1952 VHA / VCH 'ish' replica

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alan.moore
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1952 VHA / VCH 'ish' replica

Post by alan.moore »

Been a while since I was posting on the forum, family commitments etc but with the WNG finished I've got a new project. It is a 1952 VHA engine which I am going to be using to build a VCH type machine. I really like the look of the minimalistic tinware and that big single alli engine.

The 'project' purchased also included a 1952 VH rigid frame, GB gearbox, clutch, primary cases, tele forks, wheel hubs etc so I've got a good starting point.
The Project
The Project
The Engine
The Engine
I know a bit of history about the engine. The gent I purchased it from was put onto it in 1992, it was in a 1954 twin frame and had been languishing outside, in a bed of brambles, without a plug in it, for a while !! He bought it and found it was well seized, no amount of liquid concoctions would free it. Not wanting to do any damage by hitting it with hammers etc he set it aside for another day whilst he collected bits for a 1952 VHA restoration. Fast forward 30 years and whilst the collection of parts was impressive the engine was still seized.

Stay tuned for what I found and how I saved the VHA
Found in a bramble bush 1992
Found in a bramble bush 1992
Found in a bramble bush 1992 (click on images & they are correct way round)
Found in a bramble bush 1992 (click on images & they are correct way round)
1939 VH Redhunter;1942 RN WNG;1951 Triumph 6T Thunderbird;1970 BSA B175 Bantam;1986 Yamaha SRX600 single;1952 VHA engined project
http://cloggymoore.wix.com/triumph-pre-unit-6t
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alan.moore
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Engine Part 1

Post by alan.moore »

Engine Part 1

With the head off its was all a bit murky in there. The original top hat liner had been lined again and that liner had split about a third of the way down the bore and moved down about 5mm. The piston was stamped STD and under the grime looked quite good.
Split in liner
Split in liner
Now I'm just a bloke in a shed and don't have any fancy lathes or milling machines...but I like a challenge.
Not wanting to damage the block by using any amount of pressure on the piston I hit (sorry pun not intended) on using a carbide tipped holesaw in my pillar drill to cut through the piston and hopefully remove the rings one by one, the theory being that with the rings removed and a bit of ATF/Acetone soaking the piston would be free...so much for theory.
All lined up ready for drilling
All lined up ready for drilling
All lined up ready for drilling
All lined up ready for drilling
I found the centre of the piston with some dividers and drilled a 5mm hole just through the crown. I replaced the centre drill in the holesaw with a piece of 5mm brass, the idea being that this would keep the holesaw centred but not cause any damage to the top of the conrod as I went down and I could keep shortening the brass rod as I went
IMG_20230424_160302895.jpg
1939 VH Redhunter;1942 RN WNG;1951 Triumph 6T Thunderbird;1970 BSA B175 Bantam;1986 Yamaha SRX600 single;1952 VHA engined project
http://cloggymoore.wix.com/triumph-pre-unit-6t
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alan.moore
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Engine part 1a

Post by alan.moore »

Engine Part 1a
It all went surprisingly well. Plenty of WD40 and blowing out the alli filings regularly, I was soon down to the top ring. The holesaw left a narrow ring of piston around it but this was easily broken away with a screwdriver. The top ring came out almost whole and didn't appear to have been rusted to the bore.
Down to the top ring
Down to the top ring
Which came out almost whole
Which came out almost whole
I continued down removing the second ring and oilring and was now down almost to the gudgoen pin.
IMG_20230424_172101633.jpg
I knew the piston wasn't quite at BTC so I tried a few very tentative taps...it was still solid. So I drilled out the crown and cut out two big sections of the piston front and back and broke away as much of the remaining skirt as I could with a screwdriver. Now all that was left was the gudgeon pin bosses. But still no movement!

So.....I took a rest and thought.....maybe the big end, little end or main bearings are sized that's why it wont move. So I unbolted the cylinder and turned the crank. Now don't get me wrong it was not a smooth motion, more of a turn and grind, but the crank turned and the cylinder went up and down so nothing was siezed solid.

