Series ‘A’ Silencer Bracket

A_HRD

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I've just sent 2 off to the paint shop.......An original off a single and a replica for a twin. I would say the originals were probably done in some kind of rollers to get that shape. It is also worth noting that the pipe is supported by another band style clamp immediately bellow the rear of the kick start cover on the gearbox. This clamp arrangement is also attached to this same muffler bracket via a 5/16" diameter hole just behind the two 1/2" holes that mount the bracket to the lower engine/gearbox plates. I'm only going off pictures I've seen of these in Bickerstaff's "Original Vincent" that clearly shows the band clamp. Without this the exhaust system will shake sideways quite badly, and this will loosen the joint at the exhaust stub. All of this is important as the clearance for the kickstart levers is affected by this.

Greg,

Yes, I have countless photos of As and the Twins mostly seem to have the extra clamp that you mention. Very few singles have it though; but they do have a clamp supporting the front of the pipe attaching to the front engine plate - in various different places - sometimes at the bottom of the plate and sometimes on a forward facing "bulge" on the front-face of the RH plate. Either way, I agree, adequate clamping of the exhaust is a must given the nature of the fixing at the exhaust port...

When you get the exhaust brackets back from the painters, would you mind posting a photo of them side by side please?

Thanks, Peter B
 

A_HRD

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Blacksmiths can still be found in country areas where people have horses. They might not be called 'blacksmiths' anymore but there is normally someone around who can make bits for a tractor at short notice etc. I can think of two within about ten miles of me who do general machining, welding etc and this is south east England, one of the most urbanised parts of the UK.

Yep, last night I googled for "blacksmiths" in my area and was astounded to find plenty of them! As Chris Launders says they tend to major on gates, railings and also exotic-shaped curtain poles; but any metal-forming jobs are willingly taken-on.

Peter B
 

kettlrj

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If it cracks when it is bent, then it was not hot enough or you were using a high tensile steel rather than a ductile mild steel.
 

mercurycrest

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My Comet has a longer straight bracket like Robert's and the silencer is held solid. No problems with it, ever.
IMG_1480.JPG
 

A_HRD

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Right, I have been researching the "rear exhaust bracket" issue with some vigour over the last couple of weeks.

First, I spoke to Steve at Conways. He said that given that he had only one part number for this item he surmised that there was only one type. Then he said he had a remaining one in stock - which I bought (at £eek!) - it arrived the other day and is the same as Robert's and mercurycrest's (give or take the odd tweak) - in other words, a LONG one.

Then I visited Series 'A' mates - all with Singles and all with the SHORT type - exactly as per my 2 x photos in #1 above.

Then I spent an hour or more searching my extensive archives of Series 'A' photos. These are my conclusions:

Approximately 4 in 5 'A' Singles have the SHORT type. (The remainder being LONG).
All 'A' Twins have the LONG type - with the exception of the Factory Brochure Photo and V1001 which have the SHORT one. (The early factory photo of Phil Vincent sitting on an 'A' Twin has the LONG one).


Interestingly, because of the P-Clip design around the silencer, either bracket will fit either model; but in all cases the LONG bracket provides the best support - in conjunction with the extra fixing at the silencer/pipe interface - as mentioned by Greg at #8 above.

Here's couple of mock-up photos that show you a 1935-6 original short bracket and the Conways-supplied long one. Note the different bend geometries - but ending up with pretty much the same offset.

27163


27164


I am being urged to get a batch of each made. But if I take it forward, they will be supplied bare of paint because with different exhaust suppliers and all sorts of tolerance variations associated with fitting such an item, some fettling and tweaking of the bracket will inevitably be required. They would be supplied on this basis. Any takers?

Peter B
 

Dinny

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Hi Peter,

I have looked at original factory pictures and the P clip around the silencer appears to be always in the same position to the silencer but on the early bikes the silencer to exhaust clamp is forward of the later bikes as per the picture below. The silencer also appears to be shorter on the later bikes.

I will be in for the short type as mines missing.

Cheers
Mark

8412D057-45AC-444D-9B75-44E04EB93783.jpeg
24CCAD2D-ABCC-48F5-BD01-4107A03BE606.jpeg
 

A_HRD

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Dinny,
Thanks, that's interesting because I was looking at a mate's rusty silencer, the same as that one (FWL 58 - a late model), just yesterday. The only difference is that it had the diagonally cut back-end (as per your factory photo). To quote Simon's mantra yet again - "There's no such thing as a Standard Vincent".
Peter B
 

A_HRD

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An update on Exhaust Brackets.

I am able to go forward with making a batch of the SHORT ones - sample dimensions are the same.

However, Robert's bracket dimensions (thank you!) for the LONG ones are quite different from the Conway-supplied replica. Both have potential issues on my mock-up with touching the RH brake-cross-shaft lug when the RFM is moved up and down. So I would be really grateful for dimensions of at least one other LONG bracket so that I can have a reasonable chance of getting this right first time. Can anyone else help please?

Peter B
 
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