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-   -   Need some Advice on Restoring Classic Motorcycles (BSA, AJS etc) (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vintage-cars-classics-india/48297-need-some-advice-restoring-classic-motorcycles-bsa-ajs-etc.html)

Hello
Guys i am looking for some help with restoration of some wonderful bikes that were given to me by an extreemly nice person who was introduced by Karl. The bikes are missing a few parts and will be surely in sometime. I am trying to get some ideas for the correct color schemes for these bikes and would appreciate some help. The bikes are AJS, BSA swingarm, Matchless rigid and BSA Plunger (The Plunger is the only one that is still not working and needs a dynamo and a carb all others are working perfectly fine and did not take any effort starting). Also any comments on restoration, parts suggestions are more than welcome. Hope to have different colors for these. On a side note the Standard Herald Mark3 will start after the plunger starts running. Hope is to ride these bikes in Dec.

Thanks

I had some luck getting a new headlamp and tank pads etc at a shop in chor bazaar. However, i really dont remember the name or even how i found it / who directed me there (this was before Team-BHP)!! But im sure others might know of this shop.

Let me know if you ever need this :
Matchless = AJS in this case.


Maybe you will see something you like from these pictures i have collected :













cya
R

Thanks for the pics Rehan, so I guess I am missing the tool box for starters along with the amp and spedo on the Matchless. Is the maintanence manual available online? Do you happen to have a similar bike as well? If you have any closeup pics of the bike, I would like to get some fo the back section including the tail light and the tool box. Also any leads for headlights, amps, spedo and tank pads would really help.

AJS and Matchless Owners Club Limited | Articles
http://www.ajs-matchless.com/C_ARTList.asp
http://www.amcclassicspares.com/
http://www.freewebs.com/ajsmatchless/amcrelatedlinks.htm
http://www.britbike.com/
http://www.stevenott.com/bsabrgs.htm
http://www.superbiketalk.net/Motorcycles,Birmingham-Small-Arms-Company,Bsa-B31.en/
http://www.burtonbikebits.net/TRIStock.pdf


Hope this helps

The AJS and Matchless Archives The AJS and Matchless Archives

AJS Matchless egroup Ajsmatchless : AJS/Matchless (AMC) enthusiasts' group

Mail me at tuffryder@gmail.com. I will send some scans of high resolution decals, maintanence manuals, brochures, and a few other literature about amals and the mag-dynos which might help in restoring your G3L.

@Rehaan, thanks for the pictures, somehow like the 4th picture a lot, hope I can get there, the things I think I am missing(am sure many more) are a correct headlight, gas tak cover, tank badges, knee pads and the box.
@Julian, thanks for these sites, am still reading through these.
@deutscheafrikar, I downloaded the manuals and will print and show the mechanic, the good thing is the G3 sounds amazing.
@Tuffryder thanks just sent you an email thanks for the offer.Do you happen to have pics ofthe taillight as well. For some reason most pictures have side views of bikes and dont get to see the taillights which I need to pick up as well as the indicators.

Guys have an issue with the BSA Plunger, am trying to get it started for the whole transfer process and it just woud'nt start (mech's been trying for a while now) and he seems to think it is the Dynamo and point, are there some quick things that can be done to get it working temporarily (any parts from other bikes/parts available in Pune/Mumbai) etc that can be used? What sleeves would fit on the front shocks?

Does anyone know of a place in Mumbai/Pune where I may be able to pick speedometers? For some reason none of them have it.
Thanks

Hi: I've sent u some literature that will help you with the matchless. Let me know if you need the scanned brochures.

As for starting, get the magneto serviced, it is the easiest. You can convert the eectricals to that of a bullet but then its going to take time and money and a little alteration. Ive sent you a text on coil conversion for singles.

