'Superior' Style

Greetings 'Oilyracer' fans...it's me Albert - with another goodly helping of news from Blighty. You may think things had gone quiet and the Build Off preparations had slowed....but no ! and trice no ! Far from it...

Only yesterday we were priviliged to be in the presence of a Metalwork Meastro. His name ? Lea Thermallet. Not only a follower of this blog but a wizard of the 'Wheeling Machine'.

It was within Lea's magical workshop that we set up the basis of our Picklington Precision for a trial fit of a 'Brough Superior' style fuel tank in the making. This mock-up crafted from 2 carefully curved metal ends and thick cardboard was cut and reshaped until it complimented the contours of the afore mentioned machine. Much work has yet to be done before the gorgeous curves can be welded into one, but it's a major step forward.

Both Basil K. and myself had quite a morning......not only did we visit the 'Wizard Wheeler' but we shared his breakfast !!!!!! call that good timing on our part.!!!!!!! Freshly baked croissants and freshly ground coffee..... mmmmmm ! Just the thing to get the little grey cells going....

Rhodesian Stator

Belgium calling!
All hope was given up in receiving vital parts from the African continent until this morning.
An exhausted camel knocked on my front door delivering a beautiful new/old stock stator from Montclair- South-Africa.
I bought it on 4 December 2008 and today is 22 January 2009....... but hey it's here (big smile)
Koen.

Brass 'n' History Repeating

Albert here - Checking in on 'Oilyracer' to give the latest news to all our fans....

Well it seems like all Blighty has been hit by the Flu bug, and your Uncle Albert didn't escape the coughing and spluttering either. (Lets hope the 'Briggs and Stratton' doesn't get a bout of it in the competition).. So it took vast amounts of will power and mind over matter thought processing to make progress this week, a damp shed is no place for a poorly Albert..

(particulally after claiming he was too ill to do any D.I.Y)

However -I can conform that the brass inlet manifold is now built and bolted in place..

You can see from the first image that the components were held tightly in place by threaded rod while the silver soldering took place. I was quite suprised at the mess the flux left, maybe my ignorance or possible over application. No worries the manifold cleaned up 'like a good un'

The flange at the carb side matched the 30mm Amal that we now have thanks to another successful ebay bid.

So thats another piece of the jigsaw slotted in place, slowly onward we push....conscious that the competition is now 'this year'.

History repeating ? ? Let me tell you a spooky tale.......as the winter weather stopped play last weekend and I sat in front of the fire with a flagon of cider my thoughts drifted back in time.....thinking what would have been happening in the world on the day the 'Briggs and Stratton' was finally pieced together in downtown Milwaukee.

Remember we traced the manufacture date to 5th June 1967. So thats what I typed into Google..! The top news ? In fact the only news....The Israeli Six Day War started !

I could say how times have changed....but I can't. Don't want to be making any in depth political statements on this blog but how bizarre....

Why did I think of doing this research, ? on the same day as the same craziness was happening again...... I'm confused ! Scared almost ! Is this 'Briggs and Stratton' engine an omen ! A time machine travelling between 2 parallel universes..........

Albert....ya bonkers ! How's about a splash mor' cider in this 'ere flagon ?

Belgium calling!
It has been a long time we know but....We've been busy with waiting for parts which don't seem to arrive from South-Africa (of all places). Apparently the camel on which they were stranded with the flu somewhere in the desert. Let us all hope he will get well soon....otherwise searching a whole new powersource could become the option....
We've done some work at the front of the bike searching for the right hight of the forcks etc.

The back part we'll demolished and rebuild when UK's finest have arrived.