Recovering from covid . & a peek in at Mark's #1 Thruxton project.

 I am recovering from being down sick with covid for the last week,  Decided to use this down time to review &  take a look back on the various projects in the workshop.

This is a look at Mark's blue and silver 1966 Thruxton # VMT 198 -

Some of what I saw on inspection -

When I removed the tank, there was a load of foam pads, and when I took the cover off the toolbox - jammed full with wiring.

Next when I pulled the primary chain case off - found it contained a slurry of oil and water - not a good sign. I pulled the gearbox gear set out, and checked the clearance on the gearbox main shaft. The main shaft itself had .010" taper where it runs in the sleeve gear, and the sleeve gear bush had .008" clearance. - which is too much - Removing the mudguards and stays, found they were attached with a combination of US and Metric fasteners, as are a few of the engine bolts. When I removed the timing cover, I always check to see if Thruxton's have their correct special followers - and this one does ! - but - they were installed reversed with the inlet rocker in where the exhaust rocker lives - With the seat removed , another set of mounting holes could be seen, that the rear mudguard came off another bike, and the extra holes never filled -

Just a few of the items that I noticed and made notes of when I was taking the bike down, of areas that will require a bit of extra attention -

Bob Strode and his track bike he built -

 

Velocetteer Bob Strode has passed away.

 Lost another of my long time friends -

Bob Strode passed away yesterday morning just before 5 AM.

Bob is the one who in 1987 , sold me his Velocette parts and service business. The business was the ex- Lou Branch Velocette Motorcycle Sales shop from California, who was the US importer for Velocette in 1950 , and before that was Jack Frodsham Velocette in the late 1930s.

Bob was a great friend and will be missed. I phoned & talked with him just a few days ago. We talked about the great times we had together. A friendship that started through a common interest in Velocette motorcycles.