13 replies to this topic

[Greeves]

Thanks to Jim Evans and John Robertson we found this Greeves TFS Scottish for a very reasonable price. It will be my next project for this summer. Will upload some pics with the progress and when finished.

Any advice is wellcome. My idea is to paint frame and tank in a metallic blue (not the original) and make the seat in dark grey.

Edited by Greeves, 05 June 2009 - 12:42 PM.

[bultaco49]

Nice bike and a good project.

I think you should move the tank under the back mudguard - that seems to be the latest fashion!

When are you going to buy a rigid framed two-stroke lightweight to complete the collection?

Tim

[oz thumper]

[quote name='Greeves' date='Jun 5 2009, 01:39 PM' post='203642']
Thanks to Jim Evans and John Robertson we found this Greeves TFS Scottish for a very reasonable price. It will be my next project for this summer. Will upload some pics with the progress and when finished.

Any advice is wellcome. My idea is to paint frame and tank in a metallic blue (not the original) and make the seat in dark grey.

TFS Scottish, does this mean it is the later challenger head and barreled motor in a Scottish frame? I had a 1965 TFS new and it had full width alloy hubs which I think were Motoloy, the tank was slightly different and had a Monza filler cap as standard and the exhaust was on the right hand side and had a very long tapered silencer with a small diameter outlet that produced a very unique sound.
I had a deal of success with the TFS and was a huge improvement over the Barnet's of the day.
I am sure you will have equally as much fun with it.
For me a buffed up alloy tank was one of the outstanding visual features of the Greeves mark, I reckon it is sacrilege to paint them, but hey that is a personal thing.

Good luck

[Greeves]

Hi bultaco49: About a rigid bike, I have never tried one of them, so I really don´t know how would I manage with it. I like those old little rigid James, who knows...

Oz thumper: thanks for your advice. The thing is this bike is missing the numbers in the frame, so I asked for advice in Greeves webb page and they told me almost shure it is a TFS. The tank is not the original one but the rest of the bike lokks quite original. I would apreciate any pics about the originals TFS.

[sparks2]

Hi
Yes, very interesting, nice bike.
But, I don't know how anyone can say for certain (without a frame number) that it is a TFS.
The Greeves TE, TES and TFS were very similar machines that usually differed only in detail.
Your hubs are TE.
The forks would be a later addition for a TE, TES or TFS. The TE, TES and TFS being supplied with leading link forks.
The alloy barrel is TES (or MDS).
The alloy tank is a Wassell with additional brackets, not Greeves.
The TFS had a cable operated rear brake. I think yours has the TE, TES rod operated system,
and I cannot see any evidence for the cable brackets ever being on the bike.
The bike does have what look like TFS footrest hangers, but I suspect these are a later DIY
addition with Wassell folding footrests.
Anyway, a good project, none the less. Good Luck with it.
Kind Regards
Sparks2 (a TFS owner)

Edited by sparks2, 07 June 2009 - 07:07 PM.

[Greeves]

Hi sparks2; thanks for your help. So it looks this bike is a funny mixture. I bought it with the idea of building a James with a frame I have got using it´s Villiers 37A engine, but once the bike was here in Segovia, I thought it was a nice one and decided to restore it and use it.

The thing is I dont have any information about those TE, TES and TFS Greeves and don´t know where to look for it.

[bultaco49]

Hi Greeves - there are a selection of TFS photos here - http://www.kivas.com...how/gdshow.html

This site was helpful for spare and info (though I was working on a Pathfinder)http://www.greevesmo....com/index.html

I mentioned the rigid because I have just finished a rebuild of a 1953 James trials special. I posted some photos and info on it in pre65 bikes section. Those lightweight rigids are direct decendents of Gas Gas, Bultaco etc. When you have finished your TFS I recommend a James Commando with BSA C15 forks.

Tim

Edited by bultaco49, 08 June 2009 - 11:23 AM.

[Greeves]

Hi Tim: In fact I read about your bike in the post some days ago, I think the result is brilliant, I have a little James (Captain 197 cc. model I think) converted into trials which I bought in the UK some 8 years ago and with which I raced the Pre-65 Scottish 2008. But that 1953 one you have got is a beauty.

I found it tough for my weight of 95 kilos (sorry but I like my food......) and the little power of that engine to make the Pre-65 with it, so with a similar bike but rigid it must be heroic to do so.

Thanks for the links, Greeves Motorcycles I already knew it, but the Kivas one has nice pics about the bikes.

It looks this Greeves I now own has had some modifications in the time, so I will restore it using the most parts of it I can use, including the petrol tank as I found it nice. Will add some bigger footrests, maybe modify the position of them, and work a little in closing the angle of the forks. It has 136 cm. between axels and will try to reduce it in a couple of cm.

[Greeves]

Now the chassis is ready; fork angle slightly closed, modified position of the footrests and the colour I choosed. Not the original, but think bike will look nice when finished. The rest of the bike still in little pieces. Waiting for some spares fro the engine.

[Greeves]

This is the update of my actual project. Now just waiting for some engine spares and stickers for the petrol tank.

[wayne_weedon]

Fast Work

[Big John]

Hey I like that Greeves, Snr. Greeves!



Big John

[Greeves]

Bike is finished and works very good !!!!

[wayne_weedon]

Greeves, on Mar 21 2010, 04:10 PM, said:

Bike is finished and works very good !!!!

Very nice Javier. Bet it's not quite the same to ride as that lovely James of yours!

Wayne.....