OK. Since all y'all seem to be taking a nap this weekend, here's a theory to irritate the hell out of you.
With the adjuster removed, my primary 80 link chain was too short by about 1/4". The sprocket and clutch basket are from later A7s and are standard size. So the shafts must be 1/8" too far apart. Can there be any other explanation?
Imagine back in '47 when they start up the assembly line for the first time. When the transmissons arrive on the line, the guys discover that the chains don't fit. And adding a link, which means adding 2 rollers gets it beyond the adjuster's range. Quick fix is to send out for some offset links, (which are unavailable today), and keep going. At unit 200 there was a pause to change a bunch of stuff on the whole machine and the milling process for the transmission face is adjusted to take off 1/8" more. 80 links is now a comfortable fit. The rest is history. And you guys have every good reason to figure that, yet again, I don't know my ass from a hole in the ground.
Just a theory. PS: Machining the old sprockets for modern chain and adding an offset link has it working like a Swiss watch.
