Author Topic: Hello from Western Australia  (Read 7057 times)

Offline RichardL

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #15 on: 16.11. 2008 23:22 »
Orabanda, Olev and Brian,

I'm still completely stunned (and may I say, made envious) by Orabanda's collection. Brian, I don't know that we've seen your collection all at once. Anyway, with so much chrome on so many bikes, it makes me wonder about the cost of chrome application in your whereabouts (may I say, "down under"?). For example, a wheel rim in the US would cost around US$100 or AU$156 to get chromed. Is it better or worse in AUS.

Orabanda, if I haven't said so, welcome, and thank you for joining our little group. Your museum-in-a-garage is inspirational for the rest of us who are also obsessed.

Richard L.

Online Brian

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #16 on: 17.11. 2008 04:01 »
Richard L,

I havent had any chrome done for a few months now but is is very expensive. The last rims I had done about 2 years ago were AUS $120 each. I have just had the tank off my Star Twin done and it should be back this week so I will be able to say exactly what that costs.

The biggest problem I find is not the cost but finding a reliable place to get stuff done, I have had some terrible jobs done at various places over the years. Some places have ruined stuff and others lost it. That was what caused me to start making everything myself out of stainless. These days I only get larger parts chromed, I make all my own nuts, bolts and screws (including all the sidecover screws)

Orobanda (Richard) How do you get on over in the west. Also, if you dont mind me asking, where have you been able to source most of your bikes. Have you been able to find them here in AUS or have you imported some. A couple of years ago when I started looking for a s/arm A10 I searched the country from top to bottom. I wanted a 58' or later and ended up buying my 61' because it was the only one I could find. You would think they would be plentiful here is SA due to the police using them for many years but I ended up buying mine from NSW. It looked ok in the photos but was a disaster mechanically, needed a total rebuild. Next year I hope to buy another, preferably a Road Rocket but at this stage I'm not sure where I am going to start looking.

Brian.

Online orabanda

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #17 on: 17.11. 2008 08:20 »
Brian,
I am in Kalgoorlie, which is 650 km from Perth. There are only two platers in Perth that I am aware of.

One of them (Kerry at K & D Chrome Plating Services) is excellent, but slow because of the heavy work load. He is the person I always use; terrific with tanks! He has done allof my tanks, and is completing a Super Rocket tank for me, as well as the front & rear guards. The other is quicker, but average.

He would charge around $150 for a rim.

John Berkshire panelbeats and paints all of my tanks, and Kerry does the chroming. John would charge $450 - $650 for a tank, depending apon the amount of panelbeating required.


He has done the tank on my plunger 3 times since 1980.The last time was after the 2004 Toy Run when a middle aged imbecile drove his 4WD in front of the parade and into my left leg!

The caved in tank bears the imprint of my leg (courtesy of his bull bar)!

John did not think he could save the tank, but he did!

Before:







two years later; bike has been re-built and I can walk again!



Ride safe,

Richard




Online Brian

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #18 on: 17.11. 2008 08:53 »
Ouch ! that would have hurt. Glad your ok now.

Look after your friend John who does your tanks, finding someone that skilled is rare these days.

I would imagine that while you were lying on the road in pain you were wishing you could stand up so you could strangle the mongrel in the car !

Brian.

Online orabanda

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #19 on: 17.11. 2008 09:23 »
Brian,
John said he has never repaired a tank as badly damaged!

Actually I did stand up; the adrenalin effect is amazing.

there were several thousand people watching (all there to enjoy the parade), and no sooner had I stopped sliding than there was a cop leaning over me. Somehow I hobbled to my feet, and remember telling the cop I had to play in a squash final later in the day; he said forget it!

Got to ride in the ambulance; everyone else rode in the parade!

An itern checked me out, got the tetanus needle, left leg looked awful; lots of bandages. then, sent home in a wheelchair!

Heaps of pain for next three days, couldn't stand up;leg would go clickety- click! Leg blue / green from groin to big toe.

Crawled into see my GP, he rushed me to Radiology; broken and displaced fibula!


They put on a back cast; the only good thing to come out of the whole situation was that my wife had to take my pants off for me every night!!

