Ron

The sad part is Chris, that the guy is 12-13 years younger than me. I must thank my lucky stars! Ron

After a 2 month wait for the saddle to be re-covered, I just heard that the poor guy has had another two heart attacks and can no longer work. So an 80 mile round trip today to reclaim it and now negotiating with http://www.rk-leighton.co.uk/ to undertake the work with the material that I will provide. Ron😕

This is what we are looking at Rik. Jan tells me that the difference in shade between the rim and shell is black....and who am I to argue?  Ron

Well Jan has whispered in my ear that the headlamp rim should be black. So that was my mistake and I've  resprayed it. Sometimes a slightly different shade of grey in B&W photos is not that obvious! Ron

I had it running again today for about 15-20 minutes and did some adjustments to the carb. The internal pull twist grip works exactly as it should but the action of these is not to my own personal liking. The gears are all clicking through nicely. 

It's now just held up awaiting the new saddle cover.  In the meantime I've parked it up under 'Crazy Horse'  Ron

I collected the exhaust system from the blaster on Wednesday. I've sanded, sprayed and fitted it. I think it's as good as a 78 year old exhaust is going to be. 

These early WD Royal Enfield's had a headstock transfer which I'll fit tomorrow.

I'm just waiting for the saddle to have it's new cover made, but I heard that he'd become ill and was taken into hospital. He's out of hospital now and convalescing at the moment.  Ron  

I have just a few pictures of RAF 741's and I don't think there was anything specific about the markings. I guess it was just decided at unit level.  They did seem to often display a roundel. The bikes would have been supplied in service colour. (US Olive Green?)

The inspection picture in Jerusalem in 1945 is probably post war and by now it looks to me as if they have painted the left side of the tank in shiny blue with a roundel (anxious to show their true colours I expect) With a serial number on the white tips of both  mudguards.  

If I was going to depict my 741 as RAF (and it could well be?) I would paint a roundel on each side of the tank with a black serial number on white on the mudguards. No RAF records survive, so it's make it up time. The numbers that I can see in the Jerusalem picture are RAF 10108? - 10010? - 99263?   Ron

The Jaeger speedo cable arrived today.  Ron

Even Hitchcock's get it wrong sometimes Chris!

I hear comments often from guys who run with no oil in the chaincase "Because it always leaks straight out" But I've fitted chaincases to most makes with success and I always put oil in. The thinking that it doesn't need oil (like the rear chain) is erroneous.  The primary chain is running 3-4 times faster than the rear chain and in an enclosed hotter environment. 

Show me a bike that doesn't leak a bit of oil, and it's probably Japanese Ron

Tank fitted and heart pounding I added some petrol. The left side NOS tap was weeping all night so I had to drain the tank and re-cork the tap this morning. With that done there are no apparent fuel or oil leaks now.

The exhaust system is next on the agenda , But I decided to kick the engine over anyway. It fired on the first prod and then died immediately.  This continued for a dozen kicks or so, until I gave it some choke, and it then fired up and continued running on a fast choked tick over until I pulled off the choke and it then ran quite smoothly, all be it noisily

However I'd momentarily forgotten that these are slack wire advance so I'd started and ran it on full retard. 

I'll attend to the exhaust before a re-start. Ron

Ha Ha! Good to hear from you Jan-Willem... 2 year old son! How on Earth did that happen?...... Are you wearing one of those ten gallon hats now and ditched the clogs for cowboy boots?

Yee Haa! Ron

The primary case seal arrived and fortunately I didn't need to cut it down.  I glued  the bottom edge with 'EXTREME' silicone and wedged it while it set.... to stop it drooping. Then lots of grease smeared all round the seal to ease the cover on. 

The crankcase, gearbox and chaincase are all topped up with oil with no signs of any leakage..........Yet!  Ron

Mine is quite a late contract bike from 1944. I did it in desert trim......Just to have something different. I have lots of pictures on file and can take more if required. But might be a good idea to take Jan-Willem up on his offer to make contact......and raid his garage. I think he's in Texas.  Ron

No head gasket is used on a 3HW. The head should be lapped onto the barrel with valve grinding paste by swiveling it backwards and forwards until an even, mat grey finish is produced to both surfaces.  

Ron

Andy, If I'd wanted easy, I'd have been a Pharmacist or something Ron 

The wiring is finished and all working and I've fitted more parts. 

Hitchock's phoned to say that the primary seals are in stock, so that's on it's way with a couple of other final parts, and the speedo cable is on order. The saddle is still away having its new cover made. Ron

Ha Ha Jan. I was nearly going to ask you about the speedo cable. I think your first one was 1/2" too short. But I have the advantage of being able to confirm it with JJ by phone before manufacture.

I try to make it like a story book with pictures. Great minds think alike!  Ron

We have lights!! Just the horn to finish wiring in to complete that task.

I've bead blasted the bright chrome rims of the refurbished speedo, ammeter and new stainless switch panel screws.. I'll measure up accurately and order a cable for the Jaeger pattern speedo.  Ron

I've just heard from Hitchcock's. Allan says they've had a run on the rubbers and new stock should be in be end of week.  

Jan. please carry on with the BSA stuff at your leisure.  Ron

Thanks for the heads up Chris. This bike didn't have an original to study! It just had a piece of foam rubber glued around the inner case. I'm waiting for an update from Hitchcock's on availability, in the mean time Jan has offered to loan me a new one to be replaced at a later date.  Ron

Now I see that Hitchcock's don't have the primary case rubber seal in stock.....Bugger! Anyone know if the 16H seal will do or if available?   Ron

Whew! Thanks Jan. I didn't want a bollocking off Ben!!  Ron

Nice one Jan. Only real difference I notice, is Ben's top shelf of the number plate is angled down to meet the original holes?: I had to bend it down which doesn't seem right. But the plate and the holes are original, apart from it being all bent and twisted when I received it and I never saw it attached to the bike originally......Anyone got a picture? .....Out of interest.  Ron

Even better with the back mudguard fitted.

I think I need to concentrate on finishing the wiring next!  Ron

Cracking on now! I've been building up the rear end, clutch and primary drive. It's been taking a while to work out which nuts and bolts go where. Ron