1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star restoration (1000 miles and more)

Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Was at a show this last weekend and saw the bike below. Immediately thought of this build. Gave the bike a good look. You've really got something special there.

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Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

This is fun watching you. I owned a 68 BSA 441 Shooting Star in the early 80's. I traded a Tiger Cub 200 for it. It wasn't a Goldstar but I understand the love affair. I've had my share of Triumphs also.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

great score on that goldie! they are wonderful machines!

I woulld suggest skipping the extreme long wait and expense of using vintage brake's services and picking up a pearson duetto replica 2ls plate for your 190. it will far outperform even the best set up sls 190.

also do you have the bgss eddie dow catalog tip book?
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

An inspirational thread, keep up the good work and we are all looking forward to the outcome. Also, your documenation is phenominal.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Nice find! I've got a buddy with a Gold Star, not sure which year. He wins awards at shows all the time and it seems like he rebuilds the motor every winter. fucking limey bikes!
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Thanks everyone! Thanks IndieSol for the images.


Well it is official, my Minnesota title arrived today and I am the second owner of this bike, free and clear!


I finally have some free time and will work on her this weekend.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Nice! Big hurdle crossed there! Congrats!
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

wow great job on the bike so far swan!! cant wait to see the bike completed! :)
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Love the write up........I also managed to find a DBD 34 in a water filled basement many moons ago ( late 70s/early 80s)..........price was a princely 100.00. Guy that had it knew absolutely nothing about it, just wanted the junk outta his basement.........Was real hard to keep a poker face when a friend and myself went over to pick it up........Bout the same shape as yours but the engine ran tru and more complete. Ended up trading it off as I had several Nortons, a Trident and my Rickman CR at the time. My thoughts were to pull the engine/trans and slip them into a Seeley framed rolling chassis that was available at the time. Bike ended up going to a guy that was restoring one and I ended up with another triple.........That DBD 34 and my CR are the only bikes that I have regrets for letting go.......Hope you enjoy yours, they were made to be ridden and a big single in proper tune is a unique experience!.... ;D

Regards....................Bart
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Thanks all, Sfightercafe, I very few regrets in life, but most involve two wheels...

Well, a few small steps forward tonight.
I finished sorting out the alignment of the rear hub, trued the rim and mounted the tire.


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I have several hours of play time tomorrow and am going to gather all the hardware, photograph it, bead blast, file and prep everything so I can send it all to be re-cadmium plated. I am going to take my time and get every single bit done, even the stuff you will never see such as the bolts inside the rear brake drum.
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I am still trying to find a decent regional chromer who understands old bikes and is willing to do small batches.
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The front hub is going to the machine shop on Monday to be turned and then both wheels will be machine balanced.
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Before lathe turning the brake hub.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

swan said:
I am still trying to find a decent regional chromer who understands old bikes and is willing to do small batches.

Consider Brown's Plating (www.brownsplating.com). The are generally regarded as the best in every aspect. I realize that they may not be regional, but I can see that you're definitely going all out with the restoration. I know they're service would be more than fitting.

Can't wait to see the rest of the build come together. You're doing a great job so far.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Thanks GP, Browns is pricey, but you get what you pay for. I may buy new from the UK for it is cheaper on some items.



I started preparing all the hardware for cadmium plating so I finally tackled the gearbox and finally solved the mystery of the "RRAT2" stamp.


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I cleaned the exterior of the gearbox and removed 40 + years of New Mexico mud, grease and who knows what. The good news the gearbox turned over easy with no discernible lash or play.
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Clean at last, clean at last...


I cracked the inspection cover was encouraged to see oil, no foreign matter or chucks or specks of metal. Pulled the front covers and all looked clean and good and it seems I am the first person to get in here. Everything was pristine and beautiful. Flawless!
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Oily goodness.


