ClassicMotorcycleMechanicsJune2020

(Jacob Rumans) #1

cmm


News


The sunny side of the classic world, with the
VJMC’sSteve Cooper

F


or most seasoned spanner twirlers,
tools are almost as
much an obsession as
the bikes we usethem
on and(arguably) the
older we getthe more we
seem to getinto specialised
devices.Myoldestpiece of kit that
fal ls into this category wouldhave
to be theVesselimpact driver
acquiredcirca1974 to re movethe
side case screws of myRD200.
It’s adeviceIstilluse to thisday
on recalcitrant fixings. Talking of which,
I’ve becomeaconvert to JIS
screwdrivers.Unlessyou’vetriedthem
please don’tknockthem; once
experiencedIdoubt youwill ever go
back to the oldPhilips kit: they
reall yare that good!
Beingalover of stinkwheels,adial gaugeisa
must when setting up timing, and mine is from the former
Soviet Bloc East Germany and has proved unerringly accurate
overtwo deca des.Itcame as part ofaUK-supplied kit with
various length rods and spark plug hole adapters,and has
proved invaluable.The only flyin th eointment hasbeen
gauging when the points are open or closed, and the old VW
dashboard bulb holder attached to flying leads and crocodile
clips is,frankly, pants onasunny day. Folk te nd to give you
strange looks apparently when you’re crouching beside your
bike withablanketover your head! Therefore,I’m getting a
buzzer box to spare the memsahib strange looks in the street!
Perversely,the only timeI’veused ring compressors was
rebuildingan ai r-cooled VW engine; the strokers in my life
seem to go together better without that sort of assistance.
However,using the slotted piston supportsIrecently acquired
for when I’m putting barrels over rings has proven to be an
absolute godsend and leaves me wondering how I’ve
managed without them for so long.
WhenIpurchasedaGerman-made adjustable C-spanner I
did wonder if,at£24, it wasalittle over-priced, but
subsequently it’sproved tobe worth every penny.Downpipe-
to-exhaust collars are now spared any potential butchery and
adjusting steering head bearings now comes without the
almost inevitable dink to the tank or surrounding framework.
Dead blow mallets,hide or copper-headed hammers and
those odd-looking hammers with plastic heads might appear
to beoverkilluntil you’ve used the appropriate percussive
device onadifficult job.It’sfranklyamazing just whata
difference having thecorrectpercussivedevice tohand
makesofatricky job.The same goesfor thesub 10
millimetresspannersetIown; takingcarbsapart,setting up
old-style points oreven adjustingahorn’ stone isso much
easierwith thecorrectimplement.
When it comesto workingon old motorcycles,
everyone’scapabilities are diff erent.However,decent
quality tools andthe correct ones for thejob canvastly
improveyour confidence,whichinturnwill upyour skill
level s. If in doubt don’t bodge,buy theright toolfor thejob.

http://www.vjmc.com❙ 01324410519

WINTER RAFFLEWINNERS!
Time for some good news!We would
heartilysuggest you go in for the
National Motorcycle Museum’svarious
raffles as you can win BIG!
In the recentWinter Raffle to win a
brand newTriumph Thruxton TFC Ltd
Edition 1200cc motorcycle, dueto
the Covid-19lockdown the raffle was
drawn by racing superstar John
‘Mooneyes’ Cooper at his home at the
end of April.
The firstprize wasanew Triumph
ThruxtonTFC Ltd Edition 1200cc
motorcycle wonbyAndrewWinscom,
from Worcestershire. Thesecond prize
of aSealey MC680E electro hydraulic
motorcycle lift worth more than
£1600 was won by Anne Alexander
from Berwick. The third prize,aluxury
hotel break and dinner for two at
Marco PierreWhite,Manor Hotel,
Meriden, was won by Paul Thompson
from Preston.
SSSooonnnooowwwiittt’’stttiimeffforthesummer
raffle!MuseumDirectorJames
Hewingsaid:“Wehaveanother

amazing ‘new/old stock’ first prizefor
our summer raffle withabrand new/
old stockTriumph T140J Silver
Jubilee Bonneville, which has never
been run or registered andis sh owing
just four ‘push’ miles only!”
Second prize isaSealey RetroStyle
CombinationTool Chest–ablue and
white 10-drawer retro style tool chest
which would normally cost £850!
The third prizeisaluxury hotel
break and dinner fortwoatt he Marco
Pierre White Steakhouse in the Manor
Hotel, Meriden, http://www.manorhotel
meriden.co.uk which includesaVIP
museum tour.
The prize draw for the summer
raffle will take place on Saturday,
October 31 2020 at The National
Motorcycle Museum LIVEevent.
Tickets cost £2 each and will be
distributedduring May/June 2020 via
suubbbssscccrrriiippptttiiiooonnncccooopppiiieeesssooofffttthhheeespeciiialliiist
pressorvisit:www.thenmm.co.uk

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