Britbike forum Forums British Motorcycle specific Brands Bsa bulletin board Just acquired a '71 A65 (restoration project)

Not a good idea for several reasons.

1) the carb end is generally cast on to the cable so actuall can not be moved as such
2) it is a funny shape sort of a ball ended cylinder which is needed to allow the cable to rotate as you pull it, This shape nipple is not available so you will have to turn one up yourself from brass.
3) It is a zinc/ bismuth alloy so if it should fall off it will do a lot less damage as it passes through the engine than your brass one will.
4) if the throttle nipple falls off you can jerry rig the throttle to get yourself home which is a lot easier that trying to do the same with the slide.
5) the throttle nipple is a plain drum which can easily be turned up from some brass rod.
6) If the throttle nipple falls off there is almost zerro chance that the engine will injest the cable as the spring should slam the slide closed.

http://www.motoparthub.com/01_0012_...gle&gclid=CPrD2t3jy78CFWrl7AodtG4ADg
This is just an example, these fittings are readily available and VERY easy to solder in place. Any 40W gun, acid flux, and some plumbing solder will do just fine. Similar fittings are used at the throttle end in conjunction with a barrel fitting.
The go-cart cables I use have the throttle fitting cast on. They're a bit smaller than our stock fittings, but they work. If you must replace them, a bit of torch heat will melt the whole fitting.

Thanks, Trevor, say no more!

David, thanks for the link. Not sure which way I'll go with the throttle cables. The in-line adjusters are very close to the twist grip end, not enough length there for the shortening. Maybe my local vintage dealer has some stock length cables I can buy. ("Buy" as in pay money -- The horror).

The cables with in-line adjusters are made for Triumph. Probably why they are too long.
I've never had a problem with self-fabricated cables, including a T150 clutch cable.

Ah, Triumph parts. The cables were the right length for the high handlebar the bike had when I got it. No telling what other mix-and-match parts are on it, and I've since added some Triumph parts from my stores.

"Before" -- as first seen three years ago.

Got the seat covered, came out better than I expected, just a little lumpy on the sides. The foam was in good shape, I stripped and painted the pan, and installed the '72 style "quilted" cover, supplied by BCS. Now to trim off the excess fabric. Definitely more enjoyable than working on exhaust leaks at the head.

Home Market tank installed, painted Silver Blue Titanium, VHT Engine Enamel. I couldn't get a final heavy wet coat, so it came out kind of semi-gloss, which is fine with me, more like the way I remember the original paint. It's a tank with a center seam and rearward petcock mounting, installation was straightforward with the mounting kit that Coventry Spares supplies. I might slide the tank back a bit to close up the seat gap a little. The styling strips are available, just have to decide if I want to fork over the cash, about $90 from what I've seen so far.

Kurt,

Looks great. I also have a 71 Lightning with the Home Market tank, but without the seam. IMHO they are the best looking tanks. Are the rubber pads on the sides glued on ? Mine came with them, they looked like someone used a half a tube of adhesive on each side. Since I had the tank painted I never put them back.

Again great work on your project.

Thanks, Gary. I bought these knee pads new recently, both Coventry Spares and BCS stock them. I used clear silicone sealant to glue them on. The paint is my own spray can job. But first I brought the tank to Don Hutchinson to blast it, solder in a new filler neck, check all threads, and pressure test: all good.

I had the bright idea to paint the tank with VHT Engine Enamel, it's very tough and chemical resistant. VHT primer, color coat, and clear. Then I read the rest of the instructions, that the paint needs to be cured at 200* F for an hour to achieve full durability. Then there was the matter of a little Bondo that I had applied, which I found can take heat up to 180*. So ... not wanting to risk it in the kitchen oven, I picked a sunny day, set the tank in a cardboard box, covered it with a glass plate, with a candy thermometer on top of the tank, and maintained 175* for an hour or so. Figure that's close enough for this bike

Nice to see a problem/situation taken care of without resorting to just throwing money at it.

:bigt

Gordon in NC

Thanks, Gordon, decided to put time into the bike before money.

I wanted an "old fashioned" tail lamp assembly, and found the Britax at the British Bike Meet last year for $5, so what it had been hacked in half. I re-wired the lamp, cut a new lens gasket out of a wide rubber band ... you get the idea ... JB Weld instead of paying someone to weld ... . Then I wanted a '50s-looking mudflap on the rear, so I cut one out of a NOS mudflap I had bought 39 years ago but never installed on my '75 Chevy pick-up.

