Author Topic: Oil in A10 frame  (Read 2991 times)

Offline paulk

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Oil in A10 frame
« on: 04.10. 2011 20:27 »
Hi there,

I wonder if I can get some opinions please.

I have an A10 frame with some missing brackets etc and my intention is to fit a TR7/T140 motor. Since the frame is no good as is (ie butchered with no paperwork) but is not rusting to bits and straight, I was thinking of building it up and converting it to oil in frame and lose all the stuff around the oil tank/battery box area - which I don't have.

Anyone done this or have any photo's, ideas, don't do it your mad etc.

I haven't started drilling, grinding, welding etc yet.

All the best and thanks in advance for any comments - well the ones that don't want to skin me alive anyway.

Paul.


Offline tombeau

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #1 on: 04.10. 2011 20:46 »
Seems like a hell of a lot of work. BSA found it easier to create a new frame that would hold enough oil.
If you want to ditch the oil tank and toolbox, you could have an oil/fuel tank with twin caps. Less room for fuel though.

 Personally I've always thought that the A10 oiltank/toolbox fill the frame loops in a very pleasing way and are a great part of how these bikes look. But if its what you want to do.

Presumably you could probably sell the A10 frame and raise enough to buy a T140 frame (but what would be the fun in that?)
A friend used to run a T140 motor in an A10 frame years ago. Worked very well.
Good luck with whatever you do and welcome to the forum.
Cheers,
Iain

Offline trickytree

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #2 on: 04.10. 2011 23:01 »
(Rickman) Metisse frames hold oil in the entire frame (as opposed to part of it like most OIF models). The nessesary holes are drilled in the Metisse frame tubes before welding so you will obviously need to get around this problem...also the A10 tubes are much smaller in diameter than the Metisse so I'm not sure how much oil it will hold.
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Offline iansoady

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #3 on: 05.10. 2011 11:27 »
The other problem is that there'll be all sorts of crap in the tubes that will contaminate the oil.

How about something like the central oil tank that people used to fit to Tritons etc?
Ian.
1962 Golden Flash (arrived)
1955 Velo Viper/Venom (departed)
2004 Triumph Tiger 955i (staying)

Online RichardL

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #4 on: 05.10. 2011 12:38 »
I like being able to remove the tank cap and verify oil flow before I ride.  Don't know if that's possiblee with OIF.  I also don't know if it's possible in, say, a Harley,  but our bikes and their parts are not so easily replaced,  if at all.

Richard L.

Offline paulk

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #5 on: 05.10. 2011 18:27 »
Hi chaps,

TB. Yes it would be a lot of work, working out where to drill and welding up the outer holes and it might get quite complex around the steering head area and to consider oil flow around the tubes to make sure there aren't any areas that end up "stagnant", all without weakening anything. I could source a later OIF frame (I've had two) but they look particularly ugly when "naked" and I do like the look of the A10 frame - the whole point of this is I want something no one else has (well very rare at least) and putting back the motor out of the same frame it came from doesn't cut for me.

TT. Yes Rickman - how nice and expensive (just looked at their website) - one of the questions I was hoping to get answered was capacity. If I was to go ahead I would drill through from the outside and break through the inner common wall then weld up the outer hole.

Ian. My biggest concern is bits of rust etc trashing the motor and the last thing I want to do is put a filter on the supply side of oil pump - that's just asking for trouble.

Richard. I'm not that paranoid that every time I start the bike to check oil return but the T140 motor does have a oil pressure warning light. It was possible to check with a factory OIF but you had to lift the seat and unscrew the filler cap.

Thankyou all for taking the time to respond - it looks like a cafe racer type central oil tank one may be the way to go - unless I can find £1500 for a Rickman job but then the other reason for doing this was to use up bits in my shed not add to them.

Online RichardL

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #6 on: 05.10. 2011 19:19 »
I am not alone in my paranoia.

Offline chaterlea25

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #7 on: 05.10. 2011 19:37 »
Hi paulk,
You have set me thinking  *idea*
At first I thought NO WAY *ex* *ex*
But now I've had a thought
What about fabricating an oil tank Vincent style that would sit in the recess of the petrol tank
that or a combined petrol /oil tank
That way you could avoid the inevitable crap thats going to be found inside 50+ year old frame tubes

I still think that you will have trouble with tank capacity though  *sad2*

A central tank can be styled to add to the bikes look and is probably the best solution ????

Cheers
John O R
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)

Offline paulk

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #8 on: 06.10. 2011 18:23 »
Richard. I'm sure you are not alone and it's well to be cautious.

C25. I discounted the twin petrol/oil tank cause I like the idea of people looking and saying "how the hell does that work?" and I'd spin them some yarn about being wet sump or such like until I couldn't keep a straight face. ;)
However fabricating a tank to straddle the top tube (or something like)  to fill the petrol tank tunnel is not beyond me - I'll have to work out some volumes etc I'm guessing the standard oil tank holds about 4 pints? Good call.

Offline bikerboy

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #9 on: 22.04. 2012 01:29 »
Hi a bit late in noticing this thread.

I run a T140 in an A10 frame but I have not converted to OIF. Mine has a lot of other conversions T140 disc front end, T140 petrol tank, trident swinging arm and a disc rear wheel etc, obviously I had no choice in that as I lost my speedo drive from the gearbox.

I think you will struggle to make it OIF as it gets pretty packed with coils battery etc behind the engine. I find the standard A10 oil tank works a treat to be honest.

I also run two A10's and to be honest it was fun building the bike but the A10's are far nicer to drive

Offline andy2565

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #10 on: 22.04. 2012 10:23 »
i'm a bit late on this thread to sorry,but i was in the process of finishing of a tribsa cafe racer, before starting my extension,and did think like john of sharing the petrol and oil tank method,but built my own ally goldstar central oil tank,with a central filler,i've seen oif conversion on the B44 ,and B25,scramblers,done by terry weady,but these frames have the single downtube,before splitting,but i'm sure it could be done,but a road bike needs the oil capacity,you got me thinking now,and i have a b31 framed tribsa scrambler,which i was going to put a japanese engine in,maybe i could fabricate something there !
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Offline duTch

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Re: Oil in A10 frame
« Reply #11 on: 22.04. 2012 15:17 »
Richard. I'm sure you are not alone and it's well to be cautious.

............................ "how the hell does that work?" and I'd spin them some yarn about being wet sump or such like .......................
 
I don't think you need to spin anything - doesn't the 'wet sump' come from the factory, and should have a part number!!!..?
Started building in about 1977/8 a on average '52 A10 -built from bits 'n pieces never resto intended -maybe 'personalised'
Have a '74 850T Moto Guzzi since '92-best thing I ever bought doesn't need a kickstart 'cos it bump starts sooooooooo(mostly) easy
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