Dumb question of the week (fit plunger pipes)

[bikerboy]

Right I think I did this years ago but cant remember clearly.

My plunger A10 has an alloy head (Off a road rocket) and has had for years. It was also fitted with high level pipes for years (yes I know it looked stupid now but when I did it I was so so cool  )

Yes I did have to adapt it for the carb to fit before anybody asks.

My question is will the standard plunger pipes fit on as per standard bracket to the main engine bolt with the alloy head because I have a half forgotten memory that they dont. I dont wish to spend a fortune on new pipes only for them not to fit.

Many thanks to anybody that can give me a definitive reply because I only have two other options which are spitfire high levels (I really dont want them) or a custom made set of pipes

Many thansk in anticipation

[duTch]

 I want to say 'YES', and should be able to if they're properly made, because I have the same Alloy head setup and bought aftermarket "Made in England" (U-Jack sticker and all) Plunger headers but I still had to make them fit, due to bodgy brackets, tapered ends that made them sit wrong and the radii are just wrong enough to mess it up so they sat out too wide and had to trim 30mm off the head-end (compared them to the old ones)- other than that they fitted, kinda 

 I'd still prefer a hand made set with better radii....

 I hope that's at least a bit helpful - when I started typing, I thought it would be shorter but remembered stuff as I went...

 Just briefly and out of curiousity, but what did you do to make the carb fit, and how about air filter?  I carved a bit off the top cover.

[Black Sheep]

My wife's A10 used the same standard low-level pipes when I changed it from an iron head to an alloy one so I don't see any problem with yours. I use Armour's exhaust pipes. I bought a set recently and they were a perfect fit. One was 1" too long - better that than 1" too short. 25.4mm if you insist...

[Topdad]

Hi Bikerboy , in view of many many previous posts on the subject poor fitting pipes ( as per  Dutch and Black sheep mentioned ) I'd do some research into suppliers ,some are crap. Personally I used Cake ST CLASSICS  but there are few other supplers with good feed back.

[bikerboy]

Thanks for your comments

Dutch

I have the RR head on mine with the detachable manifold. It was quite easy really I made a new manifold and fitted twin carbs 

The air filters went in the cupboard for the time being

Black Sheep

I assume your wife has a plunger and not a swinging arm A10? If she does how did you get around the carb problem?

[Black Sheep]

Wife's A10 is a '59 swinging arm uprated Gold Flash, my A7 is a '51 Star Twin. haven't tried putting an alloy head on a plunger machine.

[bikerboy]

Cheers Topdad

I have never gone wrong with kidderminster when it comes to exhaust pipes the swinging arm ones from armour I sent back they were atrocious

[muskrat]

G'day BB
Yes I have "std" pipes on my A7 plunger with a A7SS alloy head.
Cheers

[bikerboy]

I knew you would be able to answer muskrat if anybody on here is guaranteed to deviate from standard its me and you 

Thank you

[duTch]

 Hey BB, just had a thought that while I realise that my opinion is not based on "will they fit", but more the quality of potential product, and it occurred to me that the only relevant variable between an Iron head and an Alloy head may be the distance from the top of the barrel to the pipe where it enters the head, or the horizontal angle between the two ports.

 Assuming the angle will be the same , I just measured the former (.....the distance from the top of the barrel to the pipe where it enters the head,...)  Alloy head is  close enough to 1-1/8", so if you or anyone has an Iron head Plungie they can measure I reckon will clear it up...

 NOTE; this is only a comparison for Plunger A10's, Alloy/ Iron head interchange, but I guess the same logic can be used for the same difference (Iron/Alloy) on any A10 S/A model or same between A7's.

[bikerboy]

Thanks for that Dutch

[bikerboy]

Well ordered new pipes and they dont fit 

The brackets that are welded to the pipe are about an inch long and my pipe is two inches from the frame needing a bracket twice as long.

Are the standard lunger pipes like that a tiny little bracket from the exhaust to the frame?

I mean the bracket that is already welded to the downpipe

As the picture shows my bracket is a long way from reaching the engine bolt that it should bolt to

[muskrat]

G'day BB.
Mine is 1 3/4" from pipe to bend. Stainless pipes made by Overlander in 1982.
Cheers

[Greybeard]

On the pipes I got from Feckd those brackets were a bit like that. I managed to get them a bit closer to the frame and made up some spacers, (about 1/2"). I may have used some threaded rod to make a longer bolt; I can't remember.

[bikerboy]

Thanks for your replies and it does appear these are shorter than they should be.

I know I could engineer something to fix the problem but I am a bit peeved that the exhausts cost me nearly £150 and dont fit, I dont see why I should pay that money and then have to make them fit.