Live and let live I say, but I don't think I could bring myself to slice my Series B (well I refer to it as that, even if it does not follow the strict B-C demarcation) in half with a hacksaw, the name of the device used to carry out the procedure says it all for me. I was even a little reluctant to allow Francois Grosset to nibble out the bottom corner of the cover to fit the electric start, but with my knees it was a necessity, but apparently completely reversible if you can weld aluminium. But with regard to gear selection adjustment, on the rare occasions when I have had to do this, I have always followed Paul Richardson's instructions very carefully, and it has always worked well, perhaps if this does not work for you, the problem lurks elsewhere.
Why do you need to provide oil drain grooves, if the cover is not fitted with any form of joint sealant the small amount of oil that can manifest itself in the cover will simply dribble out anyway, either way you will upset the person or establishment that you are visiting, I always shudder when Vincent motorcycles leave the various hotels that we have stayed at at international rally's, I often wonder if the hotel manager thinks to himself " well I didn't sign up for this bloody mess to clear up"
Why do you need to provide oil drain grooves, if the cover is not fitted with any form of joint sealant the small amount of oil that can manifest itself in the cover will simply dribble out anyway, either way you will upset the person or establishment that you are visiting, I always shudder when Vincent motorcycles leave the various hotels that we have stayed at at international rally's, I often wonder if the hotel manager thinks to himself " well I didn't sign up for this bloody mess to clear up"