Swamp Beeza resurrection

[john83]

Earlier this year I got my hands on a BSA frame and had the idea to piece myself together a good stock-ish runner. I started keeping an eye out for a motor when Deviant1 sent me an ad for a crusty BSA chopper. I bought that bike for $200 and Deviant drove like 70, miles one way to get it for me. I can’t buy him enough beers.

Well now I’ve got the beginnings of a real project.

It’s very crusty and needs a whole lot but the motor turns freely. The engine numbers list it as a Lightning but it’s got a Thunderbolt head. It was definitely someone’s chopper back in the day.

This will be a very slow project when I have time or money to devote to it. I’m not trying to build a show bike but a solid runner in mostly stock trim while adding modern improvements where possible.


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[Rider52]

Just a little crusty. Nothing a little time and elbow grease can't fix. You already know the BSA quirks so you are well ahead of the game.

 

[adventurco]

Sign me up. That was a great buy for the money.

 

[Maritime]

Cool, in for the show even if it will be a slow one.

 

[Hurco550]

Watching for sure. I'm bummed I didn't get eyes on this thing in person at Barber.

 

[john83]

Finally went out and started tinkering with this thing. Figured it would be easier to yank the top end with the motor still mounted in the frame so that’s what I did. Everything thing is dirty and some things are rusty but nothing looks damaged or broken.

The crank spins over very smoothly and the pistons look okay. I think my next move is getting the bottom end out of the frame.


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[john83]

Engine dismantling continues. Pretty sure I discovered why it was parked. The oil pump had grenaded and it drive gear broken off. Other than that things seem okay under the timing cover. There was no gasket on the primary cover and no oil in it. The clutch discs slid out stuck together and look pretty rough.

I need to get a clutch basket holding tool before I continue to remove primary side components.


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[Rider52]

Ouch!

 

[john83]

Took it all apart to make more room in the garage for more pressing projects. Somewhere in all this junk is a rideable BSA.
One day.


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[teazer]

That looks a lot more salvageable now that when it was in one piece. Not sure about the forks and single sided front drum brake, but that could be a fun project. Or spend 10k plus and have a restoration worth half what you spent.

A suitable disk front end and cafe racer tank and seat and that could be nice.

 

[Luugo86]

I love this bike. Just a mechanical restoration, front brake upgrade, sort the wiring and seat... would keep the petina and that old school frame/tank paint.. I really dig it

 

[Rider52]

When I built the BSA A10/HD 45 pile I used a 1975 Honda CB750 fork with disc brake. It was the right length, better brake. I used the stock headlight ears, headlight, gaiters, speedo it looked stockish.

 

[ridesolo]

I really like seeing these major resurrections happening. Nothing more satisfying than seeing something like this BSA or the @adventurco Guzzi getting another chance at life.

 

[john83]

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When I built the BSA A[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]/HD [emoji6] pile I used a [emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]][emoji6] Honda CB[emoji[emoji6]][emoji6][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]] fork with disc brake. It was the right length, better brake. I used the stock headlight ears, headlight, gaiters, speedo it looked stockish.

Tell me more about how you adapted the Honda steering stem to the BSA neck. There’s a BSA project I keep seeing for sale near me with a SOHC front end on it.


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[Rider52]

I sent my Honda trees and the BSA races/dimensions to a machinist. He machined it all to fit. At the time he did a lot of fork conversions for old bikes. Unfortunately that was 20 years ago and he is no longer with us.

 

[john83]

I might know a couple fellas that could be of help ;-)


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