bazz
XS650 Enthusiast
The most advanced engineering equipment you'd be likely to own would be a black n decker hand drill that you shared amongst your mates
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'68 BSA Victor Build..... Bloody 'ell mate... You 'effin daft or sommat?!?
- Thread starter Jim
- Start date
Yes that is true .Not much tools and not much skills
on the other hand, big in the mouth quite often.
But they helped each other
One was en expert on wiring .did that
One of the car Guys had his own Auto Business ..With knowledge and tools
One in town was perhaps one of the Best in Scandinavia on Automatic transmissions in US cars
In harbor there was shops working on boats and ship motors. One was a senior sailor his shop did everything
Re bore and whatnot
He was not exactly easy to get along with .Could be thrown out as a youth. But he sometimes accepted things done without charging
Many worked in machining shops and If asking the Boss mostly was OK If it was some minor part and not on the company time-
One company I worked at had Tuesday after working hour it was allowed
The night watchman knew it
One I Knew had a friend at a major car Company service engineer giving advice.
I bigger problem was that most bikes was to worn and no part .quickly available
One waited all summer for a part for a HD Sporster
At that time it was closed for holidays and I mean closed
Could happen no one even answered the phone for 4 weeks Which sound strange today
With internet and e mail
Even if the parts arrived . No one worked
if the machine broke in the last week of June, the season could be over
on the other hand, big in the mouth quite often.
But they helped each other
One was en expert on wiring .did that
One of the car Guys had his own Auto Business ..With knowledge and tools
One in town was perhaps one of the Best in Scandinavia on Automatic transmissions in US cars
In harbor there was shops working on boats and ship motors. One was a senior sailor his shop did everything
Re bore and whatnot
He was not exactly easy to get along with .Could be thrown out as a youth. But he sometimes accepted things done without charging
Many worked in machining shops and If asking the Boss mostly was OK If it was some minor part and not on the company time-
One company I worked at had Tuesday after working hour it was allowed
The night watchman knew it
One I Knew had a friend at a major car Company service engineer giving advice.
I bigger problem was that most bikes was to worn and no part .quickly available
One waited all summer for a part for a HD Sporster
At that time it was closed for holidays and I mean closed
Could happen no one even answered the phone for 4 weeks Which sound strange today
With internet and e mail
Even if the parts arrived . No one worked
if the machine broke in the last week of June, the season could be over
when I was a wee lad, compared to my neighbours fathers, my dad was a genius.
He made his own lathes (wood work & metal) using discarded metal 'scrap' from work and using old washing machine motors to power them.
He used them for his model making amongst other things (he made the first ever 'flymo' lawnmower I'd ever seen!).
Dad also made a crossbow using an old car leaf spring which would shoot an arrow through both sides of an old fridge at over 100mtrs!
The metal working lathe was used to make parts for the mechanical draw and trigger mech.
Here is an image of a model galleon (posted before); the lathes were used to make various components including the cannons and tackle blocks.
He made his own lathes (wood work & metal) using discarded metal 'scrap' from work and using old washing machine motors to power them.
He used them for his model making amongst other things (he made the first ever 'flymo' lawnmower I'd ever seen!).
Dad also made a crossbow using an old car leaf spring which would shoot an arrow through both sides of an old fridge at over 100mtrs!
The metal working lathe was used to make parts for the mechanical draw and trigger mech.
Here is an image of a model galleon (posted before); the lathes were used to make various components including the cannons and tackle blocks.
bazz
XS650 Enthusiast
I remember in the early sixties my dad built a campervan out of a Thames trader so we could have a holiday
It took us a whole day to drive from Essex to Cornwall
The Van wouldn't fit in our garage so he jacked the whole garage up and put 3 course of bricks all round and lowered the garage back down
Only trouble was we lived in a council house with a council garage
It was a pre fabricated asbestos thing
It took us a whole day to drive from Essex to Cornwall
The Van wouldn't fit in our garage so he jacked the whole garage up and put 3 course of bricks all round and lowered the garage back down
Only trouble was we lived in a council house with a council garage
It was a pre fabricated asbestos thing
Sorry Jim this went on a tangent........
bazz
XS650 Enthusiast
No worries gents. I'm pretty bad about hijacks myself.