Got the A65L on the road today, just three years, three months, and ten days since starting the project. Out a few miles for state inspection, then back home to adjust cables and such. Nothing leaked, nothing fell off, it runs strong, idles well, shifts fine, clutch is good, electrics working ... .

Aside from that, I like it, I like the way it rides, the gearing feels taller than my Triumphs. It's been a while since I synched twin carbs, so I have to start from the beginning again on that. Since my last post, I found that the gas tank leaked at the low point on the left side, so off again, flushed and dried, and took it to Don Hutchinson to weld and inspect and pressure test. Now to chase down some details and ride it. Thanks to everyone for help and support the past three plus years.





At my local Harley shop for state inspection:

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Nice machine "with sensible mods". I am glad it didn't get seized by morans and turned into a bobber.
Hope it gives you long good service.

THAT'S a NICE looking machine!

Good result, Kurt, well done!

Nicely done, Kurt.

Nice work. I love that color.

Thanks, everyone. Will post up as I put more miles on it.

great read. Thanks

When I started this project, I decided to get it running rather than tearing the motor down for rebuild, and ride it and see what happens. Yesterday I found out what happens.

As you may recall, last week I took a short ride to get my state inspection. Yesterday I decided it was time to venture a little farther, besides being a nice fall day for a ride on back roads. At five miles, I stopped for gas in Lexington, then continued on to Concord. Another seven miles as I was entering Concord Center, it was "uh-oh" time when the oil pressure indicator light shone red. Parked it in Monument Square across from the town hall, and beheld the oil-soaked rear tire, and some oil dripping from the engine sprocket area. One call to AMA roadside assistance brought Ironhorse Motorcycle Transport to me an hour or so later. In the meantime, it was a pleasant place to pass an hour, fall foliage, historic buildings, people passing, a Porsche driver came over to admire the bike. Could have been worse. Especially what with the oiled tire.

Back home, I left the bike in the driveway and went inside to get out of my riding gear (that's right, I'm a "dress-for-the crash-not-the-ride" kind of guy, along with "All-the-Gear-All-the-Time"), and whip up some lunch, reflecting on my good fortune.

Back outside, I washed the oiled tire and de-greased the motor, dried things off, and rolled the bike into the garage and onto the lift. I drained 26 oz. of oil from the motor sump, and drained the oil tank sump, too: one drop came out of the oil tank. So I figure that while I was riding, once the tank was empty, the oil light came on, after I had blown a couple of quarts out the overflow hole onto the tire.

Nothing jumped out at me, that is, nothing obvious in the sumps or on the screens, or in the return line oil filter. Then I gave it a rest overnight.

Today I pulled off the oil lines, the oil union, the OPRV, and the warning light sender. There was a little ball of lint behind the OPRV, that's all I could see. I had planned to pull the exhaust off anyway to chase down the exhaust leaks at the head. I'd say it's time to have a look at the oil pump. (Note to self: next BSA project, have a look at the oil pump before running.)

More news as it happens ...

Is be saying, note to self check and strip the motor whilst it's mostly apart.

Kurt I'm glad you've got the old gal running, what was the inspection at the HD shop? Is it like our MOT's where the bike gets checked over for road worthiness?

The oil pump/ball and spring looks like it could be the problem. And it sounds like it wet sumped and pushed all the oil out of the breather.

Thanks, Allan, I'm heading toward the oil pump. As to stripping the motor, that could be my winter project. Right now, it looms like heavy lifting, so I'll still proceed step-wise for now.

Yes, vehicle safety inspection for roadworthiness, the procedure is quite extensive, I doubt that many bikes get the full treatment for the $15 you pay the shop, with hourly labor rates running $75~$100 hereabouts. The regs for Massachusetts, scroll down to 4.06 for your reading enjoyment:
http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/source/mass/cmr/cmrtext/540CMR4.pdf

The problem is with your return. This much is obvious.

First, check that your return filter is connected the right way around.

Then double check

Then triple check

Then check and make sure your oil tank is properly vented.

Ask me how I know.

Would a problem with the vent also cause oil to be forced out under the cylinder base gasket ?

If it can't expel the crank case cases quickly enough the engine will try and breath out of the next easiest point, often the cylinder base gasket. If the cam isn't timed properly it won't be opening for long enough.