ET: Engine (Twin) The Chain Drive Trials Comet

[vibrac]

These are details of the Trials comet flywheels you may remember this project with history from the works and Lawton and Wilson ("Support the sort who support the sport") and has the chain drive timing side and alloy oil chamber cap and many other interesting bits. The cases are now back together Bananaman says it was easy to time as only one key way symmetrically cut so pull the rod up, and with the cam key up slide on cam & half time sprocket together.
I also have added some 'before' pictures and somewhere I have a scan of the complete machine from a photo reproduced on a front cover of a 'white' MPH. The intention is to rebuild it as it was
I am sure Banana man will elaborate but questions and observations here are:
DRIVE SIDE HOLES PLUGGED, CRANK PIN THREADED PORTION BIGGER & NUT AND SET IN 5/16” DEEP, STANDARD ASSEMBLY IS ONLY 3/16” DEEP & 1/8” SMALLER THREAD DIAMETER
also
TIMING SIDE THE SAME,,,, DID THEY HAVE ALAN SCREWS BACK IN 1953 ? AS MOST GRUBS ARE MADE FROM STUD BAR THEN HACKSAWED WITH SLOP TO FIT. FLYWHEELS ARE ALSO WIDER (THICKER) AND MAIN SHAFTS HAVE BEEN WELDED

 

[vibrac]

Found it!

 

[druridge]

Found it!
View attachment 17379

Cant see from the photo exactly what front forks are fitted, Teledraulics? The whole structure of the bike reminds me of a Norton 500T.
What do you think was behind the central oil tank, to lower the CoG or to narrow things up top?

 

[clevtrev]

Allen screws in 1953, they most certainly did.

 

[david bowen]

I think you will find most of the Vincent work at Lawton & wilson's was done by ex Vincent works guy Mike (paddy) Creamer like (Creamer Shadows) he ran the fly wheel section a Vincents for a few years L&W also use to supply Trivellato of Brazil with Grey Flash and Manx Norton rebuild Engines.

 

[Marcus Bowden]

Thank you Vibrac, I didn't know how to start a thread, Pat Wilson passed it onto me after it was returned by the Police after it had been stolen from his Emerdon Mine lock up, it was all in lumps, just engine /G/box assembly, UFM (fabricated) rear fame work, oil tank (that's how I recognized it when on MPH cover), mag armature with S/S drive end (no case), brake torque arm.
None of the following:- tank, forks, wheels, seat,exhaust, foot rests, carburetor, chain guard.
Apart from the very simple chain drive for the timing, the other unusual components is the ESA brazed on much smaller sprocket, lip seal in aluminium top hat and screwed against the thrust bearing and cir-clip removed, a very neat sealing arrangement between primary & G/box, the G/box is Albion with magnesium main case and outer selector cover but the kick start cover is aluminum as it required a KS being a trials iron. Carburetor manifold is skewed back into center line of bike but is only 1" & 1/16" soft engine with heavier flywheels, Pat told me it sounded like a Velocett.
Pat had tried Brampton's & Girdraulics but found the Norton road holders were better. I have Girdraulic to fit to it with the J.E. mod as ordered two lightweight ones .
Night night.
bananaman

 

[david bowen]

I think you will find when Grey Flash stopped production all parts were sold to L&W, that's when Mike joined them, some years back Micks nephew did get in touch with me, he still lived in the Stevenage area,

 

[david bowen]

Answer to PM. When Vincent had a money problems they had white knights, like Lawton & wilson, Kings of Oxford, Conway's, it was called stock reductions

 

[vibrac]

Found a picture that shows the inturned inlet and I have just noticed the hole in the rear support so I guess the air cleaner was fed through there you can also see the efficient closure of the primary chain case at the mainshaft point

 

[Oldhaven]

A lot of welded modifications there, probably for the Albion gearbox. The inner chaincase has a tab added at the bottom and the F106 has the transmission mounting tabs moved around.