A New Acquisition

Information relating to the Matchless G80 or AJS Model 18 500cc Heavyweight.
cbranni
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Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 9:17 pm
Location: ABERTAWE UK

Re: A New Acquisition

Post by cbranni »

Hi John,

This what should be there.................

Image

I would knock up an alloy ring to clip into the hole that's there and fit a rubber pilot bulb holder to the centre of the alloy ring, also Ashford Chrome will re-silver reflectors.

http://www.ashfordchroming.com/headlamp ... estoration

Colin
only dead fish go with the flow
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Iron Head
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Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 7:19 pm
Location: BERKSHIRE UK

Re: A New Acquisition

Post by Iron Head »

Lovely Bike John!

Nice to see the original wiring in the headlight too. My '54 wiring was original but the rubber had succumbed to Arizona/Texas temperatures. Finally got my new loom fitted that Colin made me and was pleased that the lighting, ammeter, speedo light, brake light switch etc worked first time including the circa 50's/60's main/dip and sidelight bulbs and they are surprisingly bright. I think the 16.5A thin wall cable is definitely paying benefits from a loss perspective on a 6V system. Dynamo and voltage regulator commission coming-up which will likely be a different matter?!

Iron Head
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Pharisee
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Re: A New Acquisition

Post by Pharisee »

Iron Head wrote:Lovely Bike John!

Nice to see the original wiring in the headlight too. My '54 wiring was original but the rubber had succumbed to Arizona/Texas temperatures. Finally got my new loom fitted that Colin made me and was pleased that the lighting, ammeter, speedo light, brake light switch etc worked first time including the circa 50's/60's main/dip and sidelight bulbs and they are surprisingly bright. I think the 16.5A thin wall cable is definitely paying benefits from a loss perspective on a 6V system. Dynamo and voltage regulator commission coming-up which will likely be a different matter?!

Iron Head
The wiring inside the headlamp is the best of it, unfortunately. The rubber insulation on the rest of the bike has suffered badly from the Californian sun and previous owners. Not so much a harness as a loose collection of odd wires. I'll be rewiring the bike completely in due course. I'll be looking for a new(?) headlamp reflector as the one fitted has been modified somewhat and no longer has the pilot light fitted. The regulator is the original MCR2 and looks to be in very good condition. The coils are bright and shiny and the setting screws don't show any signs of abuse. In fact, they don't look like they've ever been adjusted. It remains to be seen if it actually regulates! The dynamo will have to come off as I can't get the cover band off with the dynamo in situ. I could get it open enough to see that it needs new brushes at least. I have connected a battery and the headlight, tail light and stop light all work, as does the speedo light and the horn. Nothing burst into flames... which is a good thing!!
I'm from the Fens.... Gimme six.
ajsph
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Location: DENMARK

Re: A New Acquisition

Post by ajsph »

The reflektor from the lightweight 61/2", will fit
Poul
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Iron Head
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Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 7:19 pm
Location: BERKSHIRE UK

Re: A New Acquisition

Post by Iron Head »

Hi John

Sounds like you have just a nice amount of fettling to do to get a nice lot of riding in this spring and summer. Yours is what my '54 can, hopefully, aspire to be. I'm even keeping the yellow and blue go faster masking tape stripes up the tank someone fitted 50's/60's. Interestingly too, several of the engine components, sump plug, carb flange etc are metal-stamped CHIP 22. I guess Chip was the owner and perhaps this was his racing number(?) and it was his way of trying to trace the bike if it got stolen? The bike has certainly still got plenty of desert dust under the mudguards etc.

I think your dynamo band should yield with a bit of fiddling. Perhaps a careful squirt of WD40 left for 24 hours sprayed onto the sealing gasket, which is likely the culprit, might get it to budge? Got my band off on Tuesday, I even found an attempt at entry by yet another Mud dauber wasp in the dynamo, he seems to have had a nibble at the fabric on one of the coil winding wires too which I managed to salvage with heatshrink sleeve. Can't see why your lens shouldn't clean-up with some acetone or something similar and if you can get a reflector you'll be sorted.

Iron Head
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