Chopped Twin Running At Last!

[Pushrod Twin]

Some may remember some posts from several years ago with detail of my chopped die cast engine followed by a plea for a bike to use for the International in Italy when I had a major structural failure.
I am grateful to Bill Cannon for the loan of a Guzzi for the rally and to Dick & Sheila for generously opening their home to me only days after Dick arm was broken, and to Roy Robertson for running me around, to & from the airport and to pick up the Guzzi. Thank you all.

So here is the bike I intended to use for that event, finally running, now with 110 miles on & only minor oil leaks from two push rod tubes.

 

[Bill Thomas]

Well done Roy, How does it feel, Are you pleased with it, What carb's and ignition are you running.
Cheers Bill.

 

[passenger0_0]

Well done Roy. Will we be seeing you at the NZ Rally next weekend? Cheers David

 

[Pushrod Twin]

Thanks. Yes, dead or alive! Have booked sailing for Tuesday, meandering up through Wairarapa to make a ride of it. Being escorted by #3 son Doug on the Guzzi auto, so we will be there.

 

[Pushrod Twin]

Thanks Bill. Carbs are 28 mm Dellortos from a V50 Guzzi. Tuned in really easily. Ignition is the mag & ATD off my B motor. The mag was overhauled, twice, second time after the wheel came back and sandwiched it against the crank case! The ATD got a new phenolic gear but is otherwise unmolested. (I think my B only did a years hard racing in 1949 & was broken up after a crash & hasn't run since!)
I fitted a Terry Prince standard crank with VOC Kempaloid pistons. Not sure what balance factor Terry expects, but its a bit vibey. Possibly a combination of piston weights, TP crank & Egli Replica frame?? I'm not concerned, I will run it until some thing creates a need to open it, then revisit balance factor.

 

[Pushrod Twin]

 

[Bill Thomas]

Good Stuff, What is the seat, Looks good, Good Luck, Bill.

 

[Pushrod Twin]

Thanks Bill. The seat, like the tank, started out as polystyrene blocks which I carved with a variety of implements until I had the shapes I wanted. Then a very talented, artistic, ex-airforce photographer, Dave, created a glass fibre seat base & carved the foam. He sketched stitch lines on the foam so the local auto upholsterer could work out how to cut & stitch the vinyl to look similar to a standard Vincent seat. He chose a firm foam & it is comfortable.

Dave also made a glass tank, but when I decided to ride in Europe, knowing you all suffer from Ethanol fuel, I had an alloy one made.

 

[Bill Thomas]

I thought it looked a bit like a Vin' seat, But like Vincent Bikes, No two the same !.
You put the time into your projects !, I put a cheap Armours one on my Comet, And my Bum is paying the price !, Being a bit tall , I tend to sit on the hump in the middle.
My ex L/ning was a bit Vibey on the road at about 60/70 mph and Big Sid told me to fit Fishing weights, Lead balls, About 5/16", Keep them loose between two corks on each side of the handle bars, One side about 5" apart and the other side about 4", Didn't think it would work, But it did for me, I like cheap quick jobs !!, Then go on to something else. Cheers Bill.

 

[Pushrod Twin]

Thanks, that is one of life's choices, putting the time into your project & taking 30 years as I have, or doing a "cheap quick job" & living with "compromises" but getting some enjoyment out of the finished article.
I have now become impatient, old age & knowing that time is running out, so currently leaning more towards "quick" to get some use out this before I'm too old to kick it into life!
Down Under, we have never had the luxury of an after market supply of items such as seats, the country is too small to support it, so we tend to make stuff like that. However, the internet has made life easier, I bought the Suzuki handlebars off our local auction site, then binned the modern bar end weights because I insist on having my favourite mirror there instead. So, the vibrations are not so much in the bars, they are rubber mounted in the shortened Benelli Tornado forks, but more in the pegs. Luckily, at 60-70 it is smooth, which is where it needs to be.

I resealed the 2 leaking push rod tubes last night. A run out with the local Vintage Car Club M/C section this morning will prove whether it is fixed or worse.