Arrow race ignition type

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Adam Pakenham
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Arrow race ignition type

Post by Adam Pakenham »

Hello,
This is my first time on the forum so hello to all.

Could I please ask if anyone knows what make and type ignition was used on the George Brown race bike.
As seen in the image.
Tia.
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13-Ariel-250-Arrow-Racing-08 (1).jpg
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Roger Gwynn
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Re: Arrow race ignition type

Post by Roger Gwynn »

Welcome to the forum. I think ignition systems will have improved since then, most likely to have been a Lucas Rita system as one of the few about in those days. However the housing appears to be a one off and not a mass produced item so unless you can get a look inside....
Roger Gwynn, Membership Secretary, curator of the Machine Register and the works drawings. Director of Draganfly Motorcycles, Craven Equipment and Supreme Motorcycles mostly retired.
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Re: Arrow race ignition type

Post by Simon.Gardiner »

According to Peter Hartley ('The Ariel Story') the bike had '...a Lucas racing contact breaker assembly on the end of the driveside mainshaft.'

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Bernie Blundell
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Re: Arrow race ignition type

Post by Bernie Blundell »

My close up gives away very little ... Image
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Re: Arrow race ignition type

Post by Simon.Gardiner »

I hadn't appreciated just how much metalwork is involved in that contact breaker unit!

The references in Hartley's book are for 1961-1963 and from what I can see the Rita unit wasn't available until late 1963 (although it's something that's very difficult to get info on) - I found a Lucas patent for electronic ignition with an application date of October 1963 and a detail-filing date of October 1964.

But that's not to say that there weren't development units about before that, and what's on the bike at the moment might not be the same as what it started out with anyway...

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Bernie Blundell
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Re: Arrow race ignition type

Post by Bernie Blundell »

It does indeed look bulky, I'd hazard a guess it's got contact breakers & condensers with possibly a weight & spring ignition advance assembly, if it was on electronic ignition then logically it would be an electronic rev' counter rather than the heavy mechanical one that's fitted, being driven from the alternator side of the crankshaft (no alternator is fitted)
There is no mention of what was modified in the description plate other than the vast amounts of drilling
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