Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

I thought I'd make a photographic blog of my SF31 restoration .

So this first set of photos are of the bike while it was being auctioned on eBay in July 2011. I visited the owner - prior to bidding and winning - and took these. As you can see, lots of cycle parts missing, wrong handlebars, wrong magneto, etc, etc but a bike with lots of potential .

Early August 2011 --- following work done / parts bought:

Rear mudguard blank bought, modified and fitted
Rear carrier
Rear lifting stay
Rear toolbox frame
Rear toolboxes
Rear number plate
H52 headlamp and brackets
New-old-stock girder fork blades ( )
Clutch plates re-corked
Saddle springs
S/steel brake dust shields
Sprockets : gearbox and rear
S/steel inverteds levers
Straight pull twist grip
Magneto with correct '31 body (thanks Merv) and rebuilt

Stainless parts made...to be polished over the winter!

£££££

Mid August 2011:

Restoring the fork parts: the blades are new, so no work there but new spindles and re-bushed links etc. Note the fixed scroll on the fork blade cross tube: it is a full circular type and clockwise --- only used in 1931 and meant I had to have a new fork spring made to suit.

Exhaust system starting to come together thanks to Klaus et. al. Still researching connecting pipes between front and rear silencers.

Late August 2011:

Templates / patterns for cross-frame toolbox and tank binnacle; latter has arrived and I now need to cut a few holes in it. Front mudguard blank arrives.

Hi Paul,

Where did you get the rear lifting stay and front mudguard from?

Rein Heerkens

rein.heerkens wrote:Hi Paul,

Where did you get the rear lifting stay and front mudguard from?

Rein Heerkens

Hi Rein,

Rear lifting stay from Draganfly
Front mudguard from Renovations Spares (Pete Lovett)

September 2011:

Front mudguard fitted + number plate from Founder's Day Autojumble. Saddle springs mean I get to roll the bike out and sit on it....lovely riding position, so really looking forwards to riding it sometime in 2012

Do you have a job

I can just about find the time to sort out mechanicals .......

I shall enjoy watching your progress Paul, and like John said, it must be difficult finding the time. I spent much of this evening just dealing with a MOT advisory, tightening my steering head nuts!!

Just one thing Paul, if you need any help with your leather toolboxes just send me a pm

Steve

Steven.Carter wrote: Just one thing Paul, if you need any help with your leather toolboxes just send me a pm

Many thanks for the offer Steve. Unfortunately, I've already sent them off to Mark Baker (lawnranger); he had a leather fronted toolbox stall at Founder's Day and we got chatting etc....