Honda-SOHC

Yes, you'd definitely need a "depth" hardened surface to run rollers or balls on, thats in comparison to plain bearing arrangement.

Worthwhile trying them Ted, then you can form your own view and report the effects, if any, to forum for our appreciation 

You could use them to put up some virtual shelves for ornaments that don't need to be bought Ted 

Interestingly, the combined float bowls are seperate in function, having discreet volume for each carb, but seem to be used as mounting to give structural component (later a dedicated carb "rack") along with a beam across the top of carbs to make a competent assembly.

Placement of anything PRE marketplace is, as I understand it, subject to tax and import regulation for which a temporary waiver is given, after which the item (s) have to be either removed from the country, or destroyed for disposal (being cheaper) to ultimately comply with their temporary import.

Guessing that some of these vehicles escape by someone hiding them away as they think it's too much of a waste, on a personal level, to really scrap them. Interesting that some are kept, understandable that the stories are deliberately obscured. Technically the IRS could still come for the demands of import be met, although out of time status likely to apply now. In taxman terms, they'd probably want to see it crushed 

In concept, the inner race of the bearings form one complete tube along with the other bits mounted onto the axle, tightening should clamp all those elements tight together in one continuous load path.

In production reality and tolerancing, the bearing "seats" in the wheel casting and the bearing spacer length would have to be very accurate OR individually shimmed to get an exact match once torque is applied at assembly.

What the common design does is to to use one reference bearing (usually the chain side on rear, often left side on front) to fully fix the outer race hard against it's hub shoulder, then retainer ring to keep it from moving.

The opposite side is usually left with some space between outer track and wheel shoulder, this to effectively "float" in the wheel axialy. That can then be used for tolerance of the assembly comprising of primary bearing, spacers etc. Not too critical in other words, the primary bearing controlling lateral location.

It SHOULD turn freely when all tightened, but will accommodate some bearing preload if need be (that would mean spacer total was less than the two hub shoulder in dimensions) with any significant drag being cause for concern and a look at just what components and their placing is doing in there.

If the rear wheel was tightened with no brake drag and no chain fitted, then likely you'd feel some small shift in rotation with anything significant causing more concern. They should spin reasonably easily, but not like a bicycle wheel does 

It's odd to describe and sounds like a "fudge" to say so, but unlike setting a bearing arrangement for preloaded by measuring turning torque etc, these are just meant to be assembled, correctly,  with no real methods except assuring the right parts are used and in the right place.

Judgement would give that any significant changes as it's tightened should raise questions, as Ted's done, then investigating exactly how the various parts are installed to try and make absolutely sure all is in the right orientation.

Bit long winded, but difficult to describe in a different way,, possibly 

It's 23C "up the smoke" in the great metropolis today.

Sweltering darn sarf 

Good work Ted.

Its a skill that used to be genuinely labelled "Mechanical Fitter" in which the person assembling etc had to be adaptive with approach to competently build assembled machinery.

What could be "fettled" aspect of structural, mechanical and metallurgy, all part of training to cope with various components from disparate scource being built into one machine.

Quite a valued occupation, when we used to make things in this country