Before I go completely mental can anybody tell me how the clutch end of the outer cable locates on a '74 Cota, the one with the clutch arm underneath the casing.

I can see nothing that will locate it anywhere. The parts book is typically useless for anything you ever want to look up, so is the Clymer manual. Where does it go? The parts book shows the inner cable nipple going into the swivel on the lever but no location point for the outer.

It's that long since I dismantled the bike to rebuild it I cannot remember anything peculiar when I removed the old cable.

Any ideas anyone?

Woody, there is a stop for the outer housing between the tabs of the bottom motor mount. You'll see it.

Thanks Martin - I even took the engine back out last night, had it upside down on floor looking everywhere for a mounting. I checked the frame as well but didn't see it. Probably lost it in the red mist that had descended at that point....

I'll look again tonight after hiding all sharp objects

No different to the first time trying to work out where to put the oil in an OSSA!

Those underslung clutch arms sucked! Well they did when I was a kid and my 172's clutch stopped working. Went right around the houses trying to work it out, twas the grill deformed on the frame in the end stopping the arm moving full travel. But this simple problem for some reason did not seem obvious at the time and the memory is vague now. But I think the clutch came out at least once before the penny dropped!!

Wayne...

Woody, there is a stop for the outer housing between the tabs of the bottom motor mount. You'll see it.

Found it thanks - reason I completely missed it is because the clutch arm is located incorrectly and at the wrong angle. It's pointing forwards so the end where the nipple fits is way in front of the locating lug in the bottom mount. Easy enough to put right at least.

Thanks for your help.