charlie prescott

Hi Guy's . Hi Roger. "Liked that one, made of brass." No the end was a made of cast steel, investment casting we would call it today, this part was then hearth braised into the tube using braising particles and the good old gas that used to come from the huge gas ohmmeters as I think they were called, our natural gas from the North sea now replaces that. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi Marty, Still spongy? Are you sure the hub was skimmed and the shoes were skimmed fitted to the back plate, and centralised, if they were, it sounds to me that you have play in the pivot and, or, operating arm or both. Another trick I have tried in the past is to elongate the pivot point on the shoes. this helps them centralise themselves. And file a lead on both ends of the linings. or they may grab. Getting them right is a bit of a Art? Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi Steve, Yes well done John, As for Scotland,Well he could be on the too many "Cubs" register? Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi Mick and Steve. Mick perhaps you will let me know when your new batch arrives,Thanks. The rest has now been said. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's. Hi Robin, Thanks,You should be the Boy to know. I thought I could remember, that we used to use about 9 inch lead but did not want to carry on with the build until i had confirmation . Its a long time since the sixties but i must have had it in the back of my mind , I can also remember competing with your dad though. Thanks again for the information will post a picture when we get the plot finished. Regards Charlie.

Hi Guy's Now some time back I bought a set of shoes from "TrickyMicky" which were thick enough to skim,along with the brake drum, and made a super stopper. I dont know if he still sells these but I could do with another set for the next project. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's Well My brother has decided to fit a trials sidecar to the Ariel HS frame we have. To replicate the outfit that I used to passenger. My task in the operation is to build the chair. Have looked up all the sidecar dimensions In the ACU hand book and have used them as a guide to the build using the minimum measurements ,But trying to keep it looking like a Kendall as much as possible. Well it is to be named "Spirit Of 65". Well to stop rambling, What I need to know is the amount of sidecar wheel lead from the bikes rear spindle, that you boy's are using now- a- days , as it is a long time since I last built a chair, and my memory does not go back that far. Hope you can help? I think I need a chair to sit down on now. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi Mark. Yes the barrel and head are the ones that were being developed for "Cheetah" by Mick Whitlock. After several attempts with the large bore, the barrel was scaled down to 246cc's. this was in 1966-7. If someone out there has a Cheetah frame lying about for the project it could be a bike that is rather unique. The last person to use one of these bike's in anger was Andy Geden, that was in 1997. There you go then, that should help you sell the bike. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's. Hi Mark, I have been reading about these Barrels this week. I think it could be one that Mick Wittlock was developing for a company that built trials bikes down in the west country.Name slips my mind? (I know i'am getting old!!!!!!!). Il'e have a look later and then post it. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's PVL from AW. Sheffield. Regard's Charlie

