Nice one, thanks!
"Project"
- Thread starter bakerlonglegs
- Start date
Nice one, thanks!
Yeah absolutely fella, as and when you're ready to think about the paint drop me a PM and we'll have a chat about it!
Loving the thread!!
Well, that took a long time.....!
Started it for the first time yesterday. It's f'ing loud!!
I haven't been working on it regularly since I started this thread. Family, health and work issues have got in the way, but the lockdown meant a good length of time to finally get it sorted.
Things I've found out, or been reminded of, doing this:
When you think you're 95% of the way there, it's actually more like 50%.
Never, ever, ever, ever, ever buy a project bike in bits. I've had to teach myself how the bike goes together from a parts book, a Haynes manual, Google, and 2 dozen close-up photos of the same model I saw at a bike show, plus some very helpful and patient people on a BSA forum.
Pattern parts don't fit. Most of my garage time has been spent modifying new parts.
Always insist your job is urgent when farming stuff out. I'm too nice and always say there's no rush = bottom of the queue, instantly.
Powder coat is tough stuff but the thickness means problems putting stuff back together again.
Sometimes you f*** things up and have to take the bits off and start again. It happens. Tools down and walk away for a bit.
There's stuff left to do:
Register it! I've got the original buff log book but DVLA haven't heard of it. I'd like to keep the original number plate.
Sort the noise out. I don't mind a loud-ish exhaust but this is really anti-social, especially as I'd like to use it for pottering around the villages and lanes. Might be the cheapo pattern exhaust.
The rear mudguard needs repairing and both mudguards need painting. I did buy a pattern rear mudguard but it nowhere near fits.
Chrome the gear lever and fit the rubber end cover.
Started it for the first time yesterday. It's f'ing loud!!
I haven't been working on it regularly since I started this thread. Family, health and work issues have got in the way, but the lockdown meant a good length of time to finally get it sorted.
Things I've found out, or been reminded of, doing this:
When you think you're 95% of the way there, it's actually more like 50%.
Never, ever, ever, ever, ever buy a project bike in bits. I've had to teach myself how the bike goes together from a parts book, a Haynes manual, Google, and 2 dozen close-up photos of the same model I saw at a bike show, plus some very helpful and patient people on a BSA forum.
Pattern parts don't fit. Most of my garage time has been spent modifying new parts.
Always insist your job is urgent when farming stuff out. I'm too nice and always say there's no rush = bottom of the queue, instantly.
Powder coat is tough stuff but the thickness means problems putting stuff back together again.
Sometimes you f*** things up and have to take the bits off and start again. It happens. Tools down and walk away for a bit.
There's stuff left to do:
Register it! I've got the original buff log book but DVLA haven't heard of it. I'd like to keep the original number plate.
Sort the noise out. I don't mind a loud-ish exhaust but this is really anti-social, especially as I'd like to use it for pottering around the villages and lanes. Might be the cheapo pattern exhaust.
The rear mudguard needs repairing and both mudguards need painting. I did buy a pattern rear mudguard but it nowhere near fits.
Chrome the gear lever and fit the rubber end cover.
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You appear to have either had a remarkably smooth run through to completion or you’ve missed out the years of misery 
Nice job, I’d be well pleased with that
Nice job, I’d be well pleased with that
You appear to have either had a remarkably smooth run through to completion or you’ve missed out the years of misery
Nice job, I’d be well pleased with that
Thanks Andy
I am chuffed and relieved it runs. Definitely years of misery
but also learning as I went along. So much I would do differently next time. For example as all the parts were in such a mess I was never sure it would actually come together, so I tended to do one thing at a time, engine, then wheels, then frame, etc. Next time I’ll be more wary of time delays and keep things going in parallel.
The bike looks great. I was following your thread on the BSA forum about getting the oil to circulate before firing up a new engine. My engine is not rebuilt but hasn’t been run for a few years and I’m hoping to fire it up soon so there was some good advice on there.
Regarding the noise level - are we deceived by our relatively quiet modern bikes. I had a Triumph (TR6) once which appeared to whisper compared to other bikes at the time but I suspect it was just relatively quiet by the standards of the time.
Regarding the noise level - are we deceived by our relatively quiet modern bikes. I had a Triumph (TR6) once which appeared to whisper compared to other bikes at the time but I suspect it was just relatively quiet by the standards of the time.
Thanks Chas,
I ended up pushing the bike in gear with the plugs out along the road and back to get the oil round. Huffing and puffing in last Friday’s heat!
That looks great, congrats on a good job well done 
I was always a BSA man, my dad before me. I started with the ubiquitous D7 Bantam (passed my test two weeks after turning sixteen) 350cc B31, 650 Rocket Gold Star, A65L Lightning
I was always a BSA man, my dad before me. I started with the ubiquitous D7 Bantam (passed my test two weeks after turning sixteen) 350cc B31, 650 Rocket Gold Star, A65L Lightning
It reminds me a Suzuki GS850 I brought in 2012, it was a frame with 2 wheels fitted and the engine was dropped into the frame. Plus the accompanying 4 large plastic storage boxed containing "everything else" literally, no bags nothing labeled. At the time I had seen one complete and thought that looks ok. So effectively I was like you on idea what was there and what wasn't, it was fun I spent more time on the net than I did building. The exhaust was a nightmare but I did end up with a good bike that I knew inside-out. Incidentally the "new Exhaust" cost almost a much as the original bike because I wanted it as original for the year.
Keep going it will be well worth when you riding around the lanes thinking I built this and no tax.
Barny
Keep going it will be well worth when you riding around the lanes thinking I built this and no tax.
Barny
I remember when a school mate of mine picked one up for a song, back in the day.
When everyone lusted after a Bonnie or RGS, he arrived with his old black iron head plunger 650 & a pretty new GF on the pillion. In fairness, when the piss-take subsided, we found it was actually in fine fettle & way quicker than we all thought, if a tad harsh on that rear end.
This one should keep you out of mischief right through the next pandemic. Good luck with the resto.
When everyone lusted after a Bonnie or RGS, he arrived with his old black iron head plunger 650 & a pretty new GF on the pillion. In fairness, when the piss-take subsided, we found it was actually in fine fettle & way quicker than we all thought, if a tad harsh on that rear end.
This one should keep you out of mischief right through the next pandemic. Good luck with the resto.
I rebuilt a B40 last year. It’s like any building project - costs twice as much and takes twice as long as expected. With regard to the exhaust, I put a new pattern one on and it sounded deafening- could hear the bike 1 mile away in the next village. I foolishly threw the original one away which was much quieter than the pattern one.
In the process of doing an A50.
4 years ago did a D14 Bantam to show standards including rebuilding wheels myself.
Very impressed with your A10. Look forward to seeing the finished job!!
In the process of doing an A50.
4 years ago did a D14 Bantam to show standards including rebuilding wheels myself.
Very impressed with your A10. Look forward to seeing the finished job!!
Thanks very much for the nice comments 
Cost and time doubled, ain’t that the truth!! Every time I thought ‘just bolt this on, easy!’ it never was. I also needed to buy a lot of taps and dies, and a few special tools.
Interesting comment about the pattern exhaust, that’s what mine is. I briefly thought about a quick nip round the block when it started, but that was ruled out by the epic noise! Investigations needed....
Cost and time doubled, ain’t that the truth!! Every time I thought ‘just bolt this on, easy!’ it never was. I also needed to buy a lot of taps and dies, and a few special tools.
Interesting comment about the pattern exhaust, that’s what mine is. I briefly thought about a quick nip round the block when it started, but that was ruled out by the epic noise! Investigations needed....
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