Ride EXTRA carefuly,

Richard

Online olev

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #20 on: 17.11. 2008 11:17 »
Richard L,
Concur with Brian, the cost varies with the quality. Good chrome has a glow about it. The cheaper ones will do mufflers and pipes - the others ones won't touch them.
Orabanda,
What sort of Suzuki's do you pinch the clutches off. Do they take much adapting?
We lived in Perth during the 80's. It was a great place then. I bought a Velocette Venom off a gentleman in Mandaring. He had a couple of ktt's. I particularly remember the races round the township of York. The bikes were great but that ratbag Briggs driving Steeds old Bentley out of the Avengers was something else. Look after your panel beater. I can't believe any human could bring that tank back to take a chrome finish. It would be hard with a bucket of bog and paint. I wasn't allowed to go to Kalgoolie because of its bad reputation.
cheers

Online orabanda

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #21 on: 17.11. 2008 11:46 »
Olev,
The clutches have been from GS550's.
However, the belt drive clutch is a spare one out of a PE400 I am restoring (more power than the Beesa's).

I also had one out of a GN250 enginethat I scavenged from the rubbish tip, which Colin Tie fitted to a 350 Gold Star without any problem.

Colin makes the clutches, and you usually have a bit of fiddling to do to line them up; nothing major (lathe is useful).

Colin seems to have lost enthusiam for making more clutches at the moment.

John reckons that the plunger tank is now too thin to survive another chrome / buffing.

I'm not allowed out of Kalgoorlie because of my reputation!

Richard


Offline trevinoz

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #22 on: 17.11. 2008 21:36 »
Richard, that is a beautiful collection and you would fit in well here in Newcastle on the east coast.
If I ever finish what I have started, I will have 6 swinging-arm A10s, 2 plunger A10s, 1 plunger A7 and a rigid A7.
I was interested to see the bobbed rear guard on the '54 Flash. I have one for my '54 R.R.. All other '54 rear guards I have seen are longer below the tail light.
Is the colour of the '56/57 R.R. matched from the original? My mate has his a similar colour and insists that it is close to original. I thought it was too orange but I may stand corrected.
May I suggest you need a "Rocket" for the front guard? The pictures are of one cast from an original and needs to be cleaned up.

Brian, re rigid frames. I have 2, an XA7 without and a ZA7 with the "R". I believe the "R" was added from 1949 on the "Z" frames to differentiate from the plunger frames with the "S".
   Trev.

Offline RichardL

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #23 on: 17.11. 2008 23:24 »
Trev,

I knew you had multiple bikes, but this list is kind'a mind blowing, especially for those of us with just an only child (motorcycle-wise, otherwise, a boy and a girl). Do you think you could get a group photo, or even individual photos of your collection. I don't recall seeing them posted by you.

By the way,  thanks again for various help over several topics.

Richard L.

Online orabanda

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #24 on: 18.11. 2008 08:51 »
Trev,
Thanks for the kind words; I will be trying hard to match your collection!

John Berkshire matched the colour of the RR tank; he knows his stuff.

I would love a "Rocket" for the front mudguard; can you advise how I can purchase?

I know where there is a 56/57 A7 SS leaning against a back fence in town, with an original rocket mounted on the mudguard. Is this correct for the A7 SS?

Regards,
Richard

Offline trevinoz

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #25 on: 19.11. 2008 00:37 »
Hi Richard, the A7SS wasn't fitted with a rocket, best you talk the owner out of it. Failing that, I will ask the bloke who cast the rockets if he has any left. Better still, get the SS for yourself. That model is beautiful in two tone green.
Any idea of the formula for the RR paint?
Trev.

Offline jfligg

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #26 on: 20.11. 2008 00:56 »
Hi Richard
  Hello from Canada.  Wow what a beautiful collection.  I think you have a Spitfire engine in 1 of your bikes.  It is the picture of the clutch (engine# DA10SR).  How does the clutch perform?  I have been thinking of this mod for a while now.  I was wondering would you friend supply instructions on how to convert the Suzuki clutch?  Any Thanks for showing us the pics.  Jeff

Offline trevinoz

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #27 on: 20.11. 2008 20:58 »
Richard, you need one of these to finish off your tank.
Trev.

Online orabanda

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #28 on: 21.11. 2008 12:33 »
Trev,
You sharp eyed devil!
I have always had the transfer on the tank, except for a short perio (when those pics were taken), after the original "fell off" while I was washing it (despair!).

These pics are a few years old, but I currently have another transferon. It certainly finishes the tank off beautifully!

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn82/orabanda/bikesAug053.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn82/orabanda/2002ToyrunBSAs1.jpg

This one was taken 10 months ago

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn82/orabanda/IMG_2786.jpg[/img]

Take care,

Richard

Offline Gavin

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Re: Hello from Western Australia
« Reply #29 on: 30.11. 2008 13:29 »
Hi mate, just discovered your interesting info n pix. i'm a lil west of you. (Mandurah) and have a 51 golden flash plunger frame that i bought as a wreck 30 years ago. have been rebuilding it for the last few years and am probably about a year away from having it on the road.