One of the earliest 1000cc Square Fours

[paul.jameson]

Bob,

The Warco kit is better than I am. Although I am a Chartered Civil Engineer, I am largely self taught in matters mechanical so I have never spent time being taught how to use a lathe or mill. I can produce items on both which meet my standards - such as fork bushes for the KH which I have made to far higher tolerances than those available commercially. I think a better machine would be wasted on me. Last week I made the magneto puller for the Square Four and the Warco is plenty good enough to cut the threads for such items.

Alan,

I use cellulose paint and have done for many years. I may well have the mudguards powder coated and then finish them afterwards with cellulose although I have always just used the paint previously. The trouble with paint alone is that you tend to get rusting in the seams and around the bolt holes after a while if you use the bike all year round, as I have done.

[paul.jameson]

As the Square nears completion, wife Maggie suggested that for the next restoration I should take careful notes of exactly how much it costs. For once, I was a little ahead of her since I have kept copies of all the invoices for the Square and I can remember what I paid for the main autojumble purchases, such as the front mudguard.

A few days ago I said to Geoff Brown that I thought I had spent about £5000 on the restoration. Maggie's initial guess was £4000. The actual total, including initial purchase costs, as near as I can get, is £10,000.

Hmmm.

[adrie.degraaff]

as near as I can get, is £10,000.

Your forgetting petrol-post-heating costs and worn tools wich ads in most cases 3000 pounds.

[Bob.Murphy]

For once, I was a little ahead of her since I have kept copies of all the invoices for the Square and I can remember what I paid for the main autojumble purchases, such as the front mudguard.

I keep a 'Word' document on costs for each vehicle and record everything I spend (apart from fuel, though I record all the mileages on 1st January each year).

Its a sobering exercise and I don't recommend it .

For instance, in 2014 I paid £8,800 for a 2001, 4.2 litre Toyota Landcruiser 'Amazon' (100-Series), as my elder daughter was taking her trailer test and would be out there towing horses on her own. The car had to be good - and better than the 1998 3-litre Landcruiser 'Colorado' (90-Series) I was using then (and still have). To date, the 'Amazon' has cost £19,600 in repairs, servicing, Insurance, tax etc. etc. !

In addition to the two Landcruiser 'Horse Tugs' I have two 'everyday' Ford cars, a Transit Van/Cherry Picker & a Zetor Tractor .

I have five bikes and they have each cost a small fortune - either I buy an old one and spend money bringing it up to scratch or I buy a newer one and just service it.

And don't mention horses . . . our daughters can't afford them so parents are still paying out (I don't keep accurate records of their costs but its huge) .

Sometimes its better if you don't know and just get on with life .

At least with Classic Bikes you have an appreciating asset (until our generation is dead and gone!).

Bob.

[john.davies]

I keep a record of all expenditure in Microsoft Money including the purchase and spend on each bike. It does make scary reading when you do a report at the end of a restoration but I work on the principle of as long it has not cost me more than I should be able to sell her on for if I need the cash then all is OK. That has worked out in most cases. The latest exception is the 1958 C15 which I bought last year with a few small jobs needed to get her roadworthy but the big jobs had already done such as a full engine rebuild. I did find out very quickly that it had to be done again after she want bang on the first ride. The PO had replaced everything inside the engine but not cleaned out the sludge trap. I should have pulled it apart and checked I know. Lesson learnt.
John

[paul.jameson]

Paintwork is currently underway with the workshop a cocoon of dust sheets to protect things. As it is cold here, I like to have the parts reasonably warm before applying the paint (the workshop is at about 57 degrees F at present). I recommend the AGA as a useful facility but obviously it becomes unavailable at mealtimes!

[robjameson]

Far be it from me to be a source of advice, but given the subject matter, perhaps telling Maggie this is a bad idea!

[paul.jameson]

A couple of hours after that photo, I had cause to regret putting bits by the AGA. Madam came home and saw fit to fry an egg for her lunch on the hotplate next to the newly primed mudguard. This caused splashes of fat onto the mudguard. I mentioned her error at the Gloucester Branch meeting last night but did take her along. Funnily enough, the men saw the issue from my viewpoint but the ladies were less sensible. She says she won't do it again.

[roger.fellows]

Nearly the right shape for frying an egg too!

[paul.jameson]

Progress photo today, taken in much the same place as the "before" photo in the first post. The bike is some distance from finished, but note the superbly improved path in the background ! (This is one reason the bike has taken so long.)