Ron

Well I hope that gets answered! I used to buy lovely Khaki 'Messowax' for my British vehicles from R&R Services, but they stopped it in favour of horrible pea green. I would spray it on then brush it over with a soft brush when dry, every few years. Ron

Really any monograde 50 will do, but I've used Morris's Golden Film sae 40 in all my bikes for about 25 years now. It's an all year round compromise between 50 in the summer and 30 in the winter.........This is England! But I pick it up regularly at the jumbles for 16 Quid for 5 lts. https://www.morrislubricants.co.uk/golden-film-sae-50-classic-motor-oil.html Ron

I've seen that bike you're referring to Ferret and it's not as original as you think. The Foo Foo Valve that grinds the smoke is definitely post war and the valve caps are just tasteless modern things😕 Ron

Re-sprayed the tank and got the handlebar and controls fitted today. Ron

I fitted the new rear tyre and tube and the other few parts I was waiting for are here now. This is where I've got to so far. The petrol tank is the last item to prepare and spray.. Still trying to get hold of Peter Long for the field stand clips.......think I might have to try a phone call to Germany? I've fitted an original MT110 rear lamp with a single filament 21W bulb which works a treat with a £2.50 .8 ohm resistor from Honk Kong fitted in the tail lamp line. Which gives about a 8-10W glow to the tail lamp and the full 21W when the brake pedal is depressed......Wish I'd used this trick years ago!! Ron.

If it is cast aluminium, I think the repair would be best done by a professional (MIG?) welder, by breaking/cutting out the damaged area and welding it back in straight. In which case, you would have nothing to loose by having a go at straightening it yourself.....After all it already bent without cracking. I would anneal the area by getting it sizzling hot with a gas torch (don't melt it though). Back up the area with a dolly/ heavy block and see if it taps back to shape. Ron

It makes me wonder why a buyer wades in with such bids, without what seems to me to do proper research? Or perhaps they just believe what the seller writes? Of course it depends how accurate he intends to restore it. A factory correct Flea must be worth somewhere between £5-£6K.......Unless I'm behind the times? To find a WW2 engine, exhaust, carb, strangler, maze filter, headlamp, footrests, tail lamp etc etc etc. Will undoubtedly put the budget well past it current resale value.....Labour not included........But I guess if everyone is happy.........🙄 I have quite a lot of pictures if needed. Ron

I have been watching it out of interest. Ron

Yes post-war civy engine and exhaust, wrong headlamp, levers and quite a bit of other stuff too. Strange spring adaption for the normal rubber band suspension. Ron

Is this the Norton bump stops? Never heard from Rob so haven't ordered any. Can see if he has some with him. How many? Ron

OK Lex....Her name is Judith. Ron

Lex Tim bought the bike from Michel Clements at W&P a few years back. I think the previous Dutch owner had died, but the bike was used for a Dutch calendar while he owned it. Ron

You've got the biggest one I've ever seen.....ooooow Matron. Who knows were the myth will end? Canvas covered petrol tanks??😄 Ron

Graham you will need one to be a member of 'Ring Piece Club'!!! Mine's been on my M20 for 10-12 years now. I got a lady to sew some blanket stitching around the edge. No date or broad arrow! The myth is escalating.😕 Ironically my filler cap with the new leather seal I fitted years ago doesn't leak anyway. Ron

I think it's safe to say that the 'Broad Arrow' is based on the Pheon😊 Ron

Maybe the number plate on my mate Tim's Harley might interest you? Ron

Thanks for that! Just looked it up. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_arrow Ron

The circle piece around the filler cap is pretty well pure fiction. A couple of us started it years ago by refining the rough shaped piece of canvas that a DR had fitted to his tank to obviously mop up the drips. Seen in an old B&W picture taken during the war.(16H from memory) I think I have that picture somewhere and I'll post it when I find it. As more blokes have taken to doing it, we jokingly refer to them being a fully paid up member of the 'Ring Piece Club' Frank Brown has even added it to the motorcycle canvas parts he makes (email him for pictures :- ................ pegasus-drive@sky.com) I see that he is adding a date and broad arrow........I hope it doesn't turn into a folk law myth. Ron

What bike is it and how are you trying to portray it? I'm not aware that any broad arrows were stenciled onto motorcycles, but you will find help and assistance for stencils here. https://www.axholmesigns.co.uk/ Ron

A bit like the much criticized Henry Cole and his series 'Shed and Buried' I watch them all and treat the silly bits and bad acting as pure entertainment. At the very least I get to see places and equipment, and into corners that I'd never see otherwise. Also quite often learn something I didn't know about. Ron

The Chief is nearly ready for Tim to take home and finish off the bits that I don't have. Ron

Nearly everything is sprayed KG3 now, just the tank to do and a new rear tyre to purchase at Kempton. So mostly just assembly now. Ron

While I've been waiting for the Chief parts to arrive, I've renewed the small end bush, fitted the cleaned up piston with its new rings and put the freshly honed barrel on. I had to get a special hardened washer made for the valve lifter as the soft mild steel one fitted was already showing signs of distress. I also fitted a spare rebuilt mag which is not timed up yet. The steering felt a bit notchy so I decided to replace the cup and cone bearings. Good job I did strip the forks, as the spindles were full of sand blasting grit. I managed to clean it all up with white spirit a teapot spout brush and an air line, polished up the spindles and all greased and adjusted now. Back to the Indian now though. Ron

Well the parts finally arrived from Germany after Jurgen made up a fresh parcel. The first parcel is still out there somewhere? I was now able to rebuild the knackered speedo drive and get the rear wheel bolted up, trued with the front and and chain adjusted correctly. I started to fit the front brake cable, only to find he's sent the wrong inner😖 I struggled for about 2 hours fitting the exhaust down pipes. I've said it before "These are the biggest bikes in the World with the minimum amount of room to fit things" and as is often the case, someone has dented the pipe to clear the kickstart....but it still rubs!! Ron

I've been told that the switch under the saddle was to turn off the brake light during blackout conditions. Which makes sense! Lots of other countries would not have needed that facility of course. However, I don't know why they didn't just disconnect the brake light........The British made bikes didn't have them. Ron