Project 1934 VG 500

[AlbertR]

Dear all,

This post is a continuation from my presentation post, you can read it here for more context: viewtopic.php?p=108806

So this last week i got a sturdy wooden box delivered!








Including lots of spares too.















I want to thank you all for your advises prior to making the decision, specially to Vincent.
I received the bike is in a semi-restored state, currently assembled just to present all the elements, but all the nuts and bolts are loose. Few things need painting and finishing off, and adjusting.

There are a few things which you have pointed out that are wrong, including:
- Mudguards are not correct
- The oil tank fitted is from 1935
- May too much chrome
- The handlebar clamp is upside down
- The combined lifting handle/rear mudguard stay is upside down and there are two stays missing

Before buying the bike i had several concerns, the main one being that the bike seemed to have a BA gearbox that seems an update, and does NOT have a tank operated gear change, or any signs of it on the fuel tank.
However, quoting from the club registrar (thank you for that Simon), providing him the Framenr: Y5326 and block GA1588,

From the details in the despatch book, those details produce a matching-numbers VG despatched in May 1934 – which ought to be hand-change.
Foot change was an option in 1934 and was standard on the Red Hunters; they would have (and did) record foot-change where it was invoked as an option.

Moreover, I found this picture from a 1934 VG on the forum archive, which made me decide maybe it was a good investment!


I also have the pictures before the restoration, but i need to digitalise them in better quality.

[AlbertR]

So, today I started working on the bike a bit, disassembling the fuel tank for painting and also the transmission case.







And here comes the first questions for you, if you dont mind

- Is the fuel tank original?
- I am also in the process of finding somewhere in the forum how the lines should be painted for that model. I guess the correct way would be in black on the side like the picture of 1934 model vg from the forum? But i'll need some template.


Regards

[AlbertR]

Found this image in this thread, looks promising.



viewtopic.php?t=4764

[Roger Gwynn]

Tanks were painted by hand and eye and could vary by as much as an inch on each side of the tank! Your gearbox is a BA, just a foot change version rather than hand change, a common mod.

[simon.holyfield]

Tanks were painted by hand and eye and could vary by as much as an inch on each side of the tank! Your gearbox is a BA, just a foot change version rather than hand change, a common mod.

Which in turn would imply the tank is not original given that if I recall correctly, that bike wasn't dispatched as a foot change machine. The original tank would have had the hand change bracket.

I'll have another look tomorrow when I do your certificate Albert!