Vincenzo's MSS

Some years ago I got my long time friend Vincenzo Gustavo Murphy interested in building up from spares, a rigid MSS hot rod project. We had seen the photos of a sprint bike, that was well written up, and both fell in love with it's looks - As I am at last back in the shed, after helping my folks for the last several years, in their 'twilight years' , until both of their passing's, I can once again attack my upstairs Velocette wrecking yard and get back to digging out parts - - the image is what we are using as our ' go by '

Arturo's timing disc

This image was just posted on the Velocette Motorcycles fb page by Arturo Sipca in Uruguay. My buddy Geoff Blanthorn did the artwork for a shop timing disc , and had posted it some years ago on our old web site as a 'make your own timing disc' with our down loadable disc's image -

Steve's Clock

My customer Steve, back in Red Bluff IL, emailed me that the parts package got there ok. His email had an attachment of this image of the Velo theme clock he made from the large decal I sent him in his last order - made from Mac's old clutch chainwheel and rear wheel sprocket -

Current images of my office / bedroom

Allen Dow Venom

Greg McBride recently posted this photo on Velocette Motorcycles Facebook page, and I recall the bike as one Allen Dow from California asked me to rebuild for him many years ago - - - Unfortunately - I have suffered and live with mental issues, for most of my adult life, bipolar , ADD, and terrible depression bouts, that I have been taking treatments and meds for many years to combat it the best I can - but it still occasionally rears up and swings it's axe - a true demon from within. - As I was nearing the completion on Allen's bike, I had a massive attack / breakdown- forcing me to call Allen to take his bike away. He had someone collect it immediately, and found Paul Zell in San Francisco to finish it. I do warranty all my work, so if you are reading this Greg, and find anything terribly amiss - do let me know -. I believe I have the original workshop notes and file on the bike, letters between Allen and me, etc, somewhere in my records -

Branch Motorcycle Sales

My shop - Ed Gilkison Velocette was back in the 1950s through 1975 - Branch Motorcycle Sales - when Lou retired and sold out to Ellis Taylor, who moved the inventory to Ellie's home in Montecito, California -just south of Santa Barbara. Ellie had the Velo business for a couple years, then when he had a nasty divorce, was forced to sell, and sold the Velo business to my long time friend Bob Strode in Woodinville Washington, in about 1978. I helped Bob move the inventory, along with or friend Charlie Cravens, loading it into a huge rental truck, and driving it up the I-5 . I then spent a week at Bob's and erected all the shelving and reloaded all the little parts boxes in Bob's basement, until he could get a proper little separate workshop / garage built. - I purchased the Velo business from Bob Strode in 1987 and have had it ever since - 33 years , and hope to continue on for many more, concentrating on repairs, and obsolete and used spares. I can't compete with the super fast suppliers of new spares in the UK , as I am dealing now with my health & taking care of 'me' - heart and cancer issues is now my main daytime job- ( I am having prostate removal surgery in a couple weeks ) required exercising, physical therapy and doctor appointments during the daytime hours take much of my time, and I do the Velo work in the very early mornings, and late evenings and weekends. Here is a scan of an bit of Lou Branch's printed paper box tape - and a crop scan of just the bike - a 1948 Dowty fork , rigid MAC 350

Jim's Clubman

Jim's Clubman project, photographed while in the shed here in Lakebay. This particular project was one we started with Mike A. in New Jersey. Mike wanted a kit of used parts that could be assembled into a little Cafe' Velo as a 'built from bits from the attic' budget bike. I have done a bunch of these for my friends over the 33 years I have had my shop, as it offered a way for me to move dead inventory, and used stock from my attic Velocette motor cycle wrecking yard. Like building a giant - 3000 part, full scale model kit that you can actually ride when you get done. This particular one has many miles on it , as it has been shipped back and forth from Lakebay to New Jersey a couple of times, as Mike would do a bit of work on it in New Jersey, then I would some in Lakebay, etc. After about twenty five years of hit and miss building, Mike decided it was time to sell his interest in our project on to another giant scale modeler, and found Jim S. willing to take it on, hopefully seeing it into it's final assembly, running and riding it. Jim has our project in his shed at the moment - working on the last leg of the build - and of late I have been helping Jim with parts for the building of the engine.

