Just bought this

z1100r · Post by **z1100r** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 1:06 pm

Its a 1952 G80S and I have all the original tin. Its done 40,000 miles from new and I am the 2nd owner.

moley · Post by **moley** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 1:10 pm

the front brakeplate should be on the other side. swop it over along with the torque stay as it is dangerous like that ! Apart from obvious very correct for 52 ! cheers andy

itma · Post by **itma** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:20 pm

wot he said plus

that is so dangerous, if it was MOT'd like that I'd moan, lets hope the rest has been put togehter with a bit more sense

z1100r · Post by **z1100r** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:32 pm

Funny you should say that....the front brake squawks loudly...I mean a right old groan, not a squeel. Will do that. Will also change a few other things but basically keep the same style.

The original mudguards, tool boxes etc are as new. They were taken off very early in life and stored in a loft. Alot has been chromed that shouldn't be but aleast its all still there. I've been whizzing about round the local lanes the last couple of nights and I love it.

z1100r · Post by **z1100r** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:45 pm

Another thing you may be able to help me on...there are no holes in rear mudguard suggesting to me it never had a pillion seat...but there is a strange bracket on the back of the original sprung saddle that make it look like something was attached to the seat....a tool bag or something..??? The bracket is like half a hinge and looks like a pin went through it....any Ideas. Its dead centre at back of seat and about 2" wide. looks like a 3/16" pin would go through it. It doesn't look homemade.

z1100r · Post by **z1100r** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 4:24 pm

Oh and another...sorry

Carb

...apart from all the chroming and having the magneto renovated apparrently the only other thing to go wrong was that the original carb body split. He replaced it with a 389/63

It had all the original jets etc transferred over as much as posible.

Well it was horrendously rich and very difficult to start when warm so I had a look. I've had this crap before with my Pre-65 tiger cub and my mates pre-65 C15. Both had Bantam 2-stroke carbs fitted at some time.

Anyway I stripped and cleaned the carb and then started on the main jet...the 260 fitted was very rich. Dropped to 200 and is now spot on. No aircleaner. Still rich at tickover and mid-range, throttle cut-away 3.0, it needs a 3.5 but I haven't got one. primary jet 25 and air screw 2 turns out and all seems pretty good. Just needs that new slide.

I did a search and found out that have a 1 1/8" Villiers 9E 2-stroke carb again...Nuts

Does anyone know of any other issues I might have with this carb - its like new and working well now so I'm loathe to replace it - and what should the original carb and settings be...for 1952..I only seem to be able to go back to 55/56 on that amal PDF.

Sorry its a bit long.

Duncan · Post by **Duncan** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:42 pm

Originally an Amal 89B 1 3/32”

z1100r · Post by **z1100r** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:04 am

Thanks for that...I've since read the carb thread.

Wheel is now swapped around and brake doesn't make noises anymore. It doesn't do a fat lot in terms of stopping you either but never mind that for now.

My mate was 18 when he got hold of this bike and he must of been reading 'chopper' at the time going on what he's done to it.
He's 54 now. The original owner from new was his dads Latvian nextdoor neighbour and they both only lived up the road from my mum and dad ..so I know the full history of it.

He remembers getting all the chrome done at a place in Coventry because a mate of ours worked there at the time. He remembers swapping the carb, and he now remembers the front brake. The brake was because he put USA spec Bonnie bars on and didn't think the cable would be long enough. He did all this in 1975 and used the bike everyday for 3 or 4 years before laying it up in his dads wooden shed for the next 15 years. Around 1992 we all decided to get our old Brit bikes going again...I restored my 1954 Enfield, He did a few bits and bobs on the matchless like the points and blow up the tyres. Another mate did up his TR6 trophy. We had a fanyy about on them for 12months before Triumph guy saw ££££'s and sold his bike and reg no. Matchless man hid it back in the shed and my Enfield got buried under mountains of fairing panels and crap off other bikes.

Recently I got a phone call "you still interested in my Matchless, I need the room and cant be bothered with it anymore, it doesn't do anything for me".
"OF COURSE I AM"

So thats the full history..!! bored yet..??

PS..you think the brake is bad..!! He told me last night that the front tyre is the original tyre that came with the bike from new, its never been replaced.
Edited by - z1100r on 16 Jun 2011 09:24:15 AM

Don Madden · Post by **Don Madden** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 6:29 pm

A nice thing about tires that old is they are flat-proof. Too hard for a nail to penetrate & sides too stiff to flex even with no air. Cheers, Don.

z1100r · Post by **z1100r** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:06 pm

Since he told me I've certainly kerbed my riding style somewhat. I was enjoying flinging it around the local lanes, I'm significantly more upright now and am dreading it being wet.

not sure about hidden image...??? what does that mean.

Successfully joined as member to Jampot now and can see tech stuff.

Really getting into this bike, its slower than my 54 500 Bullet but alot more stable handling wise also a hell of alot smoother engine with much better gearbox.