ET: Engine (Twin) Waiting for work to be completed

eglijim

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Morning Jim, Was it you, And if it was, Did you ever do anything with the single side, Honda ? rear swingarm, From the stevenage rally, Many years ago. Cheers Bill.
Yes, me,, had a bit of a lay off from bikes in recent years for a few reasons but my circle of friends with whom I was involved is is like a pool drying in the sun. Still have my road Egli twin that was the development hack for the roadified race designs, last time it was dynoed in 1998 it made 73.1 bhp at the back wheel.Also have the repaired 1250 94 bore engine in the BOTT chassis , and a 636 cc Egli Comet to assemble. Currently trying to sell up my business interests to free up time for personal fun. The Comet special you saw at Stevenage has gone through two changes of chassis design since you saw it. The bike was the pet project of Glenn Cuthbertson, another old mate but he died suddenly 4 years ago at 66. subsequently , Bob Dunn offered to complete the final assembly for May( Glenn's widow) but not quite there yet. Dropped into Bob's mid Jan on my way back from Glasgow via Keswick to sort out an issue Bob had with wheel clearance.. The V3 frame (three exist) was built for Glenn by Spondon . will attach a couple of pics of te machine currently. Cheers Jim.
 

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Phil Davies

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Non-VOC Member
So Jim, that's why Bob is failing miserably to complete work on my engines (they have been there years!) - he's working on 'your' bike!!!
 

eglijim

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VOC Member
So Jim, that's why Bob is failing miserably to complete work on my engines (they have been there years!) - he's working on 'your' bike!!!
Hate to tell you how long Bob has had both of my twin engines, suffice to say it is not a single number of years. The Comet special is being finished by Bob for May, Glenn Cs widow.
 

Martyn Goodwin

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Non-VOC Member
Hate to tell you how long Bob has had both of my twin engines, suffice to say it is not a single number of years. The Comet special is being finished by Bob for May, Glenn Cs widow.
I have just had the crank in my Comet dynamically balanced. Did everything myself, except for the balancing. My bike was off the road for all of 9 days and I don't even have a proper workshop or bike lift.

May be it's time to give Bob a bit of "encouragement"?

Martyn
 

Phil Davies

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Non-VOC Member
May be it's time to give Bob a bit of "encouragement"?
Martyn

Martin, Jim, Tim
I have known Bob since 197?, practically since he first started in business. He is without doubt, one of, if not the, greatest Engineer's Engineer to have ever worked on Vincents. I have the utmost respect for his engineering abilities, what I have seen him do to 'beyond repair according to all others' parts in his art of engineering to restoration has to be seen to be belived.
My entire racing twin was built from scrap parts that were subject to Bob's expertise - including the crankcases, the cases were the first set that Bob bored and recovered the main bearing housings on, to the point that the racer crank was the first engine that I experienced a freely rotating crank in tightened cases!
But and its a big but, his ability to properly run a business and honour his delivery promises was only ever periferal and it has got worse over the years, sadly.
He has now had some major componets for over 12 years - and they are still not finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

eglijim

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Martin, Jim, Tim
I have known Bob since 197?, practically since he first started in business. He is without doubt, one of, if not the, greatest Engineer's Engineer to have ever worked on Vincents. I have the utmost respect for his engineering abilities, what I have seen him do to 'beyond repair according to all others' parts in his art of engineering to restoration has to be seen to be belived.
My entire racing twin was built from scrap parts that were subject to Bob's expertise - including the crankcases, the cases were the first set that Bob bored and recovered the main bearing housings on, to the point that the racer crank was the first engine that I experienced a freely rotating crank in tightened cases!
But and its a big but, his ability to properly run a business and honour his delivery promises was only ever periferal and it has got worse over the years, sadly.
He has now had some major componets for over 12 years - and they are still not finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Were it not for the fact that I value my relationship with Bob above "things" I would be falling out with him but we are way too far down the road for this to be an issue between us.
 

Albervin

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VOC Member
Probably cheaper and quicker to ship to Greg Brillus in Oz. One of the issues I have had over the last 35 years is people who shift a job depending on who is a mate. I hate that. All well and good to give mate's rates for a job but if you are bumped from 1st to 4th because of people who are "friends" then it reflects poorly on the business. I never did this in 40 years because it bites you on the bum. I remember when Glynn's bike broke the bottom end (crank/big end) in Australia and Bob fixed it in less than 3 months. Good luck to Glynn but who was bumped?! I think Bob has, like Terry Prince in Australia, decided to wind down on work and so needs to start refusing more work. Realistically a two year turn-around is what you should expect for an engine or even a whole bike. I have had cars done to bare metal, engine rebuild etc. in 4 years. For the cost, time off road it is unacceptable.
 

Albervin

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I have just had the crank in my Comet dynamically balanced. Did everything myself, except for the balancing. My bike was off the road for all of 9 days and I don't even have a proper workshop or bike lift.

May be it's time to give Bob a bit of "encouragement"?

Martyn
Martyn, you have to remember England is a different planet to Australia. Also, you are special! :)
 
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