1954 18S preservation project (with lots of pictures)

Information relating to the Matchless G80 or AJS Model 18 500cc Heavyweight.
Post Reply
SPRIDDLER
Member
Posts: 8542
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:00 am
Location: WEST SUSSEX UK

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Looks like good fun. Spanner candy! I always enjoy putting a nice clean engine back together.
A propos of nothing more than idle curiosity when enlarging the photo of the head it appears that the pushrod seals (dished washer, rubber collar & flat washer) are still in place. You will of course be replacing the rubber collars?
The pattern rubber collars soon become as hard and brittle as Bakelite with heat which leads to oil leaks. I and many others have used a suitable number of Nitrile 'O' rings instead which don't harden and work very well.

Photo of suggested 'O' rings and the original rubber collars.....
Pushrod 'O' rings seal (640x480).jpg
O rings BS 210 jpeg.jpg

In this photo the (greased) 'O' rings are in place but the essential dished washer isn't shown but will be fitted.
100_1411 (640x480).jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
'There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which taken at the flood............'
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by cfaber »

Yeah, I have the seals ready and may try the oring trick, in fact you can see them (upper right corner of the work bench photo)
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by cfaber »

Over the last few weeks I've finally found some time to work on the bike. I've got the engine back together
Image
Image
Image
Image

I also started taking the bike back apart so as to do a thorough cleaning as well as polish the paint back up as much as I can.

Image

So part of that is to clean up the exhaust system. It's got 60 year old bentonite clay mixed with oil baked on it in layers and I suspect there were a lot of oil burn before this engine went quiet in the 1960's.

Here's what It use to look like:

Image

and after some cleaning

Image

I still need to deal with some rust but for the most part it's a lot better than what I had. I'm also going to have to deal with the band clamp. It's partially broken on one side, presumably from whatever dented and scratched up the system to begin with.

So next I'll see if I can just tack the broken clamp together, otherwise I'll have to try and find one that matches this one, with the two straps on a single bolt. I checked fleabay but so far all I found was the solid strap design from India.
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
User avatar
Group Leader
Member
Posts: 538
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2005 8:51 pm
Location: Herts UK

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by Group Leader »

SPRIDDLER wrote:Looks like good fun. Spanner candy! I always enjoy putting a nice clean engine back together.
You will of course be replacing the rubber collars?
The pattern rubber collars soon become as hard and brittle as Bakelite with heat which leads to oil leaks. I and many others have used a suitable number of Nitrile 'O' rings instead which don't harden and work very well.

Photo of suggested 'O' rings and the original rubber collars.....
Ah, nice photograph of the installation, thanks Spriddler.

I have the O rings, I just need to build up sufficient courage at some point to whip the head off! But the engine runs, and I have so much fun on my only bike.

Maybe I need another to allow for workshop visits? :D

Very nice project cfaber, looks great!

Alan
1953 AJS 16MS, 1939 BSA 250 and a 1/3 scale Sopwith Triplane but that's another story ..... :lol:
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by cfaber »

It's finally warmed up and I'm finally feeling a little better so the the bike got a degrease and bath

Image

Looks a lot better, next I decided to see how well this NuFinish stuff works, this is what I'm working with over most of the bike

Image

and here's what I came out with after a few seconds of polishing

Image

Looks 1000% better and retains the original paint nicely. With this success I rolled the bike back into the garage and stripped it down. After another cleaning to get the remaining oil and clay muck off the frame this is what I ended up with

Image
Image
Image

So the frame is done and I'll move on to the rest of the bigger parts now

Image

:beer:
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
SPRIDDLER
Member
Posts: 8542
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:00 am
Location: WEST SUSSEX UK

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by SPRIDDLER »

That has come up really well. You may be aware of this but I've read that the main reason for AMC acquiring the Sunbeam Motorcycle Company was to have access to their excellent stove enamelling expertise and process.
'There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which taken at the flood............'
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by cfaber »

SPRIDDLER wrote:That has come up really well. You may be aware of this but I've read that the main reason for AMC acquiring the Sunbeam Motorcycle Company was to have access to their excellent stove enamelling expertise and process.
Yeah I was really pleasantly surprised how well this came out. My goal isn't to restore but to preserve and this foes a long way to not having to repaint. Can't wait to get to the remaining parts now that the frame has come out looking so great
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by cfaber »

Had a few minutes tonight to get a few more parts washed, and got the front fender on
Image

I think it came out pretty good, considering what I started with :D
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by cfaber »

More work tonight. Got the back end put back together and polished up
Image
Image
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
User avatar
cfaber
Posts: 346
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 5:37 am
Location: USA, Colorado
Contact:

Re: My new G80 restoration project (with lots of pictures)

Post by cfaber »

Lots of progress today. Got just about everything on the bike to discover I'm still missing some bolts and a few spacers :headbang:

Some I knew about others were a surprise. Also, putting this machine back together was a major PITA. It must have cost AMC a fortune in labor to service and build these bikes with the way they're designed. Like a reverse Japanese puzzle box

Image

Image


Missing these screws here, I thought I ordered them but apparently not.
Image

Missing spacers
Image

Missing the threaded rod, washers and spacer here, Also, it appears that the previous owner may have added a link to the dynamo drive chain, or possibly was using a different sprocket (I have 3 different ones that came with this bike) so I need to investigate further.

Does anyone off hand know what the stock sprocket was for these bikes?

Image

Missing the bolt washer and nut for this
Image

And the bolt washer and nut for the top engine mount, right now I've just got an SAE bolt in there until I get the right one.
Image

Also, does anyone know how the spark wire was routed?
Fix it until it's broken!

Otherwise how will
anything get done?
Post Reply