1961 Super Rocket con rod bolts & nuts

[anjimehra]

Hi
Some very fancy prices for con rod bolts & nuts on E bay ( 80 Pounds ?) Any idea where I can pick these up at a more reasonable price. Goes against the grain to pay this price when the bike cost me 200 pounds !!!  when I rebought it in 1986. I have the original bolts but have no idea how badly treated the have been in the past, & am reluctant to use them
Thanks
Anji

adm edit: edited title to reflect content.

[Topdad]

Hi Anji, i think this is one of those things you'll have to bite the bullet on buy shite and regret at an enormous cost, cheers Bob

[KiwiGF]

Hi Anji, it might make more sense to bite a huge bullet and buy new billet con rods complete with bolts from a company like thunder engineering....at least you will have something more substantial (and pretty) to look, at after parting with your money...

http://www.thunderengineering.co.uk

From memory the thunder rods cost me circa 250gbp a few years ago. Thunder Engineering used to make them for SRM but buying "direct" made them a bit cheaper. Given the post brexit exchange rate (nzd to gbp) they would be much cheaper for me if I bought them now  same goes for my BTH mag 

[RichardL]

I assume the bolts you're looking at are made by ARP. Am I correct? There is a set on eBay here for $80. They would be the best you could get, I'm fairly certain.

Richard L.

[mikeb]

not so long ago when i rebuilt my 61 SR i got the old rods crack tested and considered shot peening and new bolts but then thought why am i putting 55+ year old aluminum rods back in my big $$ rebuild. so got some thunder rods (like Kiwi suggests) and they truly are objects of beauty and confidence. just wish i could see them inside the engine going up and down.
so... just new bolts could be a false economy with old rods but yes those new rods were mega money

[BSA_54A10]

This is a no brainer.
Welding the crank and buying a new set of roads + grinding the crank is getting close to £ 1000 .
A pile of bits in a box now days goes for £ 1500 + and your logic is going to end in tears.
A set of original bolts sitting on a shop shelf with be worth £ 300 now days in storeage costs, currency apprication & interest forgone.

[bl**dydrivers]

If you love your bike and plan to keep it for the long run, you would want what's best and not go the cheap route.
From my experience, of you go cheap, you will be paying more in the long run and got to take the plunge. I just don't tell my wife how much they really cost and I'm good.

[kiwipom]

hi guys, yes anji if you are going to use the original rods use the bolts as well, it will just be a case of what will break first. No good putting new bolts then conrod breaks, I also as kiwi suggested bought billet rods exchange rate was 3-1 at the time cost $900 $$$, I bought a lot of peace of mine, cheers

[mikeb]

maybe this thread highlights the problem of these old bikes having greatly exceeded their anticipated life and being increasingly expensive to optimally maintain. most of us have the wish to treat them well and are in the position financially to do so. they are special hobbies or like surrogate children. but maybe not all of us can or want to. so kiwipom's comment to use the old bolts if using old rods might be the balance here. if its just an old shitter to keep on the road as long as possible then do the minimum, keep the revs down, the oil clean and keep riding it. thats better than another 5 years in the shed trying to make everything perfect.

On that note one of the guys I rode with on the NZ rally last weekend did the 700+ miles on a 1952 a10 painted with rust primer and burning more oil than your average 2-stroke. It only fouled up once and all had a lot of fun. not an srm, arp or thunder part near it. he even got a rally award (tho not for the most shiny bike).

[Rocket Racer]

Well said Mike!
The humble PA10 was ridden appropriately and did its owner proud.
Pictured include Rusty, Mikes mighty SR, the PA10 and a further flash. Oh and some goldstars
The PA10 wasn't slow, it just wasn't peddled quite as hard as the other bikes pictured, but it was never far behind.

[muskrat]

Looks like an old girl prefers a Bloody Sexy idiot.
Cheers

[RichardL]

What a beautiful group of bikes! Also, I'm wondering what a 1960 Ford Thunderbird in show condition might be worth in NZ and if that might be the only one in the country.

Richard L.

[Rocket Racer]

What a beautiful group of bikes! Also, I'm wondering what a 1960 Ford Thunderbird in show condition might be worth in NZ and if that might be the only one in the country.

Richard L.

There was also an Americana weekend going on in Taranaki: hundreds of muscle cars, hot rods and the like. We passed so many on the open road. They were everywhere. Also American flags everywhere. "Classic" American cars are very popular over here.