saving up to buy 100+ pictures.

Cheers,

Lex

Fair play! Is there the Polish welbike picture on there by any chance?

I had this one enhanced and looks like the engine is XXE 1851? Or 1351, which would make it numbered a few out from one of my bikes engines.

cheers

Alfie

Never seen that original picture Ron! Notice it’s a mk1, but with a mk2 census number

6 hours ago, Ron said:

Tagging on to Alfie's thread. Lex told me that my reproduction air pump for the fuel tank was all wrong, (they were steel not brass). He sent me an original that had some rust and holes to the pump tube. 

I repaired the tube by wrapping it with 4 thou brass shim stock which I fixed with JP Weld and 6 cable ties pulled tight until it set. A friend has a 1" x 20tpi tap which we used to tidy the thread in the cap. I'm very pleased to have an original now. 

Next little job is to attend to the stop wire for the saddle which has always been missing. Ron

Looks good!

2 hours ago, Ron said:

Love the Arnhem Bridge stand......I wan wun! 

 

Ron 

Thank you! Was good meeting you the week before last👍🏼
 

cheers

Alfie

Hello

It’s been a while since I last posted so thought I’d do an update on my frame no. 1170 welbike!

After a few months of finding the odd original part, it came to a halt and I ended up making a couple bits and buying reproduction front forks and front wheel all I could afford) so at least the bike was a roller. My dad and I ended up making the exhaust box (did not finish), brake rod and engine steady.
 

In September (2020), I found another engine, and set of wheels which I sold on to help pay for some parts. The following month, a project welbike, frame no. 1199, came up for sale which I was luckily enough to get. The bike is only 29 frame numbers out from my first welbike which is a funny coincidence! It had horrible old black paint all over it which was coming of, so it needs a complete restoration (will talk about later). Since the bike will be repainted, I decided to switch the forks and front wheel (as these had next to no black paint on) and put them on the first welbike, frame no 1170. I also switched the exhaust box, engine steady, throttle and brake rod so 1170 is all original parts and paint so far. 
 

Since the bike was nearly complete, I ended up getting a reproduction pair of fuel tanks, and silencer (thanks to Geoff at WUK). With an induction heater and hammer, I gave them a few dents and scrapes. Someone we knows who works on old vehicles,  hot rods etc so we gave them the fuel tanks to paint and weather, though they sadly never did.
 

I didn’t really do much to either of the welbikes as I was hoping for original parts to turn up. In January (2021), I was fed up of waiting so I thought I’d try and get it started. I took the head and barrel off and and cleaned the piston, bore and faces up as I didn’t want to open the crank cases as it all looked nice. Made some new top end gaskets and put it all back together. Drained all the old oil out and put new in. We tried to get it going with a drill and it puffed out smoke twice, and started up for about 2 or 3 seconds which was a big achievement! Decided it needed a new coil and condenser. After this, It started up for the first time since the 40/50s and ran beautifully! Since the original throttle mount is not on the bars, I’ve had to use a lawnmower thumb throttle, which works nicely, though I will switch to the correct throttle at some point. I didn’t want to weld a new mount on due to the original paint.
 

Fast forward to April. After waiting for the tanks to be painted, I ended up asking for them back as they kept saying they’ll do them next week but never did. In June, I decided to age them myself and think they came out well. The bike is now pretty much complete! It bump started first time and rode very well. The bike starts very easily, especially by spinning the rear wheel instead of running and bumping. Since then, I’ve been to a couple shows and it’s great to ride. It sounds very good too. It keeps having different issues with wanting to run, or the clutch needing to be adjusted every time it gets hot. But I keep finding and fixing these little issues (apart from the clutch but I think I know why). Normally, it’s just learning how this bike wants to run, such as having to turn the fuel off when you stop, and once you have it running again then turn the fuel on otherwise it floods it! Also, I think I’ve finally decided to weld on the handlebars instead of a making a clamp for the throttle but I need to buy the mount.

The last couple months, I’ve been working on the other welbike, frame no.1199. Ive completely stripped the bike and engine. And have bead blasted the frame parts. I’m about to start on the engine. Then it’ll be onto painting and rebuilding with new parts. I still need original parts but since it’s being repainted, reproduction parts will be fine for now. But I need to buy more parts but have not got the money currently. I’ll probably do some posts on that one also. Might as well ask, if anyone has any parts, please message me!

