Honda-SOHC
Other Stuff => Desperately Seeking!! => Topic started by: Sesman on January 19, 2025, 05:19:05 PM
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OK, completely off marque this one…..so apologies to all Honda owners, off which I am one!
Basically this is an appeal to our forum community for smiths Chronometric spare parts. I’m hoping some members have may some legacy Chronometric parts deemed to be uneconomically repairable. I’m attempting to salvage my old Speedo and tacho from a box of bits and any help would be greatly received.
The main problems at the moment are the trip meter drums which I can’t source from mainstream suppliers. There are other issues with the timing mechanism, counter weights and cams. I’m hoping to salvage a solution from whatever I can scrounge/harvest🫣
Cheers 🤞
Pip
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There used to be an advert in the back of Classic Bike for a firm that repaired them but i stoped subscribing a few years back so dont know if its still there
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Hi, Bryanj.
There are a few folks offering rebuilds and repairs, but that’s not how I roll. I’ve also been in touch with trade suppliers, none of whom can supply some of the items I seek. I’m DIY to the hilt.
Basically I’m on a Burke and Hare Chronometric mission. This is an appeal for Chronometric dead bodies please…
Regards
Pip
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I think you will find those jealously guarded by old(in both senses) british enthusiasts
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Yes, the old bike boys definitely hoard their scrap…and never do anything with it.
I’ve had some luck amongst the more enlightened brigade, picking up the odd useful item here and there with some bartering. It doesn’t harm to ask as there are still sympathetic, generous and benevolent types out there who will release stuff at a reasonable cost or some trading.
I’ll widen my search pattern if I don’t have any luck on the forum.
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Yes, the old bike boys definitely hoard their scrap…and never do anything with it.
I’ve had some luck amongst the more enlightened brigade, picking up the odd useful item here and there with some bartering. It doesn’t harm to ask as there are still sympathetic, generous and benevolent types out there who will release stuff at a reasonable cost or some trading.
I’ll widen my search pattern if I don’t have any luck on the forum.
I've put out a request to the Scottish Classic MCC. Lots of old guys with lovely old Chronometric fitted bikes, some guys have hoards of spares dating back years. If I get any response I'll let you know. They are bound to ask what bike it is for. Fingers crossed.
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Found one. Just waiting to hear what he wants for it.
PM your email add. and I'll send pics.
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There was a guy who used to attend all the Kempton Park Autojumbles but I haven't seen him for a while. He repaired chronometric Speedos, I think he went under the name of PJ Speedos. Maybe worth a trawl on the internet?
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Thanks, Dave.
I know all the repairers, at least the main ones around Nottingham and Mansfield; its spares I need. Most, quite rightly, are not keen to divest themselves of hard won spares…it’s a diminishing stock situation. Basically, I’m familiar with all the main repairers and the main supplier to those businesses, but even they cannot source some items, especially those I need.
The purpose of my request was to winkle out any long forgotten husks buried deep in workshop recesses gathering rust, dust and cobwebs. Looks like I’m out of luck.
I’m also speaking to the clock repair community and it’s possible I can get some parts made.
Cheers
Pip
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Thanks, Dave.
I know all the repairers, at least the main ones around Nottingham and Mansfield; its spares I need. Most, quite rightly, are not keen to divest themselves of hard won spares…it’s a diminishing stock situation. Basically, I’m familiar with all the main repairers and the main supplier to those businesses, but even they cannot source some items, especially those I need.
The purpose of my request was to winkle out any long forgotten husks buried deep in workshop recesses gathering rust, dust and cobwebs. Looks like I’m out of luck.
I’m also speaking to the clock repair community and it’s possible I can get some parts made.
Cheers
Pip
Pip, did you see my post? I've found one for you.
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Hi, Gareth.
My apologies, but I missed your post. I’m not necessarily looking for a complete usable unit as I’m restoring my own, but I’m into cannibalism 😁
I do appreciate your efforts on this and I’ll pm right now👍
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Contact the BBC Pip and see if they can feature it in The Repair Shop. It would be great to see a motorcycle speedo being repaired by Steve the clock man and would make a nice change from normal clocks!
That is of course if you can wait that long for the BBC to contact you ::)
My Brother wrote to them to ask if they could repair his teddy bear that he's had for over 60 years and has always worn a Crystal Palace football scarf, they said NO!
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Try it with a Man U or City scarf?
Nice idea, but the objective is for me to fix it. Let’s dig jimmy Saville up…not.
I’m starting with this lot….
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Don't know if you'll all agree but a lot of the stuff on the repair shop is butchered not repaired, stripping patina off old furniture etc
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TBH I prefer ‘restoration’ to achieve the same or better standard than original manufacture. I guess it’s a personal taste thing.
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Nearly done. Just waiting for a new bezel… If you thought rebuilding a SOHC motor was stressful, have a go at a 60 year Chronometric!!!
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Showing my ignorance, were they the click Speedos as fitted to my old Triumph Twenty one VRM 102 ETF still comes up on the DVLA database.
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Yes, Ted. Chronometric, the sampling type that ticks and down.
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I always loved that movement, like a Rolex watch.
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But with none of the Rolex accuracy or durability🤨. The cost of these things is escalating now. Very expensive, but novel paper weights in a paperless office😁
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It looks good. Quick work too. Well done. 👍
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If that’s the one that was on here a few days ago Phil that’s a great job. Take it you sourced the parts you were after for it?
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Hi, Johnny.
