FT: Frame (Twin) Early Rapide Research: 1947

[davidd]

Thanks David! Hope you are doing well! I get all Bumpy's posts about sundry things, as you do also, no doubt. Might see him in a week or so. Bumpy, Nick Pierce, Vic Olsen, Jim Young and I had a dinner out at a posh restaurant a week or so ago just for the hell of it. Damn near constituted a New England section meeting, God forbid! To date there has never been such a section meeting that I ever heard of, so why spoilt a perfect record! 8^)

I am doing well! Its great that you all got together. We used to have regular meets at the Groton Inn in Massachusetts. It seems too difficult to maintain today with the big traveling distances. I posted a photo on the Forum of Nick with his Lightning about a year ago.

David

 

[craig]

I am in need of an early Miller head lamp knob. Is this reproduced? Anybody help please?
Thank you
Craig

 

[Rob H]

Hi Craig, better to get an original one, these come up on ebay fairly regularly

 

[Simon Dinsdale]

Craig
I believe the VOC spares Co were advertising them sometime last year. I cannot find them on the website, so it may be worth asking.

 

[Robert E Naess]

"If it is #5, it made its way to Argentina for Alex Noftsger to buy a few decades later. Any good rumors on who bought it from Alex's estate?"

Alex passed away under very trying circumstances some years ago. I brokered some of his belongings and his Rap went to his cousin, a very sweet lady who also was bequeathed Alex's house and property along with his remaining belongings aside from what I had agreed to sell for him. I don't know the disposition of his other motorcycle parts and stuff, though. alex always called his Rap 'Cinqo", but there was some lingering question whether his bike was actually the real #5…..

 

[craig]

I am requesting a photo or drawing of the bracket that holds a Miller No42E brake switch to an early B Rapide.
"Throwing Light " has a written description, not quite complete enough, but I need a visual of the bracket please
Cheers
Craig

 

[david bowen]

The early Rapides did not have a switch, then when the switch were fitted was screwed into bolt FT203 ,and lifting handle FT 22as I do not think there was ever a bracket, also very early Bs did not have stay FT22/4

 

[Robert Watson]

/34 had a switch as shown by Craig above. It was mounted via the stud to a small bracket that was mounted on the lifting handle mounting bolt. I will see possibly the owner tomorrow and will ask for a picture and dimensions

 

[craig]

Thank you Gentlemen, I did research my own material and found a great photo of early B RFM, rightside.

So this Miller No42E bracket, as I see it, should be a simple, flat strap attached to this switch and to the RFM leg bolt.......the RFM leg bolt is not listed in the parts manual, but reported to be a 5/16" on these early RFM.

 

[craig]

So I am expecting the bracket to fit this drawing.