Hi Guy's Hi Marty, Gearing should be OK if it is a GB motor. Carb and jets down to preference, gearing will need lowering. There will be more? Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's Never used a rack, but if I did i would use the truck type ratchet straps, as you can pull the front end of a bent motor out with these little boys, but be careful where you use, to strap the bike or you may bend the bars or frame? As I said I have never used a rack, but I think I would weld on extra tying rings to the draw bar itself and even make a fixing to clip into the roof rack channels of the car. But I always do go over the top with projects. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi Martin. You must remember some of the other NOBAC boys and clerk of the coarse Roy Steel. Frank Knight used to work at the Alcan Alloy factory in Banbury. in the research department and fitted the alloy swinging arm to the Triumph Trophy as a project. He also built a swinging arm out of old Ford Popular axle traction arms. Another of his projects was a trailer made out of alloy section and an old Ford or Morris axle, single bike would you know, and no suspension. Well Nobby Clements and I got a entry for the Knut trial down in the west country. First time out with the Goldie outfit. "Borrow my trailer" said Frank, "OK" so Nobby fitted a draw bar To his Austin A 35, in the time we should have been working on tractors, but bikes came first didn't they, well until the foreman caught us. Well have you tried getting a heavy old outfit onto a single bike trailer. and traveling it with no springing, and a 3/8 bolt as a draw bar pin. and a car that couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding. Then setting off on a wet autumn day on all them twisty roads down west. Riding for the first time with a powerful old outfit, looping it several times and the having to travel all the way back up with the bikes back wheel hitting the ground on every bump because the backbone of the trailer frame had cracked. One hell of a learning curve I can tell you. Incidentally I was talking to Douge at the Sam Cooper trial and he remembered the King's John's lane ride and said their only mistake was that they nearly rammed the back of Ray Rounds outfit at the top, as the speed they were carrying around the bend nearly cannoned them into to it with the brakes locked up. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's. Hi B40 RT (is that you Mr McComski?) Anyway thanks for the spelling, I have now written it down so that I don't get it wrong again. Perhaps you could shed some light on the Mk 3 "Otter" frame if it is you. And has it been excepted by the Pre 65 committee for next years event?. If not thanks again for the spelling. PS I have just been reading about some Triumph stuff on here, So now know You (B40RT) are not the man himself,but know the guy and have tried his bike, Perhaps you could ask Jock when you see him if he knows anything about the Mk 3 project as I seem to be drawing a blank with Faber. as are other guy's. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's, Hi Bob. As far as I am aware no one as maneged to get a Mk 3 "Otter" frame from Faber <but I know people have tried, to purchace one, but have not got much responce from Howard at Faber. The only frame that has escaped from the factory is the one that Jock Mac? ( I must write is name down, I know he does not like it spelt wrongly) rode in the Pre 65 Scottish. this year. Perhaps "Faber" are still waiting for conformation that this frame is now Ok for that event before they start to produce them. We shall eventualy see. I might like one for all my spare BSA Bits, but they will have to be quick!!!!!!!! Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's Dont you wish we had this terain on our doorstep http://www.edgeoficeland.co.uk/diary.htm just click on a picture and keep clicking Next. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's Try This http://www.armac-design.com/Armac_Design/Welcome.html OK. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's Try this link for a beter view . but don't forget the colour wont be the same out of a tin. http://allral.com/color_tables.php It's good though. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi,Bob Now I think I have said before. If you are building a BSA b40 you need a ex military engine, IE one with GB in the engine number for us, but there were others around the globe.. Now if you could get some sense out of the Faber boys you could buy one of there frames and a couple of "Bantam" wheels or hubs, a tank from Terry Weedy along with silencer, air cleaner, and kickstart even alloy guards,and you could build a competitive bike in know time. well if you worked on it all the time!!! Now a Ariel is a bit more of a lengthy process a lot more expensive and finding all the bits is a Bitch ( do you know where you can find a 500 cylinderhead?) gearboxes need work to seal them and get the right ratios,an expensive clutch and drive is a must. and you may have to wait for a frame to be built, but there again you may get one quicker than for the B40 from Faber (where are the Pics Howard?) So you see it is not straight forward so you must decide. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's If you have some spare cash and own a "Cub" I would buy one of Duncan MacDonalds conversions as this is a brilliant bit of engineering and solves any clutch adjustment problems in one. PS I have tapped a cub thread out to a bigger size. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's. Ok Woody, I would drill and tap a hole in the Gas Gas swivel for a good sized grub screw with a locknut. Now I know it may be difficult to drill a countersink in the C15 shaft to take the grub screw,but I suggest using a very slow drill as for stainless and titanium and use a good quality cutting compound you will only need to make a V impression so just keep sharpening the drill bit. Let me know if it works. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi Bob, Sounds like you need a Faber frame if you can get the boys at Faber to come up with the goods, There new frame is Scottish Pre 65 compliant now we are told, and still seems like the cheapest option. and builds into a good bike without a lot of trouble. Engine wise ,a good starting point is a B40 GB engine as this has most of the right bits. Martin is riding his Ariel with great confidence at the moment and getting good results. You could try Jon Bliss to get in contact with him. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's Hi Bultaco 49, All I can say is brilliant, Some one else as done there home work, and put it in to practice with one super result. and it just proves what I always say that what ever mod you think of, has always been done before in the past. PS. Looks like an Ajax head and barrel to me ? these were made just up the road from where my bikes are kept.My First trials bike was a James that looked a lot like that, exept it had plunger suspension on the back. I spotted the bike on the side of the road for sale for

Hi Guy's I have not done this exact modification but have done the same operation using a Yamaha kick starter(as they are called) Basically you cut the boss from the donor bike ,short, leaving the clamp in tact,and then cut the swivel boss form the new kick start and weld it on neatly, making sure it is a good strong weld, smarten up the finish paint or send for plating and then fit. simple. Regard's Charlie.

Hi Guy's. Well it looks like Faber lost out on a sale of one of there new frames, by messing about. But to someone as determined to get what he wants, Dave Dawson as gone out and found a Mk2 Faber frame to build into his BSA ,and a very good job him and his dad are doing. If you would like to have a look at the project I'm sure Dave wont mind me pointing you to his Blog site.http://classicrider444.blogspot.com/ and good look with the bike Dave , may bump into you one of these days ,as thinking of doing some of the midland AMCA trials on one or other of our Fabers. Regard's Charlie.