BA/BSF/BSW/BSC/ blah de blah de blah what fun !

[richard]

said it before but you guys with schmitts,isettas,heinkel trojans etc. are playing a different game completely . owners clubs, spares schemes . otto here and uwe there making parts . and of course your handbooks, manuals and service sheets.
UNUSUAL microcars are a different kettle of fish entirely   and even you newer owners of willam, comtesse, donkeys - WOTEVA . Metric threads throughout - wheres the challenge ?
i am eventually getting around to assembling the parts i have spent 15 years ! assembling .THE GORDON , which as usual with me i bought unassembled . having decided from the start that BSF and BA fasteners would be used throughout, as original  . i had to buy the several hundred bolts to put all the panels together. you wouldn't have any idea how much a stainless BSF bolt compares to a zinc plated metric ( X 10 roughly ) but whatever you buy actual assembly involves the use of lots of extra fasteners that you had forgotten .
i have been rummaging in my old tin of odd nuts and bolts that have been collecting since my first project a 250 BSA in 1975, via 350 matchless,650 ajs,trobike, minimotor etc. all IMPERIAL . sure i have used bits off all of these on the GORDON. i also have a whole bundle of old cables , some knackered some not, to try in place ,modify if necessary,
i have had a great few days reusing bits from 15 and 20 years ago. some will only be used as patterns.
i read a great phrase in OLD BIKE MART recently -" your cables are not heirlooms" - they can be discarded and replaced  . I think this week i am glad i never threw away the family silver  

[Bob Purton]

Yes but thats all part of the challange and fun, At least you can get Villiers engine parts. Try getting Ydral parts! We dont want excuses, we want to see those projects of your finished!

[richard]

so do I . and not excuses i love it 

[Big Al]

I have some really good excuses for sale if you need one. Unfortunately due to them not being given back I cannot loan them.

[mharrell]

Metric threads throughout - wheres the challenge ?

Well, some of us with metric cars are in the US....

[richard]

funny enough i needed 2 machine screws to fit the TRICO dip switch again as original , ex-Beaulieu Autojumble , i had nothing resembling the correct thread until I searched another odd tin of nuts and bolts from the only American engine i have owned the Clinton 2 stroke from my Trobike . YES i had the correct two screws U.S. would it be UNF ? isnt metric so much easier 

[Bob Purton]

Its quite confusing with my Brighton built Isetta which appears to have a bit of both imperial and metric!

[Big Al]

British market Schmitts were supplied knocked down and one job was to assemble the wheels, so they are British old boy. I think the Berkeley took the prize for me. A well botched one managed to have about every spanner in the area out and many an hour in the used fastener tubs attempting to match threads. I never throw a fastener away and I even have reserve tubs for when the pickings get thin. Which makes me wonder what the stuff that is always left over fits.... On clearing the Simca dealer out Dave and I took some Cwt of sweepings home miffed the other wanted some. More 'strife' over that than over the rather good remaining tools! To be honest we both know the hidden saving this reuse makes on putting a machine together which is what we do.
With metric life is easier and I was in the habit of buying up any cheap boxed fasteners at autojumble. This opportunity died away but I got some nice stock for restoration work that way including exactly correct stuff. Beyond value now. unless you want stainless steel.
Then I inherited the family stash from Dad which included Grandpas stuff. I wonder what weight of used fasteners I can leave in my will?

[richard]

bobs fasteners will never rust but they will get verdigris - no doubt there all restored in antique brass 

funny you say that about inheritance al. when my father died he was supposed to be restoring the 1937 topolino ( yes its still open to offers still unrestored ) i inherited 200 or so unused nuts,bolts,washers and splits but i cannot identify the thread , its very fine. perhaps i could photo them and post it for the members to identify.

GOOD GAME , GOOD GAME 

[g-o-g-g-o]

Hi All
        I inherited all of my Fathers tools and his nuts/ bolts washers, but my dad had it all in the old fashioned tabaco tins labelled up as to what they were so I am luckier than some - I trained as a toolmaker so I know about whit UNF UNC and Metric threads - did you know there are two types of metric thead the coarse and the fine - most of the theads you can get now are the course type ( Made in China ) but a few of the 50/60 cars had the fine thread ( like the swinging arm releasing screw on the heinkel/trojan ) that is a fine thred - Just to confuse the issue still further - the thread sizes are contained in my Zeus guide ( I think thats how you spell it) and the drills you have to use to cut the thead with a tap !!!
                                                                                                                                        Mike

[richard]

i have a zeus guide but its for an engineer (bob - injun 'ere ) and not for me . quite beyond me 

[Bob Purton]

Sorry to disappoint Dickie but no, I dont used polished brass nuts and bolts on my cars! I'm so sick of the stuff in my work I refuse to even have polished brass in the house! I'm a big fan of stainless though, I use this all the time and especially on my bikes, I know its not original but so what.  Just to add to what Goggo said about metric coarse and metric fine, thats 1.5 pitch and 1.25, there is also metric extra fine. I have taps and dies for the common sizes for these, they are 1.00mm pitch. This pitch crops up a lot on my Italian bikes. Much simpler than imperial and we havnt even touched on cycle threads!

[Stuart Cyphus]

 It never used to be like this with Dad's old Meccano set....   

[Bob Purton]

Thats a good point, what are meccano threads?    Hows that Ariel 3 coming on Stu?

[richard]

thought i would win the prize ( laid up with torn calf muscle - ow ) meccano no idea , thought it was 2BA ( british association isn't it ?) - its not- as usual i did trial and error . a meccano nut fits a 2 BA screw - but you guessed it a 2 BA nut DOESNT fit a meccano screw !!! maddening  anyway stu leggo was the answer to NUTS