So back to the piston which was now in two halfs on the gudgeon pin. I managed (after the loss of a little blood from my thumb) to hook one of the circlips out and then heated up the remains of that side of the piston with a propane torch. Success with a bit of prying the piston moved away from the cylinder with a slight snap, only a hairs, but it was enough. Heating the other side which also prized away with a bit of effort.

And that was it...it was all over. Cylinder slid off.
Not a lot left
Not a lot left
And here is the offending article...
IMG_20230425_175049003.jpg
1939 VH Redhunter;1942 RN WNG;1951 Triumph 6T Thunderbird;1970 BSA B175 Bantam;1986 Yamaha SRX600 single;1952 VHA engined project
http://cloggymoore.wix.com/triumph-pre-unit-6t
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alan.moore
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Engine part 3

Post by alan.moore »

Engine part 3

Another couple of pics of the the piston
IMG_20230425_173035519.jpg
IMG_20230425_173026196.jpg
And the sleeve (vertical marks are from my sawing out the piston skirt with a hacksaw blade)
IMG_20230425_175203089.jpg
The alli barrel looks fine, no damage to the skirt. The inner liner is only thin (not that thin the chamfer makes it look thinner). I think what may have happened is that it was lined and bored a bit too tight/not run in properly and the pistons seized tight splitting the liner and pulling it down and probably distorting it which meant the piston was well and truly jammed in there. From the photos of it in the bramble bushes it looks like no one stripped it to sort out what had happened pre 1992 so it didn't get the big hammer treatment which may have damaged the barrel.
Inner liner slipped down
Inner liner slipped down
Crankcases look fine, no inner corrosion (they cleaned up nice but haven't got a pic yet) Bearings are all rusted solid, big end moves but is far from smooth. Project came with another steel VH crank and a NOS hoffman big end and a NOS STD piston. I've managed to get a NOS Hepolite top hat liner (SU2417) and a good mate sold me a set of NOS main bearings. Head looks fine but may need valves and guides.
IMG_20230425_183212496.jpg
All in all a fruitful few days in The Shed and a VHA engine saved all those years ago from a bramble bush in a back garden in Croydon.

I'll post more as and when the project progresses. First job is to bolt all the bits together to make a complete bike so I can get on with applying for an age related number based on the 1952 VH frame.

Thanks for looking, feel free to comment :D
1939 VH Redhunter;1942 RN WNG;1951 Triumph 6T Thunderbird;1970 BSA B175 Bantam;1986 Yamaha SRX600 single;1952 VHA engined project
http://cloggymoore.wix.com/triumph-pre-unit-6t
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Leejm
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Re: 1952 VHA / VCH 'ish' replica

Post by Leejm »

Looking forward to see this coming on , I know someone else who is building a vch as well .
1948 NH, BSA D10 SPORTS. 1953 VHA, 1951 KH rigid project.
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alan.moore
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Re: 1952 VHA / VCH 'ish' replica

Post by alan.moore »

So do i.if mine is even close to his standard I will be more than pleased
1939 VH Redhunter;1942 RN WNG;1951 Triumph 6T Thunderbird;1970 BSA B175 Bantam;1986 Yamaha SRX600 single;1952 VHA engined project
http://cloggymoore.wix.com/triumph-pre-unit-6t
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Leejm
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Re: 1952 VHA / VCH 'ish' replica

Post by Leejm »

I'm sure you will do it proud , not sure about the other bloke tho .
1948 NH, BSA D10 SPORTS. 1953 VHA, 1951 KH rigid project.
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alan.moore
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Re: 1952 VHA / VCH 'ish' replica

Post by alan.moore »

Got all the bits bolted together in order to get an age related number. Didn't have an exhaust so the one on it is a 'replica'
Cheers
Alan
[attachment=1]IMG_20230605_153041_HDR~2.jpg[/attachmen
Attachments
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IMG_20230605_153041_HDR~2.jpg
1939 VH Redhunter;1942 RN WNG;1951 Triumph 6T Thunderbird;1970 BSA B175 Bantam;1986 Yamaha SRX600 single;1952 VHA engined project
http://cloggymoore.wix.com/triumph-pre-unit-6t
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Re: 1952 VHA / VCH 'ish' replica

Post by Julian Murphy »

Wow.

That looks beautiful already.

Seems like 1 step from boring out a piston to a complete bike.
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