Toot Toot ! I can hear the Altette loud and clear Part 2 with additional News Flash

Greetings to all 'Vintafaker Stalwarts.....and anyone else who knows me. Albert here.
Up early Saturday morning I was...oh yes, because before I could get back into 'The Old Sidevalve Bar' and continue correcting the design errors on the Virago a most important duty had to be performed.
Serious times these are ! I had promised to raise the family colours whilst the battle with The UK Border Bandits rages.....Luckily .I had inherited the aforementioned colours from my uncle Sir Rodders Ticklebrush. He had used then to good effect whilst fighting alongside Michael Caine in the film Zulu....(not a lot of people know that)

Strapped to the top of a turnip spade is where they will firmly remain. Because it's Govermental Turnips we are dealing with......with the occasional Mr Potato Head thrown in for good measure. 
Hoisted high above the battlements of 'The Old Sidevalve Pickling Belfry' for all Yorkshireshireshire to see flies 'The Ticklebrush V' 

Motto -  UNIS EST NUNQUAM SATIS - USQUEQUAQUE UTOR DUOS
              (ONE IS NEVER ENOUGH - ALWAYS USE TWO)


Ok, the line is drawn.  I shall pen a missive. Then await developments

In the meantime I made a bracket to mount the Altette onto the VBobber. I have the original bracket.......but I couldn't bring myself to modify such a valuable piece of motoring metalwork having owned it for many decades.

I like Speed holes .


That's all for now, it's Flagon Hour.
Albert over and out

News Flash........Crisis..You Bet !

We interupt Toot Toot ! I can hear the Altette loud and clear with an important News Flash...
I, 'Honest Albert' feel as if my country has deserted decency.........true Blightyness.......and above set up a whole bunch of Highway Robbers in a new goverment department......UK 'Chuffin' Border Control...
Hey Alb...what happened dude?
I fell foul of importing a tiny weeny tiddly fingy bitty for my ex Elvis CB72 motorcycle from over the pond.....ya know from that country of freedom.....!!!! Whatever !
Here's the offending article......a deliciously brand spanking new speedo drive..............45 years old and never been spun on a wheel......sweet.....

The aluminium curvatiousness...................only touched by one small Japanese person........an American residing in Kerrville Texas..............and me.....firmly located at  'The Old SidevalveBar' Yorkshireshireshire.

Anyways......as my little beaut came innocently into this green and pleasant land of 'Hope and Glory' a spotty faced goverment nerd spotted the package. CASH COW.....! CASH COW ! Went the warning buzzers. Charge every innocent Joe V.A.T. on vital antique motorcycle parts and then further inflict a sting by charging for the privilege !!!!

Total £13.95 !!!

What ya gonna do Alb ?
I'm going to make a stand on MY LAND............I shall raise my colours above 'The Old Sidevalve Bar' battlements...........
If you have colours you want raising too then send them to me and I will see that the wind blows freely through them............Stay tuned for part 2 of this News Flash.......
Corporal Albert of the Left Foot Forward Brigade over and out for now.

Toot Toot ! I can hear the Altette loud and clear

Greetings my old blogchops.
Albert here with this weekends report.
I started the weekend with a stressful operation. It was time to trim my copper fork shroulds to size........careful measuring.....and then some more and in a few moments the tops were cut to suit the fork set up...............Then ! !!!!!Eeeeekkkk  I decided the ball bearings in the steering set up were the wrong size....I was having difficulty taking the free play out of them.......Ohhhh ....
I shall buy some balls of a different size and keep my fingers crossed all is still good.
So....what to do now.....
Hey, I have a horn somewhere that would be just the ticket on the VBobber......
It's in one of these boxes somewhere

How delicious is this.....a genuine lucas Altette......Been in hibernation for 40 years (or more)
Time it saw some action....
Putting 12 volts across the terminals brought it back to life......Only slight problem is it's a 6 volter really.....
I'll investigate how I can step down the voltage over the coming weeks.........
In the meantime......a strip down and paint up wouldn't go amiss

 

Pure quality.........After starting the clean up I changed my mind on the restoration...........
Look at it !!!!!!!  Over 50 years old............I'm connecting with it............Just imagine where the guy who put this together is now..............Yeh right..... Long gone !.........I want to save some of the wrinkles........I like wrinkles...........
Stay tuned for part 2 of  Toot Toot ! I can hear the Altette loud and clear

Albert over and out.