Speedo's. You will need to search for Smith's. You will need a military model type for your matchless, the 80mph one. As far as Im aware, you cannot just go pick these off the shelf, so make some contacts and see if any are for sale. You can get replicas though for 600 or 700 bucks. For a genuine, u might need to spend upwards of 4k depending on the condition.

One question if u wud like to answer. Where did you get these from? And how much did you buy it for?

Cheers
-pat-

Not that i know of. (Though it seems you came across something...)
I could scan a copy (this could take a while since im lazy/busy) or you could borrow it to xerox if you are ever in bombay and still need it.

Yes i did/do(?) have a 1947 AJS 500cc (rigid frame).
It spent about 10 (or was is 20?) years parked outdoors with no cover before it was bestowed upon me. It was pretty much a fossil. The muffler turned into dust at the lightest touch, cockroaches crawled out or the combustion chamber when we took the head off, the piston was stuck in place in the sleeve -- took about 4-5days to get free, etc.

Okay, but remember - its a fossil!! Not sure how much help it'll be!
This is the condition it was in the day i picked it up.













As i mentioned, the shop in chor bazaar somewhere.
I managed to pick up a new headlamp as well as some tank-pads from him "over-the-counter" (ie he had them with him the first time i showed up).

I'm not sure if the bike i had even had a speedo as original equipment!

Me too! Thats my favourite pic. (Pic 3 is also the same bike btw).

When i opened my dynamo it was stuck with rust. I had to hammer the armature to get it out of the casing. About half a cup full of rust poured out!! "Damnit, im gonna have to source a dynamo, what a pain." i thought. I guess my lazyness got the better of me and i sprayed the whole thing with WD40 several times and cleaned it up.
Gave it a shot and WOW!!! Beautiful blue/white spark on the first kick!!!! :)

cya
R

Hi: The workshop manual is available online, forgot the site though. I have a copy of it. Give me a few days time. My system is infected with a type_win32 and Im losing data every time I switch my net on. :Frustrati As soon as I sort my computer I will mail it across to you (if you haven't got it by then).

Rehaan, thanks for the pics. So when does the resto on your bike start? That shows the box clearly will need to source one eventually.
All efforts are on to get the plunger started I sent the guy the service manuals for the dynamo and magneto but its still not gelling.
Guys need a kam chalao speedo and was thinking if I have to buy one then why not the Smith's lookalike if anyone knows a shop where I can pick one up that would be really helpful. Some tank pads would be great too.

Actually this was more that 5 years ago. (I thought i had posted a few pics earlier but i couldn't find them).

A friend and i worked on the bike in my gradparents parkingspace/garage for a few months. We did all the work ourselves except the re-boring of the engine and the re-working of the front shocks.

The boring was done at a place on Mathew road, opera house. Nice shop, infact they even cut me a new exhaust valve because the original one had corroded away. Once again, i dont remember the name of the place but im sure people know it (to the left of international tyres). The guy i spoke to there was named Thimaya.

The shocks were re-worked by a mechanic on the approach road to worli sea-face. Apparently he helps with a lot of these old bikes. He might be a good resource for you - though he was a bit pricey and wasn't the most chatty guy the one time i met him. [ Bhaiya the mechanic - +91 22 24964063 ]



Our main goal was to get the engine running (the most fun part IMO). We took the whole thing apart down to the last bolt and pin (it took a LOT of WD40, kerosene and banging with a rubber mallet since the thing was so fossilized). Finally we did manage to put it together, and after a lot of mistakes and oversights we got the thing running on a "test-bench" kind of situation :



It ran really good and sounded great.

At this point i had to re-locate and the project was put on hold - after which i left the country for 5 years so never really got a chance to get back to it...unfortunately!

cya
R

Rehaan, where exactly was this blue/white spark visible?

I think, Rehaan means the magnetto, not the dynamo. There would be no sparks from the dynamo without a battery.

Erggh!! Complete brain-fart! I was saying "dynamo" all along when what i actually meant was magneto!

(@ the spark plug, if this Q is still valid :D )

cya
R