to recommission not restore

[Rocket Racer]

Musky,
I'll dig out the balance paperwork, but heres a pic of the r3 taken yesterday

[Rex]

Coming in late to this discussion, but that's not a candidate for restoration to me....it's just "nice".
Some mechanical repairs and off you go.....seen too many old bikes lose all identity from amateur resto's, and seen too many stripped and never finished by amateur restorers too!

[muskrat]

G'day RR.
Yum but it's only 3/4 of a R3. The front 1/4 looks trihard disc brake. I'll still hide it in my shed from your other half!
Is it 4 or 5 speed?
Cheers

[Rocket Racer]

G'day RR.
I've got room for the RocketIII !
What % balance?
Cheers

B/F for the RR 63%
I do ponder retrofitting the A75 back to conical front end, have most of the expensive bits. But then there's the '55 racing road rocket, the 54, and several others in the queue first. 
It was a 4 sp when I got it, its got 5 now with a spare 4 speed in a box
Dont forget all the T160's came fully built out of small heath, too complicated for meriden to handle.

[Rocket Racer]

Progressing very slowly, heads all cleaned up, need to assemble the bottom end, working on the wheels. A bit of distraction (first world problems) with the lightning and rocket three, both of which I may look at moving on to reduce the fleet a bit
But things are quietly happening

[muskrat]

G'day RR.
It's all about time, money and space. None of which I have. I had a '72 Lightening (grey frame) in the late 70's. The only alloy on the whole bike that wasn't highly polished were inside the webs on the hubs. What year is yours?
Cheers

Ps: Bought a few parts off Brent Hyde (V&H racing) who punts around a CB900/1100 in classic racing over there. He's building a all TITANIUM frame at the moment. He has a cylinder head and block for sale. $20,000US 
See 1st sentence ^^^.

[Rocket Racer]

G'day RR.
It's all about time, money and space.  What year is yours?
Cheers
.

The lightnings late 71 series, an EE, chromes rough, its a canadian import. Has the sweetest A65 motor I've ever sampled. Hums along at 70mph very comfortably, Unlike one I had in Brisbane back in the early nineties that used to shake my fillings loose and hated the freeway cruising speed, I still loved it...
They all need time and money and preferably regular use!
The master plan is to sell both my seventies beesa's and keep the three fifties beesa's (the '51 ZB33, and the '54 road and '55 race road rockets). And then there is also a late 53 black shadow in the mix for longer trips... just doing some minor work on before that is mobile and it can be revinned for the spring. Its at a mates as don't have the space with the kids mini's clogging up space.
Will post some more road rocket progress pic's which should help me focus...

[Rocket Racer]

Finally got to spend some time on the road rocket motor last weekend, I've ground a few thou off the old drive side bearing so its a loose sliding fit on the crank for review of the end float before I fit the new bearing
I also reviewed my 356 cam and it has some minor wear, so I'll run a spare new 357 cam I had (not really a preference but a perfectly good cam), this did however require some work on the cam tunnel which didnt quite have clearance for the cam lobes.

Lots of distractions in the shed and also in the household but hope to have the bottom end together in next few weeks.
I know the cam followers need review and the valve guides need replacing so a few more things to do.

Klaus, your engine stand is coming in very handy!

[berger]

rocket racer I am sure you are a wise man but I ground a bearing down to measure end float and the new one was slightly different when it came to setting the float, so I had to get pen and paper and fry my small capacity brain to allow for the difference

[trevinoz]

RR, does your set of cases have the cam tunnel bored to suit a higher lift cam?
I have seen '54 cases bored, unlike the Flash cases.

[berger]

there must be some odd castings in these cases both sets of my A7 ss cases will take a 357 cam no trouble

[trevinoz]

Maybe the A7SS cases were bored also as they had the 356 cam like the Rocket.
Years ago when I fitted a 357 cam to my '55 Flash I had to ease the cases as they were as cast.

[muskrat]

I had to make a little room in the trough to fit the 357 into the A7 plunger  The SS cases were OK.
Cheers

[Rocket Racer]

rocket racer I am sure you are a wise man but I ground a bearing down to measure end float and the new one was slightly different when it came to setting the float, so I had to get pen and paper and fry my small capacity brain to allow for the difference

Have never claimed wisdom, I own BSA's ! likewise was aware of that risk between bearings not being the same end sized, so was planning to do a comparison and some dreaded maths. Will provide feedback on how successful this is ... didnt get beyond a first dummy mock up so not there yet

[Rocket Racer]

The trough size issue is common on the 54/55 motors  -neither of my two sets of early road rocket cases would take a 357 without more clearance effort. I guess the 357 was a later cam, the motors being built around the earlier 356 cam.
My guess is all the later sports motors were machined for the 357. Possibly all later cases were so machined.
a 356 came out of this motor...