Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - November 2007 - (Page 8)

MONTHLY FEATURE STORIES ✔tip TIP OF THE MONTH OF THE MONTH box of miscellaneous oily pieces and generally recognize the various bits. Building a Bitsa: An Ode to the Basket Case by Mike Brown I’m not really this dumb, but I might be a little crazy. At least that’s what I keep telling myself every time I take on a basket case. I do know better, really I do, it’s just that I can’t help myself. I see this big pile of junk and say, “Hmm, bet I can make a motorcycle out of that,” and it’s off the precipice once again. OK, so I’m an admitted basket case junkie, but the reality is that I enjoy the challenge and find it strangely therapeutic. I’m sure some of you guys can relate, but I’m not really writing this for fellow travelers. The intended audience is new blood, the guy looking at a deal “too good to pass up.” Before loading that pickup truck my new excited friend, it pays to consider the following common issues and prepare for the consequences. Identical pushrod tubes? Nope, these are from different years and won’t interchange. 2. Even if you know what you’re doing, Bitsas, as the Brits call ‘em, take a lot longer to put together, and can be way more expensive to boot when you finally complete one. I’d conservatively estimate it took me at least three times longer to get this project on the road than others that originated as a single machine. Generally, this is so because one becomes much more involved in things like custom metal fabrication, parts finding, and experimentation. Guess how many different years make up this Bitsa? See text for details. 1. All basket cases are not alike. For example, there’s a world of difference between a project disassembled and abandoned and one grown from miscellaneous parts. I direct your attention to the photo of the Triumph resting on a lift. Believe it or not, there lies within at least seven different years, two different makes and more than four different models pieced together. For example, the frame’s a 1965 but the engine is a 1972 Bonneville, but the head is from a Tiger while the carburetor came via a ‘66 BSA. While many parts are easily swappable, lots aren’t, so this isn’t something to dive into unless you’ve wasted your life like me and can look into a 8 NOVEMBER Is this for a 4-speed or 5-speed Triumph transmission? Actually, you have to look under the plate to see how the quadrant is shaped to tell. So long as the quadrant is right, the rest of the assembly will work on either a 4 or 5 speed transmission. 3. Bitsa builders must be especially cautious with fasteners. This goes double for Brit builders who have to deal with the industry changeover to SAE threads from Whitworth. Be extremely careful with threaded alloy parts and never assume what’s listed in the parts book is what you need. Helicoil inserts may be non-standard, metric for example, because that’s what was on hand the last time the bike was rebuilt or 2007 I WALNECK’S CLASSIC CYCLE TRADER® I WALNECKS.COM http://WALNECKS.COM

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Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - November 2007 Contents American Tip of the Month by Mike Brown The Buzz by Buzz Walneck Harley-Davidson XLX-61 Sportster True Motorcycle Related Conversations Antique/Classic Motorcycle Club Need for Speed-Quiz by Dave Hull Newspaper Headlines You’ll Never See Bench Racing by Mark Zimmerman Barber Vintage Festival Preview Calendar of Events British Triumph T100 - 498 c.c. o.h.v Loved to Pieces European BMW R65 Japanese Honda CL-450 Biker of the Month by Mike Brown VMD Auction Result w/Ratings Competition Motorbikes & Scooters How to Place a Word Ad How to Place a Photo Ad Area Code Directory How to Subscribe Let Us Help With Your Event

Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader - November 2007

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