Messerschmitt Pedalcar

[Big Al]

Someone we know use to sell Schmitt Hella headlamp lenses that were too small and Sachs con rods that didn't fit.

My Hella headlight lenses always fitted Hella headlights and my Sachs conrods fitted Sachs engines fortunately.

[NickPoll]

Yes Alan, Well worded reply, but not the lamp rims & engines used on KR200's.

[Big Al]

Yes Alan, Well worded reply, but not the lamp rims & engines used on KR200's.

I have had two running engines with replaced new ali conrods from the stock I think you are recalling. This from a time when they were otherwise unavailable. One is alive and well in Australia and the other in my shed. This after Wynford's steel conrod, a non Sachs part that was the only other option at the time, totally failed destroying an entire engine unit with no comeback along with one other similar failure, I prefer what I have got at the price I paid for it. I believe Ian did one too. It turned out that the crank pin taper required alteration to fit my cranks. Thanks Brian. Indeed it has yet to be established that all the auto related Sachs engines ran a common taper design anyway, indeed I seem to recall Russ/Brian saying they did not. They certainly did not run all the same bearing. A thing is what you make it and you either have a choice to buy what others tell you is right for a higher price, fit it and trust the supplier. Well that failed on steel conrods.  Or you take responsibility, get your own solutions sorted and stand by it for good or ill. A lot of folk seem to want to try and have the best of both worlds, source cheap and then cry when they find there is a bit of work or research to be done. You pays your money and takes your choice. Not been a buyer at Partsmart for perhaps 18 years now as I source for myself. I have in the main faired OK with a few minor misshaps. Sadly I have only one rod left with an exchange main bearing, strangely bought from MOC second hand spares as they did not know what it was! The one supplied with this last rod is a long roller version rather than the better twin roller version which holds more oil within the bearing area. I am not selling it.

I still have a small selection of headlamp lenses left over from scooter days. They have appeared on eBay years ago with referance to Schmitt as advertising but with diameter information attached. Also a selection of new headlamp peaks. There have been project cars passed on through me which have had Heinz 57 light units. Unless you want totally originality, I wouldn't use second hand stuff in all probability or I would specifically resource good parts to restore. Li ke for my '55 car with the different reflectors. Otherwise a replacement needs only a new/good headlamp rim and an off the shelf light unit costing less than £15 supplies the entire rest of the unit. I cannot see this, therefore, as a biggy really. Then again if you buy off other suppliers you can pay a lot more to do the same job. Not my fault if folk do not come back and ask about such things. Some do, some do not. If I was looking to make money I would be stocking these units to sell on. I do not as I cannot be bothered but buy enough for myself in case stock runs out. They are there for those who trouble to look for them and it removes me from the responsibility that they might be to shiny, wrong but better bulb holders or something. It seems not worth the whinging for the few quid to be made to be honest. So fear not Cooperman had most of my surplus stock and I am not trading any longer. If you like I leave the waters free for other breeds of predators.

[NickPoll]

Hello Alan,
     The steel con rods that the MOC & Heiko have been selling have been available for roughly thirty years. I remember buying them at Heiko's house in the old days. They are the same rods sold today. To date I have known many people buy these rods and fit them ( I have used more than thirty ) and to my knowledge Peter Doran had the only failure. ( He did loads of miles and skimped on the oil ). These rods are bullet proof and there has never been a known problem with the tapers. The rods you were selling were clearly wrong and my gripe is that you never mentioned it when you advertised them ( newbies got stung . I have rebuilt many Sachs 200 motors, how many have you built ? ). I visited Mike Cooper a while  ago and viewed the so called MEC stock. It was a pile of incorrect crap. The MOC prices may be high, but the parts are as  accurate as possible.

[Big Al]

 Don't talk to me about the steel rods, talk to Wynford. He who has also built many engines still working and with the shimming tool I do not have. We were discussing the topic only last Wednesday funnily enough as I had taken along a failed primary shaft as a conversation piece. I saw the wreckage after what happened on his engine. Not much was re usable. I cannot name the other guy who had a taper slip but Wyn knows I expect, it is not important who he was but that it happened.
 I did point out it was my choice to use what I had bought. My father pointed up the advantages of the ali conrod over steel and since I am not racing nor seeking to reduce two stroke consumption and had the stock it was the obvious choice for me to make despite the need of a bit of machining. If folk use other parts successfully I am pleased for them. I never said the rods did not work at all, which seems to be your contention about mine, but that I used the experience of my chums to make my own decision. I know that is not allowed in Schmitt circles but I am not a member of the chapel and do not have an apron. If asked advice then I tell folk to go to the club or Hieko for the easy solution. I will keep my veiw of MOC parts to myself but if your happy with them, marvellous.
 How many rods do you think I sold? Two as I recall, one to John (?) Whitham before I knew of a problem and that was refunded in full despite two of the rollers being missing on its return. Fortunately I had some separate bearings to make good and re-used the unit in modified form. The second to Ian Hopkins, well known newbie schmitter, who was aware there was an issue. If anyone bought another of these rods it was not from me. I am aware of two other people who bought similar stock wholesale but given the hostility I will not mention their names. On finding there was an issue and that Wyn chose not to use the steel rods, he actually sold an unused one rather than fit it, His choice, I kept my rods for my use. On the basis Ian does his own stuff to build his engines then that puts you in contact with Mr Witham. So another mountain out of a mole hill turfed over amicably by a full refund.
 I said I sold my parts to Mike Cooper. I did not say he stocked them for resale via Schmittbits which was a retail outlet of any part anyone wanted to offer for sale including MEC stock. He was restoring cars at the time as well. That is why I have no new indicators, headlamp switches etc left to sell now. This was part of my ceasing to trade and very convenient for me. The Schmittbits experiment failed, partly my fault, but the idea behind it was sound enough I think.
 I wonder why you are getting so aggressively negative over this need to prove I am an utter bastard. I freely admitted to being a trader from the start and therefore my bastard credentials are freely admitted for those who have a problem with that activity, despite that I retired 4 years ago from trading. During this time I have stuck to the trading code of ethics sadly missing elsewhere. I do not have to bother about that so much now as I am not trading like you are. The topic is a fart in a fridge but you keep wanting to open the door to sniff it for some reason. Since there is not much in it I assume you like the smell.

[richard]

may i suggest an end to to his particular thread ?

piatti started a great thread on his beautifully created schmitt pedal car - well done and lovely .

its now become hijacked and become increasingly unpleasant. i apologise ,piatti ,if my innocent suggestion re smaller size replica lenses was the cause. shame

would respectfully suggest others may continue , if they must, on another topic 

[NickPoll]

Hello all,
       Yes, sorry it got a bit out of hand. I've nothing against you Alan. I've known you too long and you're always good company and a laugh at club night & rallies.              Nick.

[Big Al]

Accepted and reciprocated. Probably to argumentative at the moment as non micro related pushing of buttons going on. I look forward to the National to take my mind off it.
 
As to the lights as far as I am aware there were no more made but it might be worth my asking the source if there is interest by the constructors of miniature microcars in those smaller profile rear lights. I would expect if there were they might insist on a large order but I would take another box myself depending on price. I know another person who might take some to use on his bikes. Nick might be able to use some too, they part out quite well at the right price as the lense and numberplate window are standard size. Indeed I think the larger proportion of units I sold have been used as parts rather than as units. I will be visiting chum soon on other matters so I will pop the question if I remember, get carried away on other topics.

[Big Al]

There are probably more of these lights available. However the minimum order is looking like 500 units. So probably a no go.