Regarding paint from my last post, I’ve realised that the bike first came out the factory green (like a normal mk1), then went back and painted brown. It is exactly the same on no. 1199, green and then brown. They both also have a mk2 style steering column so a certain amount on the late Mk1’s must’ve went back, or never left and updated. I’ve also realised that a lot of the Welbikes in the Polish training photos (I’ll attach one) are late MK1’s with the filler cap on the left side. They have the excelsior logo on the steering stem which is a mk2 trait. So there’s a chance these have been repainted brown like mine. I started looking at the census numbers but the picture below is the most clear pic I can find. The closest welbike, I think the number is ‘C4659654’ but can’t tell exactly. But if this is the correct number, it means it is roughly 9 out from my frame 1170, and 18 out from frame 1199! So mine could be there, but who knows. Nothing is for certain
 

I’ll attach some pictures below of  frame no. 1170… also, the Polish pic and an Arnhem bridge stand I made for it!

I know is a long post, but its more of a log for myself to read in the future!

cheers

 Alfie

8 hours ago, Artifficer said:

Do you need a plate like this? £25 made to order.

I’ll most likely be keeping the current brass plate on!

thank you anyway👍🏼
 

Alfie

2 hours ago, wally dugan said:

the wartime number is as you say is X 6213778

Thank you. It must’ve stayed in the factory, or used old parts then.

cheers

alfie

2 minutes ago, wally dugan said:

This is one those if questions if your trailer remained in service after ww2 then it would have had a new style number post 1949 most of these trailer had new numbers in the  00 YK 01 TO  30 YK 40 and in some case's the numbers were stamped into the metal chassis frame . If you find a number like this then a search of the no 2 key cards held by the RLC MUSEUM will shed a little of its history including a ww 2 number AS l said it's all about IF's

Funny enough, I’ve just got the key card! I’ll attach a picture below. So is the original wartime X number 6213778? If so, it means this was in the S8055 contract with the no1 MK2’s (though my trailer is a no1 mk1)

Hello,

My no1 mk1 ss cars trailer is sadly missing the original data plate. Is there any other way to find out the original numbers? I’m going to see what’s underneath the latest paint but I doubt there will be anything sadly

many thanks 

Alfie

28 minutes ago, welbike said:

Here's the other one.

Cheers,

Lex

This one as well..

thanks

Alfie

On 6/27/2020 at 8:46 PM, welbike said:

OK, I don't know those codes, so no idea what colour it is. 

My wheel is painted with paint made from the handlebar sample, looks spot on when you hold it next to it. Exhausts never ever black, same for MKII's. See picture of a MKI.

Might be getting some more NOS Carrier tyres in, but you won't like the price!

Then another thing you don't read in books, about half of the MKI contract that weren't delivered yet, went back to the factory, to have the near side petrol tank retrofitted with a filling opening, and cap, as the multi-tool often got lost, and then it was near impossible to fill the tanks.

Cheers,

Lex

Hi Lex,

do you know the name of the person riding the welbike by any chance?

cheers

Alfie

6 hours ago, Ron said:

I agree with Jenk, Alfie. I can't think of a reason that a workshop during the war would have made such changes when the bike was virtually brand new and proper spares were easier to obtain than making changes. Ron 

Yes, I agree with you both. Now the decision to either cut it off and make it correct, or leave it as it’s part of its history. 

During the war they would’ve most likely thrown it away and found another bike! 
 

Cheers

Alfie

12 hours ago, jenkinov said:

Hi Alfie 

In the post war period spares for these vehicles were very hard to get and I am confident these are post war and civilian modifications to keep the bike running ..

.whilst it's relatively easy to get most spares today there was a long period where bikes of this type had low value ..spares where hard to locate and modifying them to keep them running was simply the only choice ...

As a child I wanted a welbike and was aware my grandfather who had a motorbike shop could locate them ..I saw other  children riding them and was desperate to get a - mini bike but he thought I should have a proper bike and my brothers and sisters shared  an 98cc  excelsior consort as our field bike .

I still have the consort but it's value is negotiable in comparison with a welbike today

Jenkinov

 

 

Hello,

that is what I thought too. I was thinking it could possibly be wartime because I think there’s brown paint on it! But I agree, most likely post war. 
 

It’s nice that you still have the consort. Hopefully you’ll keep it for many more years! 
 

cheers

Alfie

Hello

Im a bit confused about my welbike. The original handlebars has had the bit for the clutch, and for the throttle cut off. You can still see the weld marks from where they were. I was thinking about it and could the person who owned this welbike used normal motorcycle grips and levers? It was last used in the 40s/50s. The rear wheel brake assembly has also been modified for a cable instead of the normal brake rod. What’s everyone’s thoughts? 
 

