Recent content by GoFarKid

Next, I had to build the Steering Yoke carrier, bearing mounts, and steering lock for the tripple tree. Again, the central shaft was a Grade 8 Bolt.

A Few more images of the Top Mounts

Next I had to fabricate the Top Cylinder Head mounts. They require welding a set of cross tubes to the frame, and fabricating vertical plates to hang the cylinder heads. This is an important part, to get the alignment, and vertical height of the engine together

The really scary bit was then starting to put it all together. I had to first cut the front down tubes off the Frame (The point of no-return, and start to position the engine under the frame, to figure out the right position. I used a laser to get alignment of the Frame center line, the Engine...

OK, so next, I found an Italian supplier of a Fontana 250mm Quad LS front brake, and a really nice set of 38mm Tripple Tree Tops and Bottoms. I had to make my own spindle out of a Grade 8 Bolt on the SouthBend Lathe!

I had been searching for a couple of years, and finally found a set of 38mm Ceriani Replica (actually Nuovo Forcelli Italiana) forks. I had to strip them down, and finding replacement stanchions was impossible (the old ones had a slight bend / wrinkle to them), so I had "Forking By Frank" to...

Next I had to source a Frame. Originally i thought of using a Ducati Darmah, but then pivoted to a 1974 750 GT. I found one on Ebay, with a really nice Tank and Seat, so that created a great starting point

I have always wanted a Vincent, since I was about 14 (That is 50 years ago), now its time. Ill post the journey on here. It all starts with the engine. I asked John Mossey, of JMC in the UK, to build me a Black Shadow spec, brand new engine. Loosely, the specs are 8.5:1 Compression, Black...

Finally, I mad a few modifications to some other bits & bobs...A re-designed gear shift, so my big feet dont keep melting on the exhaust. A tool kit carrying box, so the tools dont fall out each time I open the tool box up, I had to re-solder the bottom fork sliders together to stop them...

Then this winter, I had to fix the rings - he was smoking really badly. It turned out I could fit ALL my feeler gauges in the ring gap! so I honed the bore, and stuck new rings in, which has made all the difference!!! Now he is up on compression, and Waaayyy down on oil consumption, and No Smoke!

Next, the Big end had too much play, so the following winter I stripped the engine down, and rebuilt the crankshaft. That involved making a system to press it apart, lapping in a new roller big end, pressing it back together, truing it, and then re-balancing the flywheels. It took ages, but now...

I thought I would add a few posts on the subsequent work. Firstly, I have spent Waaaaayyyy too much time trying to improve the clutch. Including fabricating my own "Basket" in the hope it would be better than the Velo chainwheel....It worked perfectly, but was no improvement on the...

Well he is a mongrel, with a number of Clubman and Thruxton bits (TLS front brake for example), but he does not have a Thruxton cylinder head, and GP carb, which are the bits that really count!

Thanks Man, its great to have him back on the road. This Christmas i took him for a 400 mile ride down to Key West from Florida, and he was just purring along!!! Great to have an old friend back on the road.

I would say (to the check list at the top) between "Check the flow of fuel", and "Start the engine", you want a "Go and grab a beer or a cup of tea, sit down and look at the bike for 20 minutes, and think about which things you have not done (Nuts / bolts, shit left where it should not be...