Hairy Bikers and Other Petrol Heads

simond

simond

Western Thunderer
Thanks Col,

enjoyed that, some nice stuff in there.

despite the presentation style…
 
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Boyblunder

Boyblunder

Western Thunderer
Modelling has taken a back seat this week because after a lot of motorbike talk over Christmas my 91 year old father in law announced that he didn't think he was going to ride his Moto Guzzi V50 anymore and will give it to me. That meant I had to clear space in the garage for it and so I had to move the Ariel VH. When I took the covers off the Ariel it looked rather sad so I spent a couple of days cleaning it. It seemed a shame not to ride it so I had a go at overhauling the Monoblock carb with parts I bought from the main Ariel parts supplier in Suffolk several years ago. These were replacements for the previous set of parts I bought in 2014 that were of such awful quality I sent them back, and although the firm did sent replacements I had lost interest by the time they arrived. Guess what, the replacements were just as bad! The new fuel tap wouldn't shut off, the banjo filter moulding was like the craters of the moon, the float chamber gasket was too thin and the float needle/seat set leaked. Despite that it started first kick which is pretty good considering it hasn't run for 7 years. Amal are now making new 376 carbs again so I'll Ariel VHA 7-01-22.jpgtreat the old girl to one for its 65th birthday.
 
Eastsidepilot

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
Boyblunder said:
Modelling has taken a back seat this week because after a lot of motorbike talk over Christmas my 91 year old father in law announced that he didn't think he was going to ride his Moto Guzzi V50 anymore and will give it to me. That meant I had to clear space in the garage for it and so I had to move the Ariel VH. When I took the covers off the Ariel it looked rather sad so I spent a couple of days cleaning it. It seemed a shame not to ride it so I had a go at overhauling the Monoblock carb with parts I bought from the main Ariel parts supplier in Suffolk several years ago. These were replacements for the previous set of parts I bought in 2014 that were of such awful quality I sent them back, and although the firm did sent replacements I had lost interest by the time they arrived. Guess what, the replacements were just as bad! The new fuel tap wouldn't shut off, the banjo filter moulding was like the craters of the moon, the float chamber gasket was too thin and the float needle/seat set leaked. Despite that it started first kick which is pretty good considering it hasn't run for 7 years. Amal are now making new 376 carbs again so I'll View attachment 154615treat the old girl to one for its 65th birthday.
Click to expand...

Nice to see the old girl un-covered mate, nothing like a 'one lunger'

As for carb spares etc. it might be worth contacting Ken -de-Groome, he will know where to get decent parts. Afraid my stock of bits and pieces went a long time ago ! apart from a pair of phospher bronze swing arm bushes for a T120 sitting on the shelf in my workshop :D

Col.
 
simond

simond

Western Thunderer
I watched that the other evening. He’s utterly bonkers.

And the u tubes on the front of the “engine” (what I perceive to be after the turbine, so really the back) are really bloody hot. 1100C or thereabouts?

nutter. Amusing nutter, but nutter!
 
SimonT

SimonT

Western Thunderer
No turbine! Nor do I think it a rocket. The sound is the same as a V1 Doodlebug so I suspect it is a set of three pulse jets. Intakes to the rear of the larger section which I think is the combustion chamber and the exhaust gasses og around the U and then expand up the cone to exit. That explains why the hottest point is at the start of the U. I hope the welds don't fail!
 
michael080

michael080

Western Thunderer
SimonT said:
The sound is the same as a V1 Doodlebug so I suspect it is a set of three pulse jets. Intakes to the rear of the larger section which I think is the combustion chamber and the exhaust gasses og around the U and then expand up the cone to exit. That explains why the hottest point is at the start of the U. I hope the welds don't fail!
Click to expand...
Looks like it's an improved V1 design without the flutter valve that exhausts to two ports. If it is so, he would need to inject a combustible air/propane mixture into the combustion chamber. That seems to be a pretty clever design.
If the welds fail, the beard would suffer. :eek:

Just checked, a valveless pulsejet exists: Valveless pulsejet - Wikipedia

Michael
 
A

Allen M

Western Thunderer
Oh the joys of a car, a late 2010 (60 plate) reg 1.6 petrol Astra auto with 50k on clock (don't have a bike anymore). First get the air con fixed that nobody wanted to do during lock down and also look at a new fault, the fan running all the time and thus taking for ever to get properly warm. Drop off at garage and steady walk home, a bit under 1/2 hour and when did it pour with rain?:(
Left to the second morning and got the bus to collect and pay the nearly £500 bill but worth it as everything working properly.:)
Couple of days later going shopping and on the way the steering started to feel strange, call in at petrol station and blow up soggy tire. Drive to tire dealer, found nail on edge of shoulder, cannot be repaired. another £70 made worse being only part worn.:headbang:

Still it make a change from my younger days when it would be welding in cills and floor panels at that age!

Regards
Allen
 
simond

simond

Western Thunderer
I’m assuming an “N3 unit” was a gallon? This link would seem to confirm

Fuel rationing and petrol coupons in the UK

Find out why there was petrol rationing in the UK throughout WW2 and into 1950; reintroduced in 1956/7, then in 1973; with images of these petrol coupons
www.1900s.org.uk

the comments about simply not seeing private cars are amusing & of an era twenty years before my first memories, but it wouldn’t be much fun getting a couple of gallons per month nowadays, I suspect most folks would not be able to get to work.
 
Eastsidepilot

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
My family all lived in and around Rayleigh, Essex during these times and my Father, who gave me these coupons some years ago, said that people didn't travel too far from home compared with today and not many had private cars, he was lucky, my Grandfather being a local building contractor, their work was mainly local so a couple of gallons of fuel would last them a while and they had use of the vans and trucks. He did own a car but my Father, his two brothers and employees didn't at the time until the mid-late 50's.
He told me also that they had a large hand cart used for jobs that were not too far away so all the tools ladders etc. were put in that when the road vehicles were in use elsewhere. During the war ( sound like Uncle Albert :D) The local council even used to employ our lorries with the driver for odd jobs as they didn't always have appropriate vehicles, one of the trucks Grandfather had was a tipper .

Col.
 
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