Whilst I had a 1958 NH for some years at the end of last summer I did a deal and took on a 1937 machine, it being of an age that interested me more - I think it's the girder forks that does it!The machine is a 3-owner one and began life as a 1937 NH Red Hunter. Then prior to 1950 it had a 1940, ex-Air Ministry 500 engine fitted and became bolted to a sidecar. The engine is an enclosed valve type though perhaps it began life as a 500 SV (engine number is a CH- and has what would have been the oil drain for the valve chest between the pushrod tubes blanked off - it also has the oil drain that would have come from the OHV inlet to the crankcase at back of the barrel blanked off too, so who knows?). At this time the owner was an AA patrolman - I found his insurance certificate from 1960 among the paperwork. Having spoken to the chap who restored the bike in the 90s, he recalled that it had many BSA parts fitted which isn't surprising as the owner would have had access, legitimately or otherwise, to a ready supply
The chap I got it from is a local VMCC member and bought the bike in 2000 and used it on just a few runs before leaving it in his shed and drifted off to Japanese machines.
As rescued, the machine was cosmetically good if grubby and needed a good coat of looking at - this is it arriving on a trailer at its new home.
Ove the last couple of weeks I made a start on getting it ready for the new season and uncovered lots of badges that I've steadily been correcting and actuall got it running a couple of days ago. It sounded pretty good with its freshly reground valves, replacement little end bush and new rings.
Then yesterday I decided to tackle the inoperative speedo cable. The spade end drive had broken off - it has actually been broken previously and some muppet thought that soldering the broken ends back together would work! Needless to say it didn't and the spade end had dropped into the outer casing of the box and despite my best efforts couldn't be manoeuvred out. So, off came the outer casing. It was then I found that the spade end had jammed the drive gear which had promptly lost a batch of its teeth. Fortunately the worm drive on the end of the layshaft escaped any damage.
Ive also placed a wanted ad just in case Geoff can't assist.
viewtopic.php?p=92905#p92905
Any observations/suggestions will be gratefully received. I really need to get this bike off the 'operating table' as I have a 1949 Matchless 500 in need of a new gearbox oil seal and a 1937 Sunbeam Lion that needs its oil pump looking at - not to mention my 1926 AJS 500 restoration that is currently held up due to it being too cold to finish the paintwork. Not easy being retired is it?
A long story and I hope it hasn't bored you too much.
Steve
