Britbike forum Forums Projects started by Britbike forum members Monthly photo contest forum Worst Starting Point

The photo contest has not been very busy so I toss out this new contest. I ask members to post a shot of their worst starting point of a restoration project. Only caveat is that it needs to be a more or less complete assembled machine and not just a pile of bitsa parts from many machines.

This is my 1938 Ariel Red Hunter as it looked when I parked it in the garage. The story of this machine is that it belonged to one of my Dad's old friends Mr Wright. As kids this man was only known as Mr Wright. The bike was last licensed in 1959 and Mr Wright passed away many decades ago. About twenty years ago I asked my Dad whatever happened to Mr Wright's Ariel. Dad thought for a minute or two then said, "I think Mr Wright gave the Ariel and a P&M to Denim (another old pal) before he passed away". Sure enough a visit to Denim's back shed lead to the purchase of the Ariel. The P&M had been sent to the dump.

Gordo

click to enlarge

Hey, that looks like a complete bike - - I'd take that in a heartbeat!

Although I can't offer a better complete bike, I do have a B50 motor that looked really good on the outside that I bought thru craigslist that was pretty bad when disassembled.



Tom

I always wanted a BSA Victor special. How was I to say no?

It had been involved in a house fire and tossed outdoors in Vermont fifteen years ago. It's all apart now,

Day1 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

Untitled by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

Ok, its winter and time to get to it. Let's go with this for the rest of the year then start a new one in januarzy

For that bike, I can tell you how I would say "no".

I would place my tongue on the roof of my mouth, just behind my front teeth, and make a humming sound with my larynx. Immediately after, I would make my lips into a circle and breathe outward .... "nnnnnoooooo".

Followed by a "thank you, I'll wait for the next train"!

Lannis

It'll be gorgeous in no time

This thread makes me feel really good about my project!

I've had a couple of good 'uns...

'70 Norton Commando chopper rescue being perhaps the most dramatic. Lots of parts WELDED to the frame (including the GAS TANK), many hose clamps used, including to hold the front fender to the springer bars, resulting in it loosening as soon as you went over a bump. Lots of "U" bolts used as well. All wiring was RED. Coil "mount" was two pieces of steel pipe welded together then duct-taped to the frame (no explanation for that, but that's what it was). Flat steel "struts" in the rear. One round headlight, one rectangular one. Extra-long 3/8" drive ratchet extension used for a slap shifter, and perhaps the worlds longest rear brake actuator rod on a standard-length motorcycle chassis. AT LEAST 20 pounds of red Oklahoma dirt caked on everywhere oil was leaking, which was everywhere. Surprisingly, the engine was not frozen, and it had decent compression. The seller gave me the oft-quoted line "it was running when I parked it back in '87"...

My old Triumph was a 'bit rough' as received - but just needs a little work.
Some time back now.



I obtained a new set of steering head bearings for it the other day, that'll improve it !
(the old ones were cracked clean through).
You could perhaps argue that its not really together - but thats the most its ever been 'together' lately,
possibly for a century or more !

Grand Paul I've got your Chopper builders Triumph.
Rear Shocks give suspension to fender with car battery strapped on. Bolt on hard tail for cool factor.
Wired by madman. 1970 motor starts and runs great though even with missing balance tube on carb, etc.
Dual coil zip tied to frame. Lots of ugly welded on brackets.

i did the BMW for a 'client' the bsa was purchased from a forum member





baby boy names starting with i

NickL, I also use Imgur. You can get your photos to appear here rather than a link.
Select "copy" on the bar to the right of your photo marked "BBCode" (for message boards and forums) and paste here in your post.
Image size can be selected in Imgur also at bottom of image window.

Here's how my A65 Firebird replica started out some 10 years ago when I bought it.

As can be seen, it was basically just a pile of junk, the frame is from an early A65 Star painted with gold Hammerite, and the engine is a genuine 1968 Firebird. The back wheel was from an A10 and a multitude of parts were missing.

Took about 2 years to get it roadworthy, it has had a complete engine rebuild, rebuilt wheels, forks, new Shocks, new carbs, mudguards, rewire etc. etc. a lot of hard work and learning but worth it in the end.

I should have read the first post which mentioned the rules were for a more or less complete assembled machine, still, most of the major parts are there although not necessarily assembled.

Below is a pic of how it finally turned out using a good proportion of the parts.

I've got a couple.





These two are current projects.

HEY!!! I recognize that bike!

It came off this trailer, from Alabama...



I must say, @raf940, you sure did a great job on it!

This one was rather interesting...

'68 Triumph Bonneville

THAT one is going to be the best of the batch!

Should have taken better before photos. These were taken after I started working on it. But it was nowhere near a complete bike when I bought it. It was a rolling frame and engine. The guy I bought it from said he put the front wheel and forks on it to make it a roller. He put the rear fender on it also. The only parts I have removed to this point I believe, are the rocker boxes, head, and timing cover. Engine was complete except for carbs and alternator as I recall. It looks like I cleaned and/or replaced the rear wheel by the time of the photos? It had apparently been relegated to parts bike status many years earlier. Engine internal condition was unknown, but turned out to be surprisingly good. Matching engine and frame. No title.

I saw a Craigslist ad for Triumph motorcycle engine and at the time I was rebuilding an engine and I thought having some extra parts was good idea. The first photo is the stuff in the truck after purchase. Note the stunning engineering using iron bars to replace the shock absorbers to construct a poor boy's hardtail. Anyway, when I got this stuff home, I discovered the engine and frame had matching numbers. It took several months and $250 and a trip of a license examiner to the house and I got a title for a 1969 T120R. The engine was surprising decent. I had to go out to 80 over but the crank was strong standard and tranny was great. It became a winter project.

The second photo is the bike in the basement with the tank/fenders/side covers in the background in various stages of paint. Most of the missing parts came from stuff I had and another Craigslist mc I parted out. I need to get motivated and get going on it again as it has sat there for a couple of years with very little attention. Maybe posting this will get me moving on finishing this bike. My wife would like to see it gone from the utility room.

Hey Bill, I've been making space In my garage for any orphans. I'll be at Jack's later this week.
Ken Abrams

70,s Triumph chop was once a 1946 Triumph speedtwin and too far gone to restore to original, bought as a total bodge with cut and shut frame tubes that were butt welded together with no slugs.The horrors I found hidden under the tin plate wrapped around the top tube were dangerous. Had new tubes sweat brazed into frame and also straightened up in a jig, machined up new bearing cups to take a BSA front end also fitted a 50s BSA c11 petrol tank, Norton oil tank most parts I had lying around. Now finished it,s a real hoot to ride goes quite well with twin carb race kit, 3134,s cams, 66 unit crank & tr6 inlet valves.Dave..

oh yeh Thanks to Gordo for frame measurements and photo,s of his bike to help with my build..

This was a pretty good one... '69 TR6R

And then there is this challenge...