Yes, it’s the same one. The spares came from a bizarre source; i’ve relayed the story to your pal who offered the used Chronometric, but I won’t share it here as it’s a bit embarrassing and might offend some folk🫣. I turned the offer down as I didn’t want to butcher a complete, working unit just to preserve the authenticity of my own.
It’s been hell of a battle. The timing mechanism was quite easy to strip and reassemble, but the odometer and trip tumblers were a complete nightmare and really need special tools and methods. For example, to reassemble the trip tumblers I had to insert the pivot pin from the opposite direction, assemble the tension spring, spacers and trip tumblers in reverse order, extract the pin without disturbing anything then reinsert it from the correct end! It took about 5 attempts to succeed. Talk about tricks and tips I had to learn that for myself🤨
I can’t find replacement number strips anywhere, though I have a solution in the making. I was lucky as I managed to source some spares from a very friendly lady at Timeless Motorcycles.
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Very nice work Phil.
Is this going on your Triton or your RC30 :)
Can you share a photo of your Triton please, I like to see Triton's being so individual.
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But with none of the Rolex accuracy or durability🤨.
There was me in 1965 thinking my Twenty One was such a fast bike as it cruised along the A6 at an easy 90 mph. It was probably only just touching 70 mph if that! ☹ï¸â˜¹ï¸â˜¹ï¸
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Hi, Dave.
No pictures just yet as the project is in an early (very early) stage of evolution. I’ve been steadily acquiring parts such as 750 conversion, upgraded oil pump, new E3134 cams, refurbished R followers, new 30mm concentric carbs, plus all the gubbins for a full engine rebuild including cam bushes; I’ll have see if I can borrow a reaming tool from somewhere.
I’ve also ported the head and had it straightened (skimming these old heads is a real no, no). I’ve also purchased Bob Newby Drive and various bits from Andy Molnar such as mudguards and a seat.
I have however fully rebuilt the short road holder front end with new parts throughout.
I’ll post some photos after I’ve modified the frame to mount the Manx style seat.
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C’est fini…By far the most difficult restoration task I’ve ever completed.
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That looks as good as new Phillip, respect. 8) 8) 8)
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Cheers, Ted. I will absolutely not consider doing another in that level of detail. It took about 6 hours and cost £50 in parts. Its the worst 6 hours of restoration time experience, but the best £50 I’ve spent.
Next time I’ll get the pros in and go for a long walk at the coast.
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Hi, Dave.
No pictures just yet as the project is in an early (very early) stage of evolution. I’ve been steadily acquiring parts such as 750 conversion, upgraded oil pump, new E3134 cams, refurbished R followers, new 30mm concentric carbs, plus all the gubbins for a full engine rebuild including cam bushes; I’ll have see if I can borrow a reaming tool from somewhere.
I’ve also ported the head and had it straightened (skimming these old heads is a real no, no). I’ve also purchased Bob Newby Drive and various bits from Andy Molnar such as mudguards and a seat.
I have however fully rebuilt the short road holder front end with new parts throughout.
I’ll post some photos after I’ve modified the frame to mount the Manx style seat.
Sounds like an interesting build Phil. I replaced the oil pump in mine with a high flow Morgo pump. I had no choice but to have the head very lightly skimmed after the welding repairs to the combustion chamber. Whilst it was in the engineering shop the guy called me to advise the head needed spot machining on the pillars of the head fixing bolts because they weren't flat which meant the shoulder of the fixings bolts weren't sitting square to the face and that was what he thought was causing the head gasket to keep blowing. He said he'd seen the same thing many times before due to countless previous owners not using a torque wrench. Not many people could afford a torque wrench in the 60’s and 70’s and tight enough was good enough!
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I put a Morgo 750 kit on my old preunit, started burning white smoke at about 6 months and was told it was actually burning oil in small quantities, std morgo rings turned out to be BSA A65 +20 i think from Charlies in Bristol.
I was a lot younger then and could replace mains in 3 hours start to finish
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Yes, Dave.
Both the rocker box pillars needed machining. I’ve gone for the rotary pump and will be adding additional engine breathing. Bryanj mentioned early failure of his Morgo conversion. I can’t vouch for the product of yesteryear, but I checked out Morgo and Routt variants in person and to be honest there was very little to choose between them. In the end I bought British.
Next big decision is whether to purchase updated rods. Mine are straight without any external evidence of stress and have been peened and polished, but I’m just not sure. I’m going for an efficient tune, not a high revving, high compression arrangement. At £250 per rod it’s a big investment. I just can’t conclude if it’s a necessary one…
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Wasnt really a failure, still ran fine and strangely did not use much oil just gave out white smoke in small quantities, never did fit the rings before i sold it and it could have been me not running in correctlt
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Morgo are very specific about running-in procedure and using the correct oil during running-in. They actually sell a specific oil for the task.
I went up to Morgo after speaking with Miles on the phone as I bought a set of barrels and pistons to replace the worn out (after 250 miles!) ones fitted by the original engine builder who built the motor. The new barrel and pistons didn't fit. Miles told me to take the new ones back and he's investigate. Turned out the original Morgo barrel had been cut down and the forged pistons replaced by Hepolites. He machined the barrel to take the top fin off after measuring the height of the old Morgo barrel.
Got to say Miles is a great guy, very helpful, full of biking stories and he insisted on giving me a lift back to Leeds station with the newly machined barrel as well as the old one. I've never drunk so much tea either!
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When i got mine back in the 70's i collected the kit and they had several Rickman Interceptors there