My BMW's

A few folks have asked about my BMW's. - The first BMW I had was a 1960 R69S - that I purchased from Fred Terbeck- Owner of BMW Center in Seattle, back around 1975. I sold it to a friend in Yakima Washington, to fund the Velocette Viper/Venom I was purchasing and collecting in the UK in 1979. Then the last BMWs - R60/5s- I had were from John Dolber in Boston, Mass. - sent out in trade against an engine rebuild I had done on his MSS, and other bits for Velo projects. The black R60/5 was sold to a lady in Port Townsend - who was thrilled with it, and the white R60/5 was sold to Allyn Smith, who later traded it to his Dad, my long time friend John Smith, who we also helped with his many Velo projects - All the BMWs I had were great bikes - In the end though, I did not hang onto them - as I prefer a Velo.

Recovering post - op

Good News ! 🙂 Am in 'Depends' absorbent menswear following having my catheter removed a couple days ago - from my cancer surgery prostate removal a week ago. Now am in penis training to not wet myself, with special 'kegal' exercises - and - - No radiation or chemo required !!- Just check back in three months - - Not so bad - and my penis has never had so much attention ! 🙂

Back Home following surgery -

Greetings from Lakebay, My cancer operation for prostate removal went well on Tuesday, back home on Wednesday late afternoon. Very tender down in those parts now ! , and will be wearing a Foley catheter and leg bag for a week or so, while healing. Getting stronger everyday, and was able to walk - just - the evening after surgery. A couple things I wanted to do, I might be able to get a chance to now during this healing process. -Years ago Don Holton in Florida sent me his KTT Mk8 engine for rebuild, and at that time, I contacted Ivan Rhodes about my project, and Ivan freely advised, sent drawings and info. About that same time I was given a copy of the KTT MK8 Spares list as well. Don Holton's wife then had health issues, and he decided to sell off his collection, and the KTT as well as other bikes were purchased by Randy Baxter in Iowa. Randy sent me what he had of the KTT project and I worked on it as I had time. Then family health issues of my own had crept in , and I had to pause the work and sent the unfinished project back to Randy. While the bike was here, I was able to do quite a lot of work on it, and Ivan, though half a world away, was always ' at my side ' with help and guidance. This 'down time' during my recovery, is the perfect time for me to scan all the KTT info I have collected up. - The second thing that I wanted to do, that I don't believe has been done, is showcase the cartoons that have been in Fishtail. Geoff Blanthorn was friendly with the cartoonists that contributed during the early years of the club. My Fishtail VOC Club magazine goes back to 1971 when I first joined the group, and Geoff's collection goes back a bit further -

Prostate Cancer Surgery

Hi Guys, I want to give everyone a bit of notice that I am going into hospital next week Tuesday,March 9th, for my prostate cancer, prostate removal , and biopsies taken of surroundings. I will be a bit slower then usual on filling parts orders and work in the shed. My neighbor / riding / walkies buddy - Geoff , will be assisting me a bit more during these times. As I do my computer work on a laptop, will be using this down time to catch up a bit on paper work, and do postings on this blog and on my photo blog -Black Coffee- https://edgilkisonvelocetteworkshop.blogspot.com

Improved sealing at the pushrod tube gland nut

My friend Jack Hogan, when visiting from Australia showed me how to convert the two piece pushrod tube to be far better, and using an o-ring. instead of the packing string. The really clever thing that Jack showed me, and not done by anyone else that I am aware of, is to make a small ring to go against the o-ring - as o-rings do not like sliding - only direct compression, and can often jam the big center gland nut. By dropping a compressing ring in first into the recess opened up for the o-ring , then the o-ring, on assembly, the o-ring is back to only compression -the gland nut slides on the compressing ring, and not directly on the o-ring. The o-ring is now back to compression only - what it was designed for. - This method he said is used in commercial applications like steam piping, etc

Rear Hub Spacers

Jim S. is slowly working at finishing a Clubman project built from bits from my shed - that I had started with Mike A. many years earlier. This one has been years in 'the process' - but is gradually creeping along. Jim ran across a fitting problem, with a good used correct speedo gearbox I had posted him for the project. It turns out I had set the bike up with spacers for the early type Smiths drive gearbox, and the only good one I recently sourced was a late one ! - & confirmed by Jim's measurements. I carry a pretty extensive parts supply and pulled out the correct set to send him, and the set used when fitting the narrow hard to find gearbox - to compare .