Throttle cable lengths

Gene Nehring

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi All
can anyone please help with a problem i have ?
I am looking for the original factory lengths of the 1x2 throttle cables on a 1951 Rapide. This bike has the original twist grip and 276 carbs. The original splitter box will also be used.

the cables i have at the moment have been butchered and made up from a variety of odds and sods that they are not a good place to start from.
Many thanks
Paul

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vincent-Twi...%3A1763d47a15b0a60cf3e8fe9ffff5e93f%7Ciid%3A9
 

roy the mechanic

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
A request for parts , mostly from my scrap box. Car brake pipes from accesory shop, cables local cycle world, nipples from scrap car carb spindles. Now I have seen the Flanders list, and their lovely low prices, I cold have saved a fortune in time. But I enjoy making something from nothing.
 

Albervin

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
The problem I always found was with petrol tanks with the smaller Rapide carb cutaway. Trying to get the cable to stay between the oil tank and the inner face of the tunnel in the petrol tank, and then bend round to enter the top of the carb is time consuming and tricky. Of course, it could just be me.:eek:
I think the smaller carb cutaway is actually a Series B tank. All Series C tanks I have seen have the larger cutaway. Strangely the fuel capacity is listed as the same. The elbows are probably the same as the Series A items available for VOC spares.
 

Simon Dinsdale

VOC Machine Registrar
VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
I think the smaller carb cutaway is actually a Series B tank. All Series C tanks I have seen have the larger cutaway. Strangely the fuel capacity is listed as the same. The elbows are probably the same as the Series A items available for VOC spares.
Strictly speaking there is no such thing as a series B & series C fuel tank. The change to the larger cutaway was not due to the introduction of the series C. It was due to a design change to the tank to give better clearance for the front carb cables when fitting. The exact date of the change is unknown but it was probably sometime in 1950 so early series C's would have had the smaller cutaway tank.
Like the change of the gearlever, change of length & seat brackets on the RFM, the introduction of the water excluders and the change in shape of the rear chainguard, these were just general improvements that occurred during the years and were introduced to all bikes been built at the time. If that was in 1949 & 1950 when series B & C were being built along side each other then the changes were used on both series. Owners have just got into the habit of calling them series B or series C parts. As there was an 18 month overlap of the B & C the factory wouldn't have continued ordering the small cutaway tanks once the easier to fit design had been introduced.
 
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TouringGodet

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VOC Member
VOC Forum Administrator
VOC Forum Moderator
I think the smaller carb cutaway is actually a Series B tank. All Series C tanks I have seen have the larger cutaway. Strangely the fuel capacity is listed as the same.

Whether or not the cutaway change was prompted by the introduction of the Shadow carbs, I think this was simply one of many design changes introduced independent of the B/C transition.
 

greg brillus

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I would have thought the larger tank cut-away was more to suit the racing carburetors on the Lightning's, and just seemed like a better change to suit all road bikes there after as well. The size of the cut away on the earlier tanks does seem rather on the small side, especially for the 29 type carb's.
 

TouringGodet

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I agree with Simon, and would have said more along the lines of his nicely worded reply if I wasn't typing on my tablet.
 

Jonathan Lambley

VOC Machine Researcher
VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
Hi All
can anyone please help with a problem i have ?
I am looking for the original factory lengths of the 1x2 throttle cables on a 1951 Rapide. This bike has the original twist grip and 276 carbs. The original splitter box will also be used.

the cables i have at the moment have been butchered and made up from a variety of odds and sods that they are not a good place to start from.
Many thanks
Paul
I've just had a similar problem with my Rapide throttle cables and I've ordered a new set from Tom Johnson at J. J. Cables on 01926 651470 (they are on the internet and Facebook
I sent him my original cables etc and hes making a set of nylon lined ones to the same lengths
Jon
 

chankly bore

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
A request for parts , mostly from my scrap box. Car brake pipes from accesory shop, cables local cycle world, nipples from scrap car carb spindles. Now I have seen the Flanders list, and their lovely low prices, I cold have saved a fortune in time. But I enjoy making something from nothing.
I have the same Steptoe mentality. Made an excellent bespoke rear brake cable from a Morris Minor handbrake cable. Even had a greasing point and ends in a 1/4" B.S.F. thread.
 

Chris.R

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I just need to know how long the inner should be from the reducer to inside the nipple I have just made a cable with inner 2-5/8 longer than the outer for my Comet am I on the right track my carb is a standard Comet remote float type.
 
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