Rick's MSS

We have done three bikes for Rick in Montana. This one, his rigid MSS, was one we did several years ago. It came to us as a MSS in KSS cycle gear, in that it had a KSS oil tank, 21 inch front tire, and skinny mudguards, etc. I have not found yet the beginning photos of what we started with, but Rick did send me these photos of it when completed. Rick had a friend local to him in Montana do the painting of the mudguards, fuel and oil tanks, and we had the hard parts powder-coated in gloss black by Ken's Powder Coating in Tacoma ( Spanaway ). The sidecar was in excellent original finish, and we left it that way. We sourced new mudguards from Armour in the UK, fabricated new hand bent front and rear mudguard stays here in the shed to fit. Wheel rims on the bike and sidecar we custom ordered in from Devon Rim Company in the UK, and are stainless steel, with painted black centers and boarders done in gold pin stripe. In all the bike turned out very nice-

No Time -

I have decided it best for me at this time - or lack of it ( time ), to drasticly cut back on both my Facebook, and Instagram social media accounts. I want to be concentrating on this blog, my Ed Gilkison Velocette blog and my Ed Gilkison Workshop - BLACK COFFEE - photo and image blog - to get them up to speed, and more useful in both my business, and personal use. - I love and charish my actual hands on workshop time, and prefer to spend much more of what time I have, - to being in the shed, rather then on my 'puter - Email is the best way to reach me : veloguru1@yahoo.com, or leave a message on my house phone (253) 884-2319

Peter Small's Lakebay Special

 Peter Small's  - Lakebay Special -

The Red Special we built for Idaho jewelry artist -  Peter Small many years ago. 

Peter had dropped off an old Scrambler model and asked me to build him a Clubman or Cafe' Special and gave me free hand at designing and building his bike. 

I could not easily see how to put rear set footrest controls on the scrambler frame, so as I had a nice road frame,  I switched his type /35 bolt together scrambler frame, for a standard RS type frame with rear dampener adjustment slots.  For the rear dampeners I used Works Performance units that were custom ordered to Peters riding style and weight.

The alloy fuel tank was from Peter Kyte sourced from the Velocette Owners Club UK, .& the bikes Smiths instruments and drive gearboxes I had custom made and supplied by Dennis Quinlan 's KTT Services - in Australia.

The custom alloy oil tank, flip-up seat to access the oil tanks top filler, Mikuni carb & manifold, and toolbox were all in my shops used - 'second handy department ', remains of a bike that was built up custom by Bob Strode for the US Velo Club's Canada 'Rain Ride' Rally. These bits were from the bike that Bob rode himself - borrowed from his friend Charley Cravens. Charley did not care for the custom treatment done to his bike by Bob, so Bob stripped off the custom bits , and returned Charley's MSS back to him in stock configuration. All these bits were in the spares stock, when I purchased the Velocette spares and repair business from Bob, when he retired, and moved to Yakima. I used a 'Bates style simple folded stainless steel rear number plate/ stop light holder, and a Honda CR motocross style aftermarket 90 degree alloy throttle housing . Front brake is standard single leading shoe, but I had Bob Strode fabricate up & weld on a massive air scoop to the brake plate, and then I made up a simple lever system with the operating lever reversed & slightly longer.

 Frame and hard parts I had powder coat finished by Ken's Powder Coating in Spanaway Washington, in  ' Little Red Wagon ' bright cherry Red. I had Pete's Autobody Supply in Tacoma custom mix me a quart of Dupont Centari enamel, to match the chassis powder coating, for me to spray the front forks sliders, as the powder coating process can damage the soft solder joints that hold the fork sliders together. 

I set up the engine, gearbox and clutch/ primary drive to standard Venom specs, to make it easier for Peter to do any maintenance , or obtain spare parts, as they were all catalog standard items. 

My friend, and neighbor Geoff Blanthorn, who lives next door, and helps me in the workshop, designed up the spin on oil filter mount bracket. Peter and I both wanted the oil filter to be easy access, and we agreed Geoff's 'KISS' mounting ( Keep It Simple Stupid )  - was perfect fit for the project. The oil filter and filter base I sourced from Williams Oil Filter Service in Tacoma.  

When Peter passed away, his good friend Kevin Neary in Canada bought the bike from his estate - 

Snow Day today -

With 12 plus inches of snow overnight - called it a Snow Day. 

Got out my RedFeather Vapor's and wore the 'hand me down' Wolverine lace up leather boots from my brother John, and trekked down the drive to check on my neighbor Geoff Blanthorn -. 

 Amazing what having the right gear makes ! 

