Armour Exhaust Pipes

Phil Baker

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
I'm just trying to fit a set of pipes to the '49 HRD 1000 and the short pipe is about 1" away in curvature terms from where it should be. Anyone know if Armour exhaust pipes fit properly? (I've spoken to Bob C and he's 5-6 weeks away from having any finished).
 

timetraveller

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I addressed this problem several years ago on this Forum based upon my experience with Armour pipes about ten years ago. I bought a set off them where all the tubes had the same diameter, including the ones at the front of the silencer and the short stub where the short pipe fits into the long pipe so there was no chance of ever fitting them together. When I phoned them up to tell them about this they told me that it was impossible until they went and checked and found that they had six identical sets on the shelf. The replacement set would also not fit but I did manage to make the third set fit. I had to cut the pipes to length and re-flange them. The hole in the long pipe to allow the gas from the rear pipe to enter the long pipe was a very roughly cut hole, about three quarters of an inch diameter, which I had to open up with a die grinder and a solid carbide bur. I like to try to make things better for the future and so I offered, entirely at my expense, to take a bike down there so that they could fit a pair and then make a jig to ensure that all future sets fit. I got an arrogant response to the effect that they did not need any help and they had a local Vincent owner available if they did. There is another common fault with Armour pipes and that is the position of where the short rear pipe joins the long front pipe. This joint should be about where the big end quill is but their pipes generally have this a long way too far forwards. It is a pity as, if you do not mind the appearance of stainless steel, they are a good price and will not rust. I am a great supporter of Bob Culver and the work he puts in to keeping our bikes going but I really do not understand why we are still messing about with this pipe bending technology. Anyone who has seen a modern, computer controlled pipe bending machine extruding pipe at feet per minute with each pipe identical to the other will understand why I ask that question.
 

Phil Baker

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Yes Norman, I have seen such a computer controlled machine and it is quite fantastic. Doesn't solve my immediate problem, though!! When are you back?
 

Vincent Brake

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I have trown some aside as well, then bought from VOC spares steel ones, they fitted nicely.
Indeed a CNC bender is what we need, but a drawing has to be made up.???
One can also turn the heads a bit to the left or right. that makes it hard to fit it in all occasions...
There you go man....... keep as cool as you can... (Moody Blues)
 

clevtrev

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
But as exhaust ports between heads sometimes vary in their positional tolerance by up to a 1/4", and more. What hopes has a CNC bender got.
 

Bill Thomas

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Some years ago, I was offered a Cheap set of front pipes, Nobody could fit, I found it better to chop the rear pipe at the top, And braze a stub onto the Nut, With a push fit and a clamp, It don't look too bad ! They were brand new and too good to throw away, Good Luck, Bill.
 

nkt267

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Even the club pipes made for a Comet do not always fit(brackets in the wrong place),but the stainless pipe and silencer from Armours fitted well with about the same amount of trouble I had with the club one.John
 

Peter Holmes

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I have trown some aside as well, then bought from VOC spares steel ones, they fitted nicely.
Indeed a CNC bender is what we need, but a drawing has to be made up.???
One can also turn the heads a bit to the left or right. that makes it hard to fit it in all occasions...
There you go man....... keep as cool as you can... (Moody Blues)
Of course, I have never considered the small amount of radial movement of the cylinder heads whilst wrestling with a set of pipes, should we all offer our pipes up with the cylinder head nuts just loose, set the pipes up and then crank the head nuts down to the correct torque. having said that I have always found Furness and Searle pipes fitted pretty good and Bob is using the same machinery that they and the works used, albeit that they had to turn the drive gear round because the teeth were worn out.
 
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