A week in the life of Albert

Seven earth days hath passed ( give or take a day or two) since I have sent forth messages into the atmosphere...yes, beaming words of knowledge to all those with antenna switched onto receive.....
Earth calling ..........Earth calling.........Albert here.........It's me..... calling with electronic verbalities to enrich distant universes......and all those in Blighty who like to keep one step ahead of small nanu-nanu aliens.
This weekend I have been mainly ......soldering......
I like soldering.....
Sacrificing another Cuban Peso printing plate for the precious metal I turned two rebated discs. These would allow me to join the top and bottom sections of the VBobber fork shroulds together.
Time to get hot down in 'The Old Sidevalve Bar' with Big Bertha.........
Flame on , I'm ready to dip mi tip !

 
Steaming flux, sweated solder....wonderful.

 
I used the upturned fork leg as a jig to get everything in line.

Two has become one !
Time to clean up the joint.

Stay tuned Nanuuuuuuus.....There's always somefink happening in Vintafaker land.....
time for my flagon.......topped up to the brim with 'falling down cider'.......

More holes than Shinya

Greetings Vintafakers........Albert here......
It's been a long day.......Drilling, filling and polishing down in 'The Old Sidevalve Bar'
During the course of last week it came to my attention that a certain well known 'Custom Sickle' builder had also been creating a speedo mount.....well let me remind you all that I was doing such a thing before him........
There I was.........minding my own business.....
I'm not bothered !!!! Honest I'm not........hey......we are all allowed to drill and grind are we not ?
So.......Ill tell my story first.....
Remember last week I had carved out of solid brass the basic shape of the mount for my lovely delightfully delicious Delhi Speedo mount......this weekend I have fulfilled the dream...
Step one...

Drill 'Speed Holes'
 Step 2...

Buff to top shine....
 Step 3

Delhi Delightful....Million dollars
Now....here's a picture of Shinya's

Pretty much like a copy of mine.....
but whatever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He's ok......here's a link to his blog......http://shinyakimura.blogspot.co.uk/
I still say mine's more bestest........
so I win the flagon of Scrumpy.......CHEERS !

Not C.A.D. Not C.N.C. Just Old Skool !

A.C. here. Yes me. Albert Crackleport a.k.a The Vintafaker......
(Who ?)
What's with all this abbreviation stuff  in the title ? Dunno ! It just happened......
Anyway, I'm here to report on the latest teeny weeny happening down at 'The Old Sidevalve Bar'. At the moment what I am about to show you is lacking in visual delightfulness (although that will change as I continue to express my artistic desires on the small but unexpectedly firm piece of scrap metal......)
What ya on about old chap ?
Oh,... forgot to mention......today I shall start making a bracket to hold my lovely Delhi Speedo...
However before thee hands could caress metal I had to consolidate my vision onto an old cardboard takeaway wrapper. (Those in the know call it a template)........No electronic 3D C.A.D. software to help...no....just old fashioned pen and paper. Seemed to work....A  few scribble scibblingtons followed by a couple of snip snipperooos and before you know it I was on a roll.......the juices were flowing............ wooooooo wooooooo wooooooooooooooooo...feel the force......

Down my neural pathways came the message.........
"Use brass.....cut delightfully curvy......drill plenty speed holes.........mount prominently on VBobber"

So far I had managed not to use the C.A.D. because I dont own such a thing..........and I don't own a C.N.C either so I fired up my grinder, dropped my goggles and in a few pleasurable moments I had myself another amazing work of art.

A carressing rub or two around the extremities with an assortment of rasps and .................

 

what did I tell you !  Coming on a treat..........

Hang on ......I can hear 'Old Rosie' being splashed into my trusty flagon........I'm away.............

.

Stay tuned though for more Vintafaking........You know it makes sense......

 

Half way around the world

Hey. Hey ! Big day today !
The postman has just delivered my latest Ebay purchase. All the way from Delhi.....(in India)
A exact copy 'Smiths' speedometer ! Less than 10 quid + 8 quid postage.....Ya can't get a curry delivered from up tha road for that sort of money....
I like it ! It's complete with all relevent import papers too.....Fully legal to be in Blighty.....
Still can't get over it.....a tenner ! ....Hand crafted by a 7 year old orphan........with no shoes...........living in a cardboard box.....................eating worms and cockroaches....................
The kids done good !....

It's done 2 miles already.......maybe it's been roadtested at speed on an Enfield Bullet.......
Time to raise a drinking vessel in a Delhi direction.....for my cha' has brewed and my Walla has poured it....

What...what....what.....