ET: Engine (Twin) Locking Spindles
- Thread starter Albervin
- Start date
I agree Trev, I said the other day, I don't trust it, It's just a bodge.
The main problem for me is, The camshaft spindle, It is in such a weak position, With so little alloy between it and the cylinder base.
What would you do. Cheers Bill.
The main problem for me is, The camshaft spindle, It is in such a weak position, With so little alloy between it and the cylinder base.
What would you do. Cheers Bill.
I never could fathom why the inside of the timing cover was not provided with bosses to support the spindles obviating the need for the support plate and pillars and supporting the loads at both ends.
However as ever, when all these hindsight design improvement suggestions are made it should be remembered that its unlikely that it ever crossed the designers mind that the bikes would still be running seventy years later, after all when the post war Vincents were designed motorcycles had only been around for forty odd years and it was only around the time the first twin ran that the VMCC was formed (1947) and the idea of actually preserving old motorcycles was even discussed
However as ever, when all these hindsight design improvement suggestions are made it should be remembered that its unlikely that it ever crossed the designers mind that the bikes would still be running seventy years later, after all when the post war Vincents were designed motorcycles had only been around for forty odd years and it was only around the time the first twin ran that the VMCC was formed (1947) and the idea of actually preserving old motorcycles was even discussed
I seem to remember reading that P.E.I. was against the idea of loads either side of surfaces with a gasket joint. Cheers, Stu.
The funny thing is, I got my box of Broken bits in 1965, That came from Africa, That I built into my L/ning rep.
In 15 years from new it was Stuffed, Should have been the end of the story.
Thanks to Dave lindsey and Bob Dunn, After a bit of welding and tricky stuff, It was a runner again in 1980.
And now it's a road bike, how much longer can it go on ?.
Cheers Bill.
In 15 years from new it was Stuffed, Should have been the end of the story.
Thanks to Dave lindsey and Bob Dunn, After a bit of welding and tricky stuff, It was a runner again in 1980.
And now it's a road bike, how much longer can it go on ?.
Cheers Bill.
Absolutely correct. It should also be remembered that the post war twin was essentially the design of two strong minded individuals with their own pet ideas of good design, unfettered by the constraints of a conservative management driven by production considerations and the necessity for profit. The Vincent company had just a few, enthusiastic shareholders. There were very few original designs post war, the Rapide, Sunbeam S7, Ariel Leader, most, if not all, the rest were pre-war rehashes. I'm definitely not blind to the design shortcomings but as Vibrac says, the survival rate is testament to the design and respect the bike is held in.
I use minimal o/size spindles to start again.
Thanks Trev, I have got one of those for my "D" Comet. Cheers Bill.
I have just come to the conclusion the crankcases need to be split. The side play in the con rods is 40 + thou and the front has some vertical movement (about 5 thou)) . Who knows what I will find in the mains and the gearbox? Thus is the purchase of a Vincent today. I have ridden it and it was quick. It smoked. Many people think a rebuilt Vincent has been, well.... rebuilt. The truth is more about the worn out parts have been replaced but the bigger picture has not been assessed. On my bike the timing gears were perfect. Really! However the cams and the cam followers were rubbish. The spindles were loose.The pistons were perfect, the ring gaps were within tolerances BUT.. the lower valve guides were floating in thin air. All of this plus more makes for a what a bike is worth. I paid, in 2016, a VERY fair price, expecting to have to pay for some work. As it turned out I sold the original touring guards for a more than fair price and that paid for the top end rebuild . Now I have to finance the bottom end so look at floggers corner and e-bay. A Vincent is so well engineered it will run when 95% shagged out BUT then you have to remove the 95% shag. When this bike is finished I am sure it will be more than a match for my B Rapide.