A little dive into the gearbox

The kickstart shaft splines are worn - serves me right for keeping on buying cheap kickstarts in the '80s. So, a new kickstart shaft and kickstart have been bought - genuine parts - so time to swap it out.
The gearbox was o.k. last time it was on the road. I remember changing a few bushes and the bearings. Layshaft bearing was changed for a roller type, the original being a well known commando weak spot. I'm not going to do any other gearbox work just now, that'll wait until next winter.

Outer cover off

Breaker bar and 1/2" Whit socket - everything is whitworth on the gearbox.

How to hold the rear brake on when you don't have a foot brake pedal (its at the chromers in Hull!). Ratchet strap onto the brake cable connector, other end on front frame cross member. Gearbox into top and get busy with the breaker bar. 

New kickstart shaft fitted

Close up of inner casing and new kickstart shaft.

The shell on mine isn't a commando one, from the numbering on it it's pre 1962!!.(N prefix). Post 1962 have a NA prefix before the number, and commandos have the engine number stamped across the top lug. Inner & outer covers and the gearclusters are commando though

New gasket set and a pint of EP90 required for the rebuild.

Chroming

A few bits of chromed items looking decidedly past their best so off they come and away to the chromer they go if the price is right.
Both footrests, the gear lever, rear brake pedal, and the rear grabrail. All still ok functionally, but could look prettier. Don't want to get carried away as its not going for a concourse prize.
Estimates come back reasonable from a place in Hull - except for the grab rail which I won't bother doing. Its not too bad actually, but the rechrome cost is more than a new one!!.The rest of the stuff comes out at around 30% of replacing with new. I don't want to replace anything as it then doesn't stay the same bike if you know what I mean. At least most stuff will remain original even it it has been fettled or refreshed shall we say.



Pic sent to chromer for quote, hence the ruler for scale. Around £140 for evrything except the grab rail., all the work is in the prep

The caliper gets it

Plan B enacted, and a nut welded onto the caliper plug. 20 minutes at 200 degC in the oven, a flogger and a smack with a 2lb hammer sorts it - plug removed.

20 minutes at 200, gas mark 6

Leave to cool

Size of flogger is critical - we don't need this one

And this one can stay in the toolbox as well today

Theres a hole in my tank

Well, an extra hole as there's supposed to be some!
John from Vale Paints ran Saturday - he was in special to grit blast the petrol tank and found a nasty surprise when he removed the left hand rubber mount. Theres a crack around the stud mounting but its not a problem 'do you want me to get it welded up, I know a bloke.....' he says. Does all my tanks for me he says, I do I says. Crisis averted and saves me looking around for a welder to Tig my tank.

Don't push that tie wrap too far in you'll never get it out

Also had the carbs apart and the slides are well worn. Couldn't quite work out how worn the bodies were until Chris B turned up with a brand new anodised slide out of his BSA to fit and see what the slop was. We decided between ourselves it wasn't too bad as it happens, so new slides and an overhaul kit all thats needed.

 

Like a ploughed field

The seat has also had some attention - the old cover has hardened and cracked so I've got a replacement Viper seat cover. However it doesn't have a replacement pillion strap so I've asked them why not? The seat foam is past its best, so my mate Willy has a mate who upholsters bike seats so he's pointed me in the direction of trying to get an injection moulded seat foam and he'll fit the cover for me. Failing that he'll do it old school and cut and mould some foam to suit. The seat base is in very good condition and doesn't need anything doing except perhaps a tart up with some paint

 

Managed to get an old steel cupboard to act as shelving for the bits & bobs coming off the bike so I don't lose them all over the garage. It was originally 2m high so too long to get in the back of the Shogun, so off came the last 10 inches to make it fit - same number of shelves just means the highest  one dosen't have a top. The last 10" followed the doors into the skip.

Look..... all tidy

Going to order some more bits tonight - kerching for Messrs RGM & Andover Norton.

Paint job



As you can see, the paintwork is not the best, although this was done about 25 years ago by a mate for about £30, and I did the decals and pinstripe (should be a double for 850's, but I liked it with a single)

So, the tank & panels are with John at Vale Paints, and he's going to work his magic over the next 3 to 4 weeks. Apparently he doesn't believe in transfers or decals so all the badges etc are to be hand painted.



Norton 1 - 0 Tools

Norton Lockheed caliper plug - what a pain. This ones seized solid and despite being soaked in wd40 for 4 days and heated and cooled with  hot air gun, even tried impact driver, it has not budged one bit.

Plan B - take it off the bike, mount it on a bit of angle (so it fits in a vice) pop it in the oven at 180degC for 15 minutes. G clamp over the tool and socket to stop the pins riding out of the holes. Attack with breaker bar - somethings got to give and it isn't the plug. A pin snaps on the tool - bugger.

Round 1 to the caliper

 Back to ebay to get another caliper plug tool and a few days to plan the next move - weld a f***ing great nut on the plug, take it to work and give it the attention of a propane torch and an impact wrench - it can only end in tears.