Biggles' Mess

[Terence Lynock]

There is a grub screw both sides on the brass block but you can only see one of them, the clearance for the shaft is only about 2 thou so they only need be finger tight.

The shaft is only in contact with one magnet which is the coned end, the other end doesnt need a cone as it does nothing and the more metal for the magnet to act on the better, it can quite easily cope with a 10 or 11 inch prop no problem.

[Steve W-O]

Posted by Big Bandit on 30/04/2012 19:58:03:

Hi Steve,

It just gets me going when I feel forced into a situation where I have to bin a perfectly good motor for the sake of a single component. Our usual mechanic has the diagnostics kit but not to the level that he can reprogram the thing from new, if the existing unit was repaired it wouldn't loose it's program for the particular car. It's probably a switching mosfet or something that feeds the coil.

I'll keep the new battery for a spare that's 3 months old, and I have an old thing in the garage that I'll drop in, and the tyres haven't more than 2K on them but they won't fit the alloys on the new one.

My old Passatt estate had 300K on the clock when I blew it up, and that was entirely down to me and not the car. I gave it to the chaps at the local college for the vehicle mechanics course the same with my neighbours old metro so they went to a good cause which I was happy with, they've closed the course down now so I can't even do that.

Cheers,

Chris.

I agree with you completely, not only annoying, completely frustrating.

Some years ago, I had a Renault Espace that kept holding back, I checked all I could, but nowhere was the data available to carry on checking. Renault did in the end, after me talking to their tech people for them to establish that I could use the data properly, give me access for a linited time to their very good online technical data.

I have a similar problem now with a Kia, in depth info not available, and the local Kia people (Coventry) not interested.

I have all the diagnostics on a laptop, for most vehicles, including the special programme for our Zafira, and most times this helps, but when you want detailed info, it is simply not available.

I keep thinking my next vehicle must be old enough to be tax exempt, and have a carb and points and condenser, something that you can srip and fix the whole car on the side of the road with nothing more than a small selection of tools. Progress?? I think we have gone backwards.

Still wish I was close enough for your Fiat, a great opportunity !

[Big Bandit]

Ayup Steve,

Know what you mean, I some times wish things were a lot simpler, I still have a Vincent Spider carb in the garage just in case the old Amal mono block on the mower gives up .

I also still have the point setter for the old RD 250 Yamaha, consists of a reamed out 14mm plug and a clock gauge. Set the piston on each cylinder 2mm before top dead centre and swing the points to just open (used an electronic home made beeper for that) the points cam lobe looked after the dwell angle. That thing on two 28mm Mincuni's and a couple of tuned pipes (expansion chambers) would sing on the pipe, sweeter than a bishops laundry. My old mate used it a Mallory Park for a club meeting and did sub 1 minute laps.

All you can do these days is book some dyno time and get the motor remaped, cant help thinking were going backwards in some ways.

As for Coventry being the local the local Kia people, that's only 35 minutes up the M69 on the bike, about an hour in the motor so you may be more local than you think.

Cheers,

Chris.

[Steve W-O]

Yes, fortunately you don't have to have a dyno now, you can use a laptop (or dedicated device) connected to OBD, and after entering the vehicle weight and gear ratios, the power can be quite accurately worked out from the acceleration.

The trouble with re-mapping on the road is that if it goes wrong, you sit!

I still haven't had the courage to remap the Zafira, the acceleration, or rather lack of it, is really dangerous. It is fine just before the engine gets hot, so some richening low down would cure it, or if you drive it like a two stroke it isn't bad, but if you let the clutch out at idle and then accelerate, it will take 60' or so before it decides to get going.

Sounds like you are not that far away, we are on the other side of Coventry, about two minutes from the Kia dealers. On a bike it is always much quicker, but your time is a lot quicker, sounds like low flying

[Big Bandit]

Hi Steve,

Apart from the heart attack that's why I've hung the leathers up, I was getting dangerous, and the missus banned me from buying a Gixer or blade so there was no where to go except down. So it's four wheels from now on, probably a good thing.

Cheers,

Chris.

[Myron Beaumont]

BB

But you didn't miss the hay day of biking I would love to get another "Goldie" .Sigh! All gone Eh?

[Big Bandit]

Ayup Myron,

An old BSA, what I'd give for a good thrash on A Goldie with an Alloy tank, single bum stop seat with clipons. The old fella had a single 500 Norton ( that'll rattle you kidneys) we did Mallory Park for club meetings, I had the Enfield 250 at the time. Best meeting was the Post TT 1967 (from memory) with Hailwood and Ago, magic memories.

I did the post TT a few years ago when Ago bump started the MV 500 in the wet a few days before his 60th birthday, what a magic day, Surtees was there and some one had Hailwoods 250 6 for a couple of laps.

Your getting me going now, might just try me leathers on and polish the visor, Suzuki are doing a good deal on the GSX R 750 at the moment.

Cheers,

Chris.

[Terence Lynock]

Nah, you want one of these, a 3 litre (at a guess) V twin built from two cylinders from a RR Merlin,

[Big Bandit]

Nice Terence.

[Steve W-O]

Posted by Terence Lynock on 02/05/2012 01:01:29:

Nah, you want one of these, a 3 litre (at a guess) V twin built from two cylinders from a RR Merlin,

I think it would be nearer 4.5l,wan't the Merlin 27l?

