3speedslow

gster

Yes! A perfect example of a true scorcher.
Nicely done.

3speedslow

gster

Again, I love the look of a true scorcher with the inverted bars.
I just wish my back and neck would agree.....

PeterLYoung 

[QUOTE=PeterLYoung;20814141]Arrived today, my special tool to extract the end cap of BSA 3 Speed inside Brake Drum. Because of the Hub Brake the 3 speed end cap is situated inside the brake drum, too deeply to get an effective wrench purchase on it. BSA had a special tool to extract the end cap but these are probably rarer than Hens Teeth and if anyone has one they probably do not know what it is for. I want to overhaul the 3 Speed while I am restoring the bike so the only way to be able to dismantle the hub was to design my own tool and have it made by a machine shop. I produced a drawing and sent it for quotes and Oakhammer Engineering Ltd of Corby UK contacted me with a very reasonable cost and once I said go ahead made it in 24hrs. It arrived today and is a perfect fit, I will probably start on it tomorrow but here are some photos and my drawing which is free to use by anyone with BSA 3 Speed Hubs to overhaul. Incidentally instead of case hardening the flats they used EN24T which is a tougher steel and perfectly adequate for the amount of use this toll will endure:-/[QUOTE]

Restoration Update: Just got the wheels back from builder today. Rims I decided to have powder coated as they were painted black and chrome was shot. The hubs cleaned up great, chrome was saved and 3 Speed has been stripped, cleaned and checked for wear (some wear consistent with age but perfectly serviceable. I have two spare complete 3 BSA speed hubs for spares if necessary). Front hub also stripped cleaned and re packed. Brake linings have plenty of wear left in them, I swapped brake shoes between front & rear as fronts were slightly more worn than rear ones so that wear can even up.
Will post more photos when rebuild complete.






Front Wheel Rebuilt.


Rear Wheel Rebuilt


Tyres Refitted and Wheels back on the bike.


Front Wheel showing how well Hub cleaned up.


Rear Wheel showing how Hub cleaned up.

Salubrious

Nice!

I'm working on a 1935 Raleigh that has a type KB hub so drum brake front and rear, but its all cable operated. The rod system on your machine looks lovely!

PeterLYoung 

You are fortunate, there are parts available for your machine and cable operating system I prefer to rods, I cannot find any BSA hubs with combine brake drums (front or rear) on the web at all. One spoke hole was cracked on my front hub but I managed to get it welded but it was a scary thing to do. I have to say the steel was much higher quality before WW2, it does not corrode so much.
I still have to install much of the rod system plus mud guards three speed changer & cable plus rear carrier etc. I will post photos when completed in next day or so.
These bikes are definitely worth preserving, so few survived. good luck with your restoration, post photos when you can!!!

Salubrious

I lucked out on the wheels- the rims were stainless. The frame has been painted multiple times so I think I'm going to have to just redo the whole thing- there's nothing original about the paint to be original.

3speedslow

PeterLYoung 

Yes Stainless Rims were sometimes used, mine were chromed and then a previous owner painted not only the rims but the whole bike with some sort of bituminous paint also the bike must have been in an accident as the frame Main Triangle was twisted. Found a frame builder who managed to straighten in in a jig but he had to used heat so like your case there was no paint to preserve, so I had it powder coated same as rims but it looks really good. Managed to get BSA Transfers and put them on and applied lacquer over them to stop them rubbing off. Wheels rebuilt with stainless spokes. I de-rusted every part in vinegar and etch primed and painted black all non chromed parts and polished the chromed parts that I could but the chrome on the brake assembly and on the handlebars is pretty much beyond help but I am leaving it as it is as it does not look too bad and adds character. I might get a new Brooks B66 saddle if the one I have refurbished is not comfortable.

By the way I see you live in Jacksonville not so far from my North Carolina home in Southport. I am split between UK & NC, currently in UK but will be in Southport July through September. my wife is a New York Lass but I am a Brit.

BigChief

Same here. My current scorcher has upright bars for the same reason. But, I'm still out riding after all these years. Some adjustments for sure but considering that I've been on two wheels since 1959, that ain't too bad.
Another gratuitous photo of the hot rod Rudge scorcher. Fun bike.

BigChief

[QUOTE=PeterLYoung;20845130][QUOTE=PeterLYoung;20814141]Arrived today, my special tool to extract the end cap of BSA 3 Speed inside Brake Drum. Because of the Hub Brake the 3 speed end cap is situated inside the brake drum, too deeply to get an effective wrench purchase on it. BSA had a special tool to extract the end cap but these are probably rarer than Hens Teeth and if anyone has one they probably do not know what it is for. I want to overhaul the 3 Speed while I am restoring the bike so the only way to be able to dismantle the hub was to design my own tool and have it made by a machine shop. I produced a drawing and sent it for quotes and Oakhammer Engineering Ltd of Corby UK contacted me with a very reasonable cost and once I said go ahead made it in 24hrs. It arrived today and is a perfect fit, I will probably start on it tomorrow but here are some photos and my drawing which is free to use by anyone with BSA 3 Speed Hubs to overhaul. Incidentally instead of case hardening the flats they used EN24T which is a tougher steel and perfectly adequate for the amount of use this toll will endure:-/Good job! Lovely bike. Glad it wound up in such capable hands. Keep the updates coming.

PeterLYoung 

[QUOTE=BigChief;20845706][QUOTE=PeterLYoung;20845130]Thank you Big Chief for your supportive comments, much appreciated!!!!