Im thinking about cutting the brake parts off and making it correct, then welding the bits back on the handlebars but it seems like a wartime fix, plus its part of the bikes history which I would be losing. 
 

kind regards

 Alfie

On 5/24/2020 at 2:53 AM, jenkinov said:

Hi Alf i was surprised no one had answered your question but having started to write a reply realised that a simple question could in a hugely long reply ..there are so many ways in which people restore bikes from a full makeover to leaving the patina original and untouched ?....it's is that personal preference that makes it very hard to advise...

I recently read a great article on restoring classic bikes that I would refer you to ..motorcycle preservation and restoration part 2 at vintagemotortees.com

Let me comment that my restoration style is minima! ..I really love patina light and heavy and have a just in time strategy on maintenance ..however as a young man trying to run cars i came to hate rust and my rule of thumb is to kill all active dust regardless of impact to paintwork ..I use kurust and am aware that it changes the colour of paint ..

So option 1 leave it alone and enjoy the patina

Option 2 is to apply an oil or grease to

Rust proof the item and again  leave it

Option 3 is to lacquer it as is and preserve it

Option 4 is to return it to factory as  new condition

With all these options test the impact on a discrete part of the item and check you like it before proceeding

Jenkinov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Jenkinov,

I will go have a look at the article!

I also like to leave my things as original as can be. This welbike will be staying exactly how it is. The plan is to just get her running once I find some original welbike parts like the front wheel, forks etc. I think I will leave the flaky paint how it is for now. I’m only going to be taking it to shows and doing the odd ride, other than that it will sit in my room with my other airborne items! If the paint on the carburettor starts flaking off badly, I’ll then decide but I have no need to rust proof it so it should be fine. The original paint on the rest of the bike is perfect and not flaking off gladly!

 Thanks for the help

 Alfie

Hello,

I have a welbike which has all the original paint still on it. It’s not really flaking off anywhere else but the carb is. Should I spray some clear paint over the carb to try and preserve it or will that react badly with the paint? Also, it might not stick resulting in more coming off. 
 

any help appreciated!

cheers
Alfie

1 hour ago, welbike said:

OK Alfie, Usually there's no lubrication oil thingy on MKI's, so the front could have been changed out. Your C number on the tank was C4659640, the engine number was about XXE1343, but that cannot be calculated.

It's a nice find, but getting original parts will be difficult, did your father already email me about this?

I'm restoring 5 more at the moment, after that no more I hope!

Cheers,

Lex

Ah okay, didn’t know that! Trying to free up the steering my stem swivel thing at the moment as it’s locked. Also, I forgot to add the engine number, only 41 out! It will be, hopefully we will find some more bits where this was found. 
 

I think he might’ve. I think I asked via FB but can’t remember. Always room in our house!

cheers

Alfie

4 minutes ago, welbike said:

Frame is MK 1, easy to see, steering column, does it have a little oil V at the front where it swivels?

Cheers,

Lex 

Hello Lex,

it is definitely a MK 1. Frame number is 1170 so towards the end of the first contract. It does have the little oil V on the steering column. Sadly I don’t have the fuel tanks yet! The bike is green and brown all over.

Also, I might’ve confused people by saying ‘complete barn find’. I meant a genuine barn find but not complete! 

cheers

Alfie

Hello,

I have recently bought a 1942 welbike and would like some advice. It is a complete barn find and had not seen the light of day since the 1940/50s. There are parts missing which we hope to find amongst the other things this person has. My question for now: The bike has been painted twice, once green and then brown. Both colours seem wartime. It’s easiest to be seen on the bars, pictured below. Could of this been used for an operation and once completed, repainted brown and re-used?

Also, I’m not going to repaint it. I’m leaving it how it is.

All the best, Alfie

15 minutes ago, johann morris said:

Hello Alfie and welcome,

 

I like the DKW, it's very nice indeed.

 

Jon

Thank you Jon!

8 minutes ago, ashley said:

Welcome Alfie,

                                interesting range of vehicles what makes you think the DKW IS Afrika Korps?

be interesting to see it .

cheers

Ashley

 

Hello Ashley,

yes! I bought the tractor a few years ago, then the DKW last year and I collect british airborne Militaria mainly so I bought the welbike.

heres the DKW: the whole front end, along with some other parts are yellow under the black which is completely different to the normal tan.  I’ve only seen this shade on afrika korps vehicles!

1 hour ago, 2691H said:

Hi Alfie

Welcome to this site, very nice to see a 19 year old interested and owning old military vehicles. You will find years of experience here if you require help also loads of interest in what you are doing, pictures  always go down well.

Regards Mick

Thanks Mick👍🏼

Hello!

my dad is also on this website and said I should join,

My name is Alfie and I’m 19. I have a 1938 ex-afrika korps (I believe) DKW RT100, a 1950 TED Ex-military Fergie and have recently bought a 1942 mk1 welbike.