I remember many years ago someone put a Merlin into an Austin Westminster (the same as the Wolseley 610) I think with a Ford auto box, was capable of doing 100mph in reverse if anyone could havd controlled it.

I seem to remember the oil consumption was about the same as the normal car's petrol consumption.

Memory vague, as it was well befor internet, or even BBS times.

[Steve W-O]

H e r e it is, OK, it only had the front suspension from a Westminster

And it seems it didn't really have a Merlin engine, though it was reported to have had at the time.

[Big Bandit]

Steve,

For someone who claims to have a Merlin in a road going car, I thought he'd have cleaned the rust off the bonnet stay and painted it , sounds impressive though. Black and white furry animal comes to mind or anatomy of one .

Cheers,

Chris.

[Daithi O Buitigh]

The 'Merlin engined car' has been an urban legend for at least 50 years. One variant had Rolls Royce demanding the owner remove the 'RR' badge from the radiator.

I don't think anyone ever actually 'saw' it - they all claimed to know someone who had (but the someone nevetr seemed to surface).

Staring would be a problem - a standard starter motor would never turn the thing. Merlins (when electrically started) needed a trailer sized 'trolley acc el start' to turn the thing - some Merlins used a Coffman starter (a shotgun cartridge to spin a turbine). I remember years back an RAF rescue launch starting up its twin Griffins - there was one almighty BANG (then the thing vanished in a cloud of spray as they kicked into life)

[Big Bandit]

Ayup Daithi,

I think you may have meant starting , one of the university air Squadrons at RAF Newton had Chipmunks with a Coffman starter fitted. I had an air experience flight over Nottingham that used 4 of 6 cartridges to start the thing. Then the instructor lit his pipe in the rear seat, quite uneventful after that. Enjoyed the flight though.

Cheers,

Chris.

Edited By Big Bandit on 02/05/2012 19:17:38

[Daithi O Buitigh]

You were lucky - as a cadet I got the back seat (and couldn't see much past the pilot's head)

I do recall the instructor asking if this was my first flight in a Chipmunk and if I'd been taught how to use a parachute. He then went on "If there is an emergency, I will say 'jump, jump, jump' and you will get out fast. Do NOT ask me to repeat as I won't BE here"

[Big Bandit]

Posted by Daithi O Buitigh on 02/05/2012 19:37:17:

He then went on "If there is an emergency, I will say 'jump, jump, jump' and you will get out fast. Do NOT ask me to repeat as I won't BE here"

LOL might have been the same bloke, I'd like to be an urban leg end for 5 minutes .

[Daithi O Buitigh]

The real highlight (well apart from the flying) of that camp (Colerne in the '50s) was crawling round the scrapheap - and finding a Bristol Brigand. Also someone discovered an almost empty hangar - with a He162 and a Me163 parked inside (both covered in dust and very tatty looking) - needless to say they were well examined (and crawled over)

Years later I was working in a MU, found a couple of Washington bombers on the scrap pile - great fun in one of those using the trolley to get to the rear gunner position. You lay flat, grabbed a couple of side handles on the tunnel wall and gave an almighty heave and off you shot. I also picked up (and sadly lost) a proper 'colour chip' card showing the correct shades of brown/green/grey/sky matt finishes

[John Privett]

Posted by Daithi O Buitigh on 02/05/2012 18:54:15:

The 'Merlin engined car' has been an urban legend for at least 50 years. One variant had Rolls Royce demanding the owner remove the 'RR' badge from the radiator.

I don't think anyone ever actually 'saw' it - they all claimed to know someone who had (but the someone nevetr seemed to surface).

No, not an urban legend at all. "The Beast" was (still is) a 27litre V12-engined car. The engine might, or might not be, a Merlin, but if it's not it's something fairly similar! The car was built by John Dodd, who lived in Epsom at the time, about a mile from where I now fly. Rolls Royce took him to court and won their case to prevent him from displaying a Rolls Royce radiator grille on the front. There were many stories in the UK press about the car back in the 70s/80s.

John now apparently runs a garage in Malaga, Spain. The garage website has info on The Beast, and some press cuttings. It's a Flash site so I can't link to the specific page, but go to the website (you might want to turn the speakers down/off first!) then when the animation stops click on the Union Jack, then on Press.

[John Privett]

(Duplicate post edited.)

Edited By John Privett on 02/05/2012 20:43:05

[Terence Lynock]

The 1750 h.p series of Merlin was 36 litres so that bike if it used 2 cylinders would be around 6 litre so I got me sums wrong, assuming 3 litre per cylinder thats a hell of a lot of torque.

I like this one...........

[Terence Lynock]

BUT, I like this one better!!.........

[Terence Lynock]

I have all but given up with Giantcod these days as everything I want is on backorder, started a new build and needed all the electronics except for batteries but everything is 0 stock, they have lost a 40 quid order for bits from me so how many other orders have they lost through not keeping stock numbers up?. its hard to get enthusiastic about page after page of zero stock numbers...

[Olly P]

Terry, I got some stuff off them the other day, ordered tuesday, arrived wednesday. Hopefully now they are setting up in the new warehouse stock levels will improve!

in other news my Hustle is 'out for delivery' with Parcel Farce, so fingers crossed will get that this morning.....

[ken anderson.]

anyone seen/heard from eric bray? .....

ken anderson ne..1 ..... lost eric dept.

[Big Bandit]

I was thinking the same thing myself Ken, he has been quiet lately.

Chris.