Restoring the last of the series "A" Comets.

greg brillus

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I spoke to the people at Autocycle and they told me they were the company who made the guards for the prewar bikes originally. But they no longer have the correct dies/tooling to make them anymore, and that the cost to produce would be too high. The blokes at Vintage Steel did procure all the tooling from some other fellow in Victoria I believe who sold the lot to them. I have a set of the new ones that Neal and Rodney had made as I am building one of the twin replicas at present as well, but the original Comet I have has a good rear guard, but the section aft of the lifting handle has been cut off. I also have the front guard but it seems too short, as though it has suffered some damage and been cut down, a bit like a shorter front guard on a Lightning or Flash. It has a much more rounded profile, meaning it wraps around the tire more than the replica guard that Neal had made. I am going to send pictures and dimensions to the blokes at Vintage Steel and I am very confident they should be able to produce a top quality job. If you look at some of the replicas on their website you will see what I mean.
 

Andy B

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Non-VOC Member
I would be very interested in a set of those guards Greg, I actually talked to them at Bendigo last year about a set but I have nothing to give as a sample so if you have samples, great, count me in for a set, happy to pay upfront, whatever works. They bought all of Adam Higgins stuff from Heyfield and shipped it back to WA.
 

greg brillus

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VOC Member
I'm just getting a batch of the brass fuel/oil line ferrals made up, as i have some good originals to use for reference. I will then send them off for cadmium plating. If anyone is interested in some please let me know soon than later. Also does anyone know if the prewar series "A" machines used similar Herringbone oil/fuel hose like the post war machines, although I am aware of the oil delivery line having a 3/8 bore not 7/16 as in the postwar models. Cheers................Greg.
 

Dinny

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VOC Member
Hi Greg,

I will have a set of oil/fuel ferrals for an A comet if you are having some made. Just PM me the price and shipping to NV USA and we can sort out payment. I'm also missig several other bits so let me know what else you are planning to have made. I have guards but missing H27's and upper headlight brackets.

Cheers
Mark
 

Robert Watson

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VOC Member
Prewar ---- Plain hose, fancy ferrules

Postwar ---- Fancy hose, plain ferrules.

I made all my own from SS. I forget how many but on the plumbers nightmare and the TTR certainly quite a few!
 

greg brillus

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VOC Member
Thanks Robert, Some of these things seem odd at times.......A bit like the prewar bikes not having the coach lining on the wheel rims, now that really does not make sense. From what i can work out on the singles there are 6 small ferrules and 4 large ones, and on the twins there are 8 to 10 small ones and 8 large ones and this includes ferrules for the oil and fuel lines. There is another pipe fitting at the lower rear of the magneto drive cover on the twins and I am not sure what comes off that.......The replica one I am doing, has the boss but not drilled though as these engines use a toothed belt to drive the mag verses the original chain drive. In any case my machinist is making up 60 of the small and 40 of the large ferrules, then I will send them off to be cad plated. I will let everyone know on here when they are ready. I was also looking at making some headlight brackets but i have only been told what they look like, I don't have an original here to compare. The pressed center rib down the long section would probably need a pair of dies made, probably a lot of trouble for such a small part........Anyone got a picture, and any thoughts........??? Cheers...............Greg.
 

Robert Watson

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VOC Member
Thanks Robert, Some of these things seem odd at times.......A bit like the prewar bikes not having the coach lining on the wheel rims, now that really does not make sense. From what i can work out on the singles there are 6 small ferrules and 4 large ones, and on the twins there are 8 to 10 small ones and 8 large ones and this includes ferrules for the oil and fuel lines. There is another pipe fitting at the lower rear of the magneto drive cover on the twins and I am not sure what comes off that.......The replica one I am doing, has the boss but not drilled though as these engines use a toothed belt to drive the mag verses the original chain drive. In any case my machinist is making up 60 of the small and 40 of the large ferrules, then I will send them off to be cad plated. I will let everyone know on here when they are ready. I was also looking at making some headlight brackets but i have only been told what they look like, I don't have an original here to compare. The pressed center rib down the long section would probably need a pair of dies made, probably a lot of trouble for such a small part........Anyone got a picture, and any thoughts........??? Cheers...............Greg.
I think I have a drawing from Bob Stafford of the headlight brackets and I am pretty sure I made my own as the twin did not come with them being lost in the long and distant past and the TTR did not use them. I'll try and find it and post it up here.
 

Robert Watson

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OK I found the sketch and it is not easy to read, I will try and post a pdf of it but if you pm me your direct e mail I can send it to you.

pdf doesn't seem to load.

try this link

Lu5WMv6.png
 

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Andy B

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Non-VOC Member
I would also be more than happy to take a set of ferrules off you Greg, I have a original chain guard that is damaged and a friend is making me two copies, anyone need?
 
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