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I think it's more likely that some future owner would assume it was negative earth, as all bikes are now. Anyone with the nous to know about the earthing would check.

But, I'll make sure the battery is labeled clearly. Are we good?

Anyone with any sense would check the wiring diagram, more so now that literature on these bikes is more readily and freely available now than it was 20 years ago.

Anyway it’s your bike….

Yes, but I just don't want Gavin upset...

BTW, what is the bit on the far right called:

The conical piece. I don't have one on the left hand fork (which leaks) but do have one on the RHS which doesn't. I don't know what it's called so I can't search for a new one.

The Scots tend towards drama.
It's the chilblains.

Careful Huge, I'm Scottish too. Just transplanted to California to mellow out

lol.
See? No chilblains.

Bald's Leechbook 
recommends treating Chilblains
with a mixture of eggs, wine, and fennel root... ( I think , applied to the affected area ? )
... but applying in a warm climate would be better .

I'm oot, yer doomed I tell ye ,dooooomed.

Right, so now Gavin's back on board, let's continue.

First off, say my name...

Lucas.12 volts, baby!

The mount of the coils is a bit of a lash-up TBH. I couldn't make out how the mounting points were threaded, and couldn't find anything to fit, so I tapped it out to M6:

and put the mounting tangs (anybody got a better word?) like so:

Note my tangs are two different heights, so the bar goes on at an angle and the Oddie mounting points are at different heights. Is this right? And if so, have I got the high one on the right side?

Anyway, I took them off the bike again and made the bar as I show in the first picture. The whole assembly then goes on, at a cock angle, like so:


I threaded the cable that goes to the 'contact breaker' into the RHS engine cover


and I'll cut to length and route properly once I've had comments on how I've done the alternator bar.

Since the bars are on, I put brake and clutch levers on. It needed a bit of finagling to get on:

but once on was all good. I put the clutch cable onto the lever:

and send the cable through the opening below the top-tube of the frame and onto the engine cover, only to find that I just could not get the cable onto the mechanism:

It just won't go. I tried all permutations, like connecting at the engine cover (the clutch cable would then not connect to the lever) and so on. Any thoughts on this? I wonder if I have the right cable, but wanted some informed opinion on it.

Also, I'd still love to know the name of the conical thing I posted about several posts back!

Thanks so much to everyone who has helped,

- Mark

You'd have been better off using 2x6v coils in series with that Vape ignition.

How so, Nick?

The Vape is a wasted spark type unit. It fires both cylinders together,.
When you place 2 12v coils in series, the primary in effect places
only 6v across each coil, therefore the available spark energy is
reduced considerably. A single 'dual lead' type coil with a 4-5 ohm
dc resistance or 2x 6v units with 2-2.5 ohm primaries will provide
considerably more spark energy. At present you will have 2x4-4.5 ohm
coils in series giving a total of approx 8 ohms, this will reduce
consumed current but will reduce spark energy considerably.
If the bike is going to be a low compression old plodder, you will
be ok with the 2x 12v setup but if not, you'll wonder why it starts
misfiring at high revs or when given some stick.
BTW there are loads of different clutch cables for these old crates
i suspect you have just bought the wrong one, better to make your own.

Thanks!

I was siding with Gavin really, the wiring diagram most people would defer to would be the one in the WSM. Not too bad if your going to issue the new owner with a copy of your wiring diagram showing any changes.

Definately, the 70-onwards type has a UNF (5/16 from memory) adjuster fixed to the end of it where it enters the case. The nipple end is more like a large ball on the genuine ones if i remember right, I make my own and use short trumpet nipples to achieve the same thing.

I agree, it's well worthwhile using a dual-output coil that is small enough to tuck away somewhere or mount on the original mount behind the engine. I've got one on my A65 together with a Pazon and it makes a nice fat spark.

My thinking on changing the polarity is that it doesn't provide any additional benefit, but if it was done, I assume a fuse would be fitted to one of the battery terminals, so no harm would be done if a battery was incorrectly fitted, apart from blown fuses, eventually, the new owner would work out the polarity.

I must admit that the next owner does not loom large in my plans. I'm switching to +12V because it is the most common convention and it makes it easy to use LED lights.

I must also admit to not having given much thought to the DC resistance, and on buying 12V coils because I am using a 12 V supply and I may have missed a trick here since the coils are in series. Thanks for that!

Regarding the clutch cable, I would have a look at the type of handlebar lever you are using, looking at the pic it looks nonstandard and it may be that it uses more cable length than other types.

It looks like you have an early type clutch cable , you need a later one with the outer cable/overall cable length that suits your handlebar rise/width, part number 60-3077. The later type cable have a section of threaded adjuster already on the cable at the engine end , yours doesn't have it so I'm guessing it's an early cable type.

here's an example on ebay.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wyQAAOSwZTJje-qe/s-l500.jpg

These are AMAL (copies actually as AMAL stopped making theirs the other year) levers, they take the standard cables, unlike the spitfire type levers which require more cable inner length. I have a set on my Lightning.

The AMAL ones are very robust, well made. Sadly one of my perches broke when something was dropped on it in the back of the van.

The pattern ones however break without much effort when tightening the clamp. Though they function fine otherwise.

There's been a bit of delay as we adopted two new (old) pugs. Meet Statler and Waldorf:


Statler is the fawn one and is 13 years old, Waldorf is 12. The two old guys are getting used to our house. Toilet training has been a bit off but we're getting there.

Back to the Beeza and I've fitted an oil gauge:


Not totally impressed with the clamp. The bottom part of the clamp fits the 7/8" handlebars fine, the top part doesn't:

The feed comes from where the oil pressure switch would be:

With this bit in place, the engine is now officially ready for me to add oil and see what happens. In preparation for that, I set the electronic ignition properly. With the engine held by the ignition timing tool fit the spinning magnets such that the timing line is between 7 and 8 o'clock:

Then fit the pickup plate and adjust so that the A mark is along the same line:

Job's a good'un until it isn't. I wired the pickup to the trigger box with the bullet crimps supplied with the Wassell unit. I don't like them too much. but my goal is to get the engine running and they'll do for that. I can tidy up later, once I know what's happening with the engine.


As my goal is to get the engine running ASAP, I moved onto the carburetors. These are AMAL units but I'm not sure what the model number is...advice welcome. Reasonably clean, but the float bowl has some very grotty stuff in it


but the rest looks alright




Needs a complete clean and rebuild. BTW, the plastic(?) spacers that mount the carbs to the engine are as hard as a very hard thing:

Is that correct? I was expecting soft and rubbery.

Yes, they should be hard. Soft spacers or spongy thick gaskets will warp your carb body.

did you write this up wrong , or ... ?
the engine should be at full advance for this part ... not TDC .

from vape fitting instructions

using #78 drill to clean pilot jets site:britbike.com