I'm assuming that both Adam's and your father were of the depression/WWII era. They were problem solvers. They actually used their heads for something other than a hat rack and weren't afraid to work. I wish I had the determination that my father had.I remember in the early sixties my dad built a campervan out of a Thames trader so we could have a holiday
It took us a whole day to drive from Essex to Cornwall
The Van wouldn't fit in our garage so he jacked the whole garage up and put 3 course of bricks all round and lowered the garage back down
Only trouble was we lived in a council house with a council garage
It was a pre fabricated asbestos thing
bazz
XS650 Enthusiast
My dad was in transport in the middle east during ww2
When he got demobbed he and my uncle bought a Bedford lorry between them to start a small haulage business
Only problem was the lorry didn't have a windscreen
They used to drive wearing goggles
When he got demobbed he and my uncle bought a Bedford lorry between them to start a small haulage business
Only problem was the lorry didn't have a windscreen
They used to drive wearing goggles
..., which spawned a whole industry of hobbyist machinery manufacturers, including metalworking and woodworking machinery. Think of all the high-quality machines that are clearly aimed at the hobbyist rather than at the commercial or industrial user. Hence that stuff was readily available in N. America
Mine too, and an immigrant from Europe to N. America as well. Necessity as the mother of invention was definitely a fact of life for him.
This prompted me to check my source, Metal Supermarket in Ottawa. For what its worth, here are the results of my comparison shopping for 12" of 2.0" dia. 6061 Aluminum round bar stock, all expressed in US dollars:
- McMaster-Carr: $51.68
- Amazon.ca: $38.66
- Metal Supermarket: $36.24
- Amazon.com: $28.99
Oh, and sorry @Jim for the further derailment. Its just that your purchase of bar stock triggered the research as I'm in need of supplies.
I always find Metal
Supermarket is very expensive. Fortunately for me there’s another supplier close by that is up to 50% less money and nice customer service. You can also get online quotes and place orders too.
My dad was a young farmer who was captured by the Nazi troops invading Poland on day one. He was eventually shipped to Auschwitz and survived the camp at the end of the war. He learnt a lot of self sufficiency skills and survival skill whilst there. Also learned to speak 6 other languages almost fluently!
The saying 'make do and mend' dont tell the whole story of people like my dad.
Wow, what a family history, Ads!
I'm a canary? Seriously?
'Bout a month ago I ordered front and rear fenders off Ebay. These are repops made in India. Long time company has a 98% good rating. Pictures looked fantastic (don't they all
). Well, they leave a little to be desired... a lot to be desired... They're friggin' junk.
Where to start....
Soon as I opened the box, I could see the stays were rusting... bad rusting.
And although the finish overall looks fantastic, they forgot to clean up and polish up the edges prior to plating.
So anyway... I decided to install the rear just to see how much the flaws show. Well, they don't fit.... the holes are drilled wrong. I went ahead and positioned it where it needs to sit and redrilled the holes. Here's the top (right) hole...
And here's the front...
And here it is installed.
The stay for the rear was too wide at the front by about an inch. When I tried to bend it into the correct shape, the chrome cracked about halfway there.
So here we are. What to do....
If this was just a run of the mill Victor and all you wanted to do is replace your ratty beat up fender's, these would prolly be more than acceptable, but that's not our case. This is a full on, frame off restoration. So no... not acceptable. I've got an original rear fender in the basement that I picked up on Ebay (of course) for $50 or so. It was sold to me as complete with faded chrome. Well it's not complete. The front cracked along the mount holes and fell off... lost to the ages. I'm sensing a pattern here.... Anyway...
Think I'll make a piece for the front, weld or braze it in place, polish it all up and send it out for new chrome. That'll take care of the rear... and puts me back on the hunt for an original front.
Far as these go, I'm pretty much fucked. They give a 30 day return window. Problem is I have to pay return shipping. Return shipping to India is over 200 bucks... to get my $250 back. Ain't happening.
Think I'll put these up on Ebay and explain in detail what's wrong with 'em and say make me an offer.
If I'm the canary in the coal mine, avoid Indian repop stuff like the plague.
Sigh...
'Bout a month ago I ordered front and rear fenders off Ebay. These are repops made in India. Long time company has a 98% good rating. Pictures looked fantastic (don't they all
). Well, tWhere to start....
Soon as I opened the box, I could see the stays were rusting... bad rusting.
And although the finish overall looks fantastic, they forgot to clean up and polish up the edges prior to plating.
So anyway... I decided to install the rear just to see how much the flaws show. Well, they don't fit.... the holes are drilled wrong. I went ahead and positioned it where it needs to sit and redrilled the holes. Here's the top (right) hole...
And here's the front...
And here it is installed.
The stay for the rear was too wide at the front by about an inch. When I tried to bend it into the correct shape, the chrome cracked about halfway there.
So here we are. What to do....
If this was just a run of the mill Victor and all you wanted to do is replace your ratty beat up fender's, these would prolly be more than acceptable, but that's not our case. This is a full on, frame off restoration. So no... not acceptable. I've got an original rear fender in the basement that I picked up on Ebay (of course) for $50 or so. It was sold to me as complete with faded chrome. Well it's