On a BSA with two bald tyres...

[greybloke]

Hello fellow BSA heads!

New member here from London. I swapped a RE Continental for a '49 A7 plunger in the mid '70s. It came as a rolling frame and 4 boxes of bits inc new barrels and pistons. Mildly surprised when it sparked up, given my basic understanding of mechanics at the time. A couple of years of brute fun followed (hence the John Cooper Clark nod in subject) but then life intervened, as it does. 50 years on and I'm itching to give it a complete restoration.

This forum has been a brilliant source of info and inspiration. Thank you. I'll let you know how it goes. Early days, I've yet to retrieve it from under that tarp in my folk's garden (see pic). I'm sure it'll be fine. It was built in Birmingham, from iron 

all the best
greybloke

[Catz]

Welcome to the forum.
Me tyres are knackered, me knackers are tired.. slow down psycle sluts...

[Greybeard]

Welcome.
My '55 A10 had been in various sheds and garages for many years.She polished up pretty good.
https://youtu.be/nrOfq1O-gV8?si=RxoDkr3QjJYziCBc

If your machine has been left complete that is half the battle.

[Worty]

Post a piccie of the bike when that tarp is removed!!

[Rex]

I dread seeing that..

[Worty]

Errrrm, can I ask if it's been outside, under the tarp, for 50 years?????????

If so, I'll take it off your hands for £50.

 

[muskrat]

G'day greybloke 
Best of luck with it mate. We have a dedicated Long Stroke section.
Looking forward to see pics once the tarp is removed.
My 51 A7 plunger spent 15 or more years in a chook shed. Took a year to rebuild. 43 years later I'm still loving her.
Cheers

[berger]

  i think you might need new handle bars and other bits

[Peter in Aus]

Post a piccie of the bike when that tarp is removed!!

Me to

[greybloke]

I dread seeing that..

It'll be fine. Er... probably. I'm looking to keep it as original as poss - but there's a ton of pattern parts out there if needs must.

[greybloke]

Errrrm, can I ask if it's been outside, under the tarp, for 50 years?????????

If so, I'll take it off your hands for £50.

 

Ah, being new to the forum, I can't find the ROTFL emoji 

[greybloke]

G'day greybloke 
Best of luck with it mate. We have a dedicated Long Stroke section.
Looking forward to see pics once the tarp is removed.
My 51 A7 plunger spent 15 or more years in a chook shed. Took a year to rebuild. 43 years later I'm still loving her.
Cheers

Good on you, Muskrat! Yeah, they built 'em tough back then. I shall indeed share pics.

[greybloke]

i think you might need new handle bars and other bits

Could be. I've been checking out metal finishers, got a few nearby who claim they can work wonders. Wanna keep it as original as poss but gobsmacked at the availability new/old and pattern parts. It will purr again!

[greybloke]

Welcome.
My '55 A10 had been in various sheds and garages for many years.She polished up pretty good.
https://youtu.be/nrOfq1O-gV8?si=RxoDkr3QjJYziCBc

If your machine has been left complete that is half the battle.

Tidy job, Greybeard! Did ya restove or paint cycle parts?

[Worty]

Mine was complete when I bought it (been stood 10 years in an old fella's garage waiting for restoration).  I did think about tidying it up and putting it back on the road with patina but, not knowing anything about its history, ended up as pretty much a nut and bolt resto.  The frame and ancillaries were powder coated.  Tank, oil tank, toolbox and mudguards were painted.  Rechromed, fasteners zinc plated, wheels rebuilt with new rims and s/s spokes, engine rebuilt (twice because an idiot called RM fooked up the first one).  All in all, spend around £4.5k on it (not including the second engine rebuild), but because I bought the bike originally for a breathtaking £950, it meant I could splash out a bit on it.

There's probably enough bits and pieces lying around in members' garages to build at least one machine from scratch.