Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => Other Bikes => Topic started by: Orcade-Ian on December 05, 2025, 04:58:48 PM
-
I was contacted recently by someone I didn't know, via a friend, who had found a dismembered motorcycle in the loft of a building in Shapinsay (one of the smaller Orkney Isles to the north of Kirkwall). His intention is to try to reassemble it but leave it with the proverbial 'oily rag' finish - something I certainly agree with in this case. It's a 1937 Panther 350 and according to the owners club is one of only a handful known to exist.
[attach=1]
My task is to see if I can reassemble the engine, which has been stripped completely.
He sent some pics of what it looks like and an old tax disc shows 1951 - no pressure then! If it could be made to run, that would be a huge bonus - I see no good reason why it shouldn't.
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
Christine and I had a trip out on the ferry last Saturday to view this inanimate pile of scrap but I came back with quite a few parts to de-rust, clean and assess. It actually looks more promising than I first thought. A couple of frame parts are tied together with a Scarths label, which was a well respected engineering company here, sadly no longer with us and many of the skilled folk who worked there have also shuffled off.
Ian
-
Looks like you have some work ahead of you there Ian.
Are you going to start a thread, it will keep us all entertained during the winter👍.
-
I'll certainly post a few pics of the progress, so far the bore has cleaned up well (standard too), the piston is good and with new rings (available) will be fine. The flywheels have come up well, as have all the gears that go in the timing chest. It's actually quite a simple machine following most of the types I have worked on before and nowhere near as complicated as an LE Velo (or a Honda Four!). Even if it does run, it's not going to be thrashed up the motorway, so a bit of piston slap and burning less oil than a KH500 will be ok.
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
Being a rigid frame with girder forks simplifies matters too.
One problem so far is the appearance of spurious parts from other bikes/cars viz - two Triumph oil pumps in a box of carb parts!
That kind of serves me right for chucking a handful of nuts and bolts and springs into the boxes laid out in the maintenance department at Hawker Siddeley when I was an apprentice!
Ian
-
If anybody was going to reply to this post it would have ben Dave or Ian and i See that they did.
You certainly have a project ahead of you. The very best of luck with your project and ther are very many people on this forum that will happily help you.
-
Bravo Ian! An interesting project indeed. I would offer assistance but I don’t even have a blasting cabinet! Good luck I will maybe even visit to have a browse! 😜
-
What a great project, saving that one will certainly keep you out of mischief.
Cheers
Dennis
-
No blasting will take place Johnny, just wire wheel and an oily rag. Steven has cleaned years of gutter from the very sound mudguards and sprayed them with Duck oil for now. Although the petrol tank is mottled with rust on the outside, many Honda owners would give their right arm for a tank as clean as this one inside! This is NOT a restoration but an assembly job to save a rare bike - with an original Orkney registration. Should be on show at next year's Vintage Rally, running or not.
Ian
-
I didnt think the islands had enough lamposts for a panther, rumour was they only fired every other one!
-
You're right Bryan, so if there are no lamp posts, is that why it might not fire?
It's a crappy old magneto, so you know what that will entail! Might have to hide some modern electrickery in there.
Ian
-
There arefewer and fewer people repairing magnetos now.
At lot of people dont know they have a condensor hidden in the windings and of course magnets can go weak
-
Yes Bryan,
My tame magneto man went off in a wooden overcoat a good few years ago but a friend has just bought a kit to fit inside his mag and with a hidden battery all looks standard but with a reliable fat spark, so that could be the way to go methinks.
Ian
-
There was a guy called Dave Lindsey who rewinds magnetos but he may have retired by now.
My old mate who I used to race speedway with used to rewind them, Ron Knight but again, long retired and sold all his equipment.
-
This place is worthwhile sending an enquiry to https://www.robsonandfrancisrewinds.co.uk/ as I've used them before in larger motors.
Not specifically noting magneto, but possible they'll do that.
-
Hi Dave,
Yes, I have had them done before by Dave Lindsley but I still think a modern electronic module fitted inside the present mag is a better option - discrete and reliable. We're a way off that yet - he's coming over with the cleaned crankcase halves today, so I can trial fit the r/h flywheel and all the gears in the timing chest. He is able to source a new crankpin/big-end bearing assembly, so the bottom end can be put together fairly soon, once I've assembled and trued the crank. All engine plates and bolts appear to be there but there is damage to the outer cover of the gearbox (a Burman) where the clutch release arm fits - that can be repaired here in Orkney. The clutch is another story!
Ian
-
I thought these Panthers went the way of the Sabre toothed tiger :o are you sure this isn't treasure trove? ;D
-
There arefewer and fewer people repairing magnetos now.
At lot of people dont know they have a condensor hidden in the windings and of course magnets can go weak
Yes ..that's correct I made my mate a tiny epoxy/glass PCB with a modern surface mount capacitor fitted to it that slotted inside the hollow shaft Bryan.
-
Great project! If you do go down the conventional magneto route in the end, there is a mag specialist near me in Angus that most of the classic bike club use. Let me know if you want his details. 👍
-
Thanks for that Gareth, we'll certainly bear it in mind if the electronic conversion proves a problem. My bit is coming along very well - Steven cleaned most of the 'black death' from the crankcases and delivered them at the weekend. I have now deep cleaned them with Bilt Hamber Surfex HD, partly in the ultrasonic bath which is too small for complete immersion and then in a farmers 'lick bucket' to finish off. The timing gears/oil pump rotor and stuff fitted well in the timing chest, all timing marks make sense for 'suck, squeeze, bang and blow' and are now on the bench. I've sent the shopping list to Steven to see what he can dig up but no doubt the bah humbugs will spoil any chance of quick delivery.
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
Ian
-
Just read that Phelan and Moore have been revived as a motorcycle manufacturer, even making a model of Panther, though not a long stroke big single!
-
Hi Bryan,
A mate just sent me a link about that very topic - I think it will be like all of the other names that have reappeared RE, Indian, AJS, BSA - standing on the shoulders of giants.
https://www.visordown.com/news/historic-yorkshire-motorcycle-brand-phelon-moore-has-been-revived
Ian
-
Hmmm, there's a lot of new bikes and engines in the new line up and although the article states the two main investors are American the bikes to me appear to be Chinese or Indian made or at least the engines do.
Another famous British brand bought up by investors to use the name with no intention of actually making the bikes in the UK, pretty sad really. At least Royal Enfield have been made in India since the 50’s.
-
It is very sad Dave,
Virtually everything made elsewhere to keep profits up but prices high. I was looking for a replacement jacket recently while I was down in Inverness - not for motorcycling, just everyday wear. Looked at Berghaus, Helly Hansen and Didricksons - all made in Thailand, Vietnam and one of the 'Stans. Still priced at £300+ though, made for buttons (pun intended!) and shipped halfway round the World. It will not improve in my lifetime.
Ian