3speedslow

tigervw78

I figured y'all would say that. I wish I had the patience to sell on CL. I think I'll just poach the white walls and hang it on the wall until someone deserving appears. My daughter still prefers a newer derailleur equipped schwinn bike she asked me to get at the co-op and an old motobecane roadbike.

I need to post a pic of the chain guard on the '69 Sports. It is really large, covers half of the crank. Not sure where they got it.

tigervw78

There's an SA trigger on SR Austrian I just picked up. I don't know if it's original.

tigervw78

Screwed into the brake bridge.

tigervw78

I will work on it this weekend and let y'all know how it turns out.

arty dave

Restoration Update: Just got the wheels back from builder today. Rims I decided to have powder coated as they were painted black and chrome was shot. The hubs cleaned up great, chrome was saved and 3 Speed has been stripped, cleaned and checked for wear (some wear consistent with age but perfectly serviceable. I have two spare complete 3 BSA speed hubs for spares if necessary). Front hub also stripped cleaned and re packed. Brake linings have plenty of wear left in them, I swapped brake shoes between front & rear as fronts were slightly more worn than rear ones so that wear can even up.
Will post more photos when rebuild complete.

[/QUOTE]

It's looking fantastic, great job! You might have mentioned in an earlier post - are you fitting mudguards/fenders? I think whitewalls look really classy on these older bikes and they look great with the powdercoated black rims. I was very tempted to get a pair when I re-built my DL-1, but the shipping to Australia was too pricey. My DL-1 has rod actuated drum brakes like yours. Actually I'll be travelling to DC and then on to Berlin in June and July, it would probably be achievable to bring a pair of whitewalls back in my luggage. Anyone living in the DC area?

PeterLYoung 

It's looking fantastic, great job! You might have mentioned in an earlier post - are you fitting mudguards/fenders? I think whitewalls look really classy on these older bikes and they look great with the powdercoated black rims. I was very tempted to get a pair when I re-built my DL-1, but the shipping to Australia was too pricey. My DL-1 has rod actuated drum brakes like yours. Actually I'll be travelling to DC and then on to Berlin in June and July, it would probably be achievable to bring a pair of whitewalls back in my luggage. Anyone living in the DC area?[/QUOTE]

Hi: Drum Brakes were not common on these bikes as they added around 25% to the price of a new bike back in the day so they are even more scarce today. I have only ever seen one other BSA bike with them and that was a 1930's Sports version where they were cable operated. My front hub had a cracked spoke hole (suspect accident damage) and I tried to find another hub but there were non to be had so I managed to get it welded (my hubs are BSA's own manufacture and seem to be rare but I do occasionally see SA ones on eBay and other sites but these are not compatible for my bike as I bought one at an auto jumble for £5 just to strip it to see if parts were interchangeable but they are not). I have restored the original mudguards (Fenders for USA Guys) and will be refitting them (possibly today). The mudguards must have been damaged when the bike was in an accident as they have been repaired with riveted metal plates, really well done so are character adding to the bike. I also have the original rear carrier which also has been stripped and resprayed plus a rear wheel lock which I have restored and will refit. The Bell is a Lucas Challis date stamped 1929 and was on the bike when I bought it at auction. Competing bidders were trying to buy the bike just for the bell as they go for around £80 on ebay. My aim is to have the bike completed within next few days. Yes Whitewalls do look nice and are readily available here in UK, I bought mine at my local bike shop. My Model BSA never had a Chain-guard as it was sold as a 'Light Roadster'. I have already put a lot of information and photographs earlier in this 'For the love of English 3 speeds' Blog.
Regards.

52telecaster

i like your style big chief. The older i get the higher my bars get too. Every day i pull substantial hills on my commute home and it feels great!

gster

Looking at these scorchers, I think a small frame looks best
with the seat and bars extended as required.
The smaller frames appear more compact and agile.
Black being the preferred colour, of course.

paulb_in_bkln

Attaching the rear rack allowed me to put mine into the commuter rotation. It's a blast, always. (Although all the other bikes are, too.) I'd love the racier look of flipped bars, but functionally there's no point because I'd then have to lift them a bit and with the 21 inch frame I'd have to replace the stem to do that.

PeterLYoung 

The BSA Roadster is now completed, spent all day re-assembling and I have ridden it so all is OK. Still might replace saddle but will use as is while I decide. Also it would be nice to find a replacement reflector for rear mudguard (Fender) as the rubber is in a very bad way. Bike is good now for another 83 years!!!!!!!




Completed Bike

paulb_in_bkln

Amen Big Chief. There's no doubt in my mind that getting around by bike can keep us physically much younger than our years might lead a person who's not active to expect. Assuming you can avoid being crushed by a texting, belligerent, or just plain crazy driver. I'll turn 66 soon but I just had a physical and, although any of us can be blindsided by illness, as far as the things that are checked routinely in a doctor's office my numbers look great. I didn't leave my desk job willingly but it still may have been the best thing ever happened to me. I ride to work, all weather, day or night, and I think there are underappreciated physical benefits to regular exercise in winter cold and summer heat, and as I've got a walking around job I'm on my feet the entire time, too. People tell me I move like a much younger man (except for bending down which is hard now, goddamn it! ). The last time I bought a subway pass was August 2007. That has saved me so many thousands of dollars that it's something, along with the staying healthy thing, that make my bike expenditures seem relatively puny. And if spending a few hundred or even a grand here and there on bikes fires up a person's level of enthusiasm for riding one, it's seems to me it's money very well spent.