Vintafakers....and anybody else who wants to stay a while on my blog out of the way of daily politics...I promise not to mention Boris! Fook...just have!...Sorry! The lunatic is trying to make a comeback, 2 day's from now he could once again be steering out great nation further onto the rocks.....Phufffff!
Lovely Maroon? Probably a lady, (hope so) is the BSA B31 that time forgot! (A veteran of 15 Prime Ministers) She's being waiting so long to get her motor running...heading out onto the highway... I promise it won't be long now. I've been doing bits and bob's on her but progress is slow. Massaging her rough bit's back into shape and trying not to spend too much money doing it. Scrimping on mechanicals though isn't the best idea as the risk of breakdowns increases, (probably in the remotest place) so not something I'd be encouraging on myself. With this is mind I raided my piggy bank and bought new internals for the E3L type dynamo. Staying with the 6v set up rather than getting involved in 12v conversions. Not like I'll be doing any long distant night rides. The outer case of the dynamo I'd painted a couple of years ago, just never got around to finishing the job. Until now!!!
Field coil in, oilite bush soaked in lube and pressed into the side casing, armature (UK made!!) next in, followed by the other end casing and new brushes. At this point I had to research how to test the dynamo by 'motorising' it. Wow...everyday is a skool day! It motored!!!! One thing I found unobtainable was the felt lubricating washer that sits on the outside of the oilite bush, surely an essential part in prolonging it's life longevity? Not even availabe to the rich BSA Gold Star boys?
Haha! Albert has a cunning plan and one that Eric Clapton would be proud of. After much research I found a felt washer with almost similar dimensions....Used on guitars....Sold on pk's of 10 for the strap button...at £3 a bag inc post!!! Layla...da..da..da... While my dynamo gently weeps...waaa...waaaaa!
Just had to increase the internal hole by careful kraft knifing and there you have it!. Oiled up, and feeding goodness to the Oilite.
Not done yet though..Sometimes this repro stuff isn't up to much, and my guess is the new bakalite end cap has origins in India...ok for a Royal Enfield but nope, no good for my Lovely Maroon.
The oiling hole covered by a gorgous copper swiveling cover had to be rescued from the old cap and fitted to it's replacement. In Dad's old workshop I found a copper rivet that was a match made in heaven. Only needed to be fixed on somehow after careful drilling and countersinking A 2mm starlock washer sourced on line( in a pack of x5 for £1.75) solved the problem of peening over the rivet end and in the process avoided the risk of cracking that wonderful Deli bakerlite cap. Chuffin quality! With value added after engraving the electrical terminal pick-ups D and F it's as good as a real 1950s one.
POSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Never mind the time, it's beer o'clock. And don't just open one I've got a reet thirst on!!!!..
Hang on.........