After pulling the lay and main shafts I started counting gear teeth to determine exactly what I have.
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With the aid of the BSA Service Chart listing all the A and B group gearbox ratios found here http://bsa-a10.hailwood.com/images/gearbox/chart1.jpg (Courtesy of our BritBike's David Kath, thank you!) I started counting teeth.
It turns out this is an "ARRT2" gearbox used on B34 Gold Star Clubman and 1963 Gold Star Twins aka Rocket Gold Star. It does have two Torrington needle bearings. This is NOT an RRT2 extra close ratio road racing gearbox. So what to do?
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For now, I have decided to restore this ARRT2 gearbox along with my STD gearbox while I research and choose which one I am going to use on my Goldie. Who knows what the factory was thinking when they slapped this together. I do not need a RRT2 gearbox for I will be riding in light traffic and the hills along the river. I may use my Standard gearbox and sell the ARRT2 box to anyone looking to restore their Goldie or Rocket Gold Star. Maybe I will ride both then decide which to keep.

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The patient on the operating table.


I need to finish breaking everything down, cleaning and the proper hardware is going to be cadmium plated, new bearings, seals, gaskets etc along with vapor blasting the cases and polishing the covers and caps. Same for the STD tranny and both will look good as new.


Picking up the front wheel tomorrow from machine shop so I can mount and balance the tire and get one step closer to having a roller...
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Hey Swan bike is looking awesome. I am also from MN and have been referred to this shop before but never have actually used them. I believe they do small batches and custom work specializing in automotive and motorcycle restorations.

JR Custom plating
John Colton (owner)
1391 11th Ave. SW
Forest Lake, MN 55025

651-464-0761

www.jrcustomplating.com
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

great great thread. love the detail and great photos.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Swan,

the ARRT2 boxes were standard Rocket Gold Star fodder - I suspect that it may have been a parts bin raid at the factory! IE - they ran out of the stock Goldie box and fitted from the RGS. I had three RGSs - all with ARRT2 boxes. ALL of my 5 Goldies [ 2 x 350, 3 x 500 ] used RRT2s and I never saw a Goldie with anything else fitted.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Midcoastcustoms thank for the plating reference, I'll check them out. Thanks Andrewm.


Beachcomber, I think you are right. They factory may have used up what was left or dump the crap on the Yanks. The stamp looks like a RRT2 inner casing with an "A" added later. How does the ARRT2 gearbox ride?


I am not willing tp pay retail for a RRT2 cluster or a Nova 5 speed so I may go with my STD until I get lucky again and find a close ratio gear cluster.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Hey Swan glad to pass the info. on.

There were MANY anomolies in the day - on brand new showroom floor bikes. Bear in mind the British Bike industry was spiralling downward at this point - no investment in new technology - a blinkered attitude to the new threat from the East. The spares situations during this period was also chaotic. I had 2 pals who worked at the BSA plant in Small Heath in the 60's / 70's - the stories ..................... I remember once our local dealer had 10 Super Rockets in his showroom - all awaiting dynamoes before they could be sold on !

The ARRT2 box was much more user friendly and was in fact the box of choice in my Manx / Gold Star. I also used the same box in one of my Tribsas that I had as a race bike. The box was ideally suited to the power delivery of the twins, but was a very pleasant box in the Manx chassis.

Love your build BTW
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Beachcomber, thanks for the input! I am familiar with all the strange happenings at Small Heath, particularly during the dying days of the early 1970's. I have read varying things about the ARRT2, good and bad. I appreciate your review and I will have to try it for myself and decide.
 
Re: 1962 BSA DBD34 Gold Star barn find restoration

Swan, nice bike you're restoring. Excellent workmanship.

My ten cents worth regarding you're choice of gearbox internals; my dad (in the UK)has a 62 Goldstar with the close ratio box and I can tell you that for normal street riding (in town, stop lights etc.) it is a bugger with that high first gear, actually it is miserable (a lot of clutch slipping). He also has a Rocket Goldstar that has a standard box in it and it really is a sweet bike to ride, I choose that over the Goldstar any day if we are going out for a ride. Now if you were out on a track or have nice roads with little traffic the cr box would be the way to go for sure.

I look forward to seeing the finished bike.
 
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