 

Steve Kesey Clubman

My long time friend Steve Kesey, brought his Clubman over a while back, to have a custom center stand installed, an oil leak checked, and a charging system check- 

His bike is my old original Viper 500, that I had ridden well over 250,000 miles since acquiring it in 1979 on my visit to see my friend Geoff Blanthorn in the UK, and to watch the Isle of Man TT, and be my mount to tour around on.

After riding it for years and many, many rebuilds, I had parked it, and one day Steve asked if I might consider selling.  -Yes - but only if I could run it through my shop rebuild process first, with Steve covering parts costs, and I would donate my labor. Giving my old Viper 500 a fresh lease on life was the best gift to both it, and to Steve, that I could offer. - -

above image is Steve's Viper 500 - fresh from my workshop 

and image below is of me with it in 1979 when I purchased it. Photo taken by my cousin Wim, when visiting him in Amsterdam Holland on our tour of Amsterdam's  famed 'red light district '

Viper 500, as it is a Viper 350 , but has had a Venom 500 top end fitted ( barrel, piston and cylinder head ) 

Will Perry Viper 350

Will Perry had bought his Viper in Bangkok China , when he was in the service. Over the years had been in storage until several years ago, when we helped him get it back on the road. Lots was needed to get it sorted, even though it was 'a runner', it had many little jobs done in Bangkok to keep it on the roads, that were not as sound as we like and could do here in the shed - 

After initial work, and he has been riding it around Seattle, and he brought it back for more funds to be thrown at it, to see if we could fix an on going issue - a lack of power.  This run-ability issue has been evading us for the whole time, and we have yet to discover why the bike can't up and go, running out of steam at a bit over 55, when Viper 350s , are nearly as fast as their big brothers - the Venom 500, but require more revs to get their optimum power output.  This time it is getting a fresh bore, new forged Arias piston, fully reconditioned cylinder head with new valves & guides, and valve springs - 

Recent snow has slowed work a bit on it, but it should be out on test in a couple weeks - 

 

The Mark Sheppard Quartet

 British actor Mark Sheppard,  has four of his Velo's in the shed here in Lakebay for service work. A Clubman and a Thruxton was first sent up from his home in Studio City California. both having issues to sort out. 

Mark has quite a Ducati collection, but growing up in the UK remembers seeing Velos and always has had a lust to have one. The first bike he got was Clubman , a 'Frankenstein of a collection bits that needed work to really make it an enjoyable rider. Then he finally found a Thruxton, also shipped over from the UK, and found it had run -ability issues , not restarting when out on a ride. 

When two more Thruxton's came up,  advertised in the UK's Velocette Owners Club magazine 'Fishtail, he immediately jumped at the opportunity  - and acquired them as well, and having them shipped directly into Seattle, for me to collect and check over, before they got into his hands this time. 

Photo of Mark's acquisitions, when we collected them from bonded shipper's warehouse in Seattle a year ago - a pair of Thruxtons from the UK. We will be bringing them to 'showroom fresh' finish,  bringing them back to as close to correct and original as we can. Fortunately, with the bikes came, came a box of the original bits that were removed, when one of them was 'updated'. Both bikes look nice from a distance, but with my quick initial walk around, I noticed both have tape pin stripes on their fuel tanks, and not painted on, and on both bikes -on the right side of the fuel tank - perfectly in line with the clip-on bars - a magnet would not stick to the tank. This is a quick test I do to see if the bike has ever been down, and when repaired, the tank's dent - the impression of the right side clip-on bar , was not properly repaired, where the tank is un-dented, then repainted, and a proper painted pin stripe applied. 

If  previous owners did this type of economy of a tank repair - to a high end Velo model like the Thruxton,  always begs me to do a full strip down and inspection,  as it show me the attention to detail was lacking  - 

 

 

Brian Tyree Custom Build

One of my very long time custom builds I have been slowly working on, 'started back in the last century',  is this Special for my friend Brian Tyree in New Mexico. 

I originally was planning on building two separate bikes, but as time slipped by and shop time got interrupted by - ' life , our plans changed to combine elements of the two, into one. The bike uses a swing arm chassis, mated to a set of heavy weight Webb girder forks - to try and follow the frame geometry that the KTT Mk8 Velo road racers used. Am still working out the details, but want the look of the twin cylinder Works specials - Model O, or Roarer , but with my own custom  'built in Lakebay'  twist. 

Dave Smitty MAC 350

 Dave Smitty brought his MAC up from Oregon, several years ago, with a clutch, and starting issue. He had recently bought it, and was custom built by a friend we both knew. Assembled from bits that were available, the little special is quite striking looking, with it's previous owners hand formed alloy parts, and unusual parts used in it's build. Upon closer inspection, found several areas that did not last the 'test of time' , and would need a bit of sorting to get it road worthy again. 

As Dave was after a more standard bike for riding, that when it needed service work or parts in the future, Dave could follow Veloce's  factory Parts & Service manuals,   a retro rebuild was elected as the best option, and bring the bike back to standard, and set aside the special bits for later -

Photos with engine out, and before complete dis-assembly

 

Dave Landis MSS

 Dave Landis sent over his 1954 MSS project a few years ago, for me to re assemble. He had the powder coating already done, and his project should have been a fairly easy and quick one, but - it didn't quite work out that way. 

Dave had been looking for a Velocette and I suggested a 1954 MSS, as I had talked to the different dealers in the UK , Dodkin's, Seymour's etc, and they all said the same thing - the 1954 MSS was the best all around Velo, and as it was the first year production, all the tooling was still fresh, and the parts fitted better. 

Dave found this bike , sent me photos, and looked great to me - but we found it needed a bit more then planned. 

A couple of images of 1954 MSS  - 

a catalog 'artist deception' and a Lou Branch publicity photo

I have done quite a few Velos, but Dave's MSS will be the first 1954 MSS I have done, and I am bringing it to as 'correct as it left the works' as I can.  

First off was to check out the frame. I like to do them first, as it gives you someplace to start hanging the parts.  On Dave's MSS there were several items to tidy up. The powder coating at the steering head bearings had gotten blistered from heat when changing them, and required sanding out and touching up with a bit of paint. The steering stop stud location had been built up with weld, and needed grinding off and smoothing. 

Andrew Collins MAC and KSS

 Andrew Collins drove up from California and dropped off a couple of his bikes in need of a bit of service work a couple years ago. I have been slowly sorting out what they need, and working them through, to bring them back so they can be once again 'used as intended'. 

He brought up a new BTH electronic magneto set, and a Bronze Head for me to fit on the MAC and was to be a fast turn around project - but life got in the way, and I found the MAC was in need of a bit more unexpected work to bring it back. 

Previous owner had noted an excessive oiling issue, and installed an amazing piping system to drain the oil from the head's valve spring cups - rather then sort out the basic oiling problem -which is actually pretty simple, and an easy fix. - I am working out to do a little video to show how the rocker box oiling system works - as I am sure it will help others, that might run across similar problems.  

Bill Collings Velocette

Bill Collings, owner of Collings Guitars in Austin Texas, sent me his project Velo a few years back , not long before he passed away, to have me do a full rebuild to Thruxton spec. When completed his bike will be going to his daughter Sara. 

When I asked Bill what style and finish he was after, he said he wanted his bike finished like the one I had done some years earlier for another customer that he had seen photos of, that we built and was owned & ridden by Bill Maxwell for quite a number of years. 

Images of Bill Maxwell's Venom with full Thruxton kit, using 90 percent newly made,  post production parts - is Bill Collings vision of how his bike is to be built. 

The bike I started with - hanging in Bill's workshop at Collings Guitars in Austin Texas 

Take it apart Put it together

 

- Black Coffee -

 'Black Coffee' - is what I have named my Ed Gilkison Velocette Workshop Blog -

and will be using it for my image posting blog. I have thousands of images from postings that were deleted when I left Facebook,  and I will be slowly posting them on Black Coffee.

This will allow me to leave this blog - Ed Gilkison Velocette - to concentrate on workshop projects, and current activities.

 https://edgilkisonvelocetteworkshop.blogspot.com

I am still here, but no longer on Facebook-

I am still here, but have decided it best for me to leave Facebook.  

I have enjoyed Facebook, the many friends on board there, posting every image I could source to post onto the Facebook group Velocette Motorcycles,  as well as Facebook group The Velocette Workshop , By dropping off Facebook, all images I have posted will be automatically removed  - thousands I have posted over the years, together with the stories that accompanied the photos, drawings and images -  

Will be now be concentrating my efforts onto this blog - 

I have left the running of my Facebook group The Velocette Workshop, to my nephew Cade - and hopefully he will continue with it, if he decides to stay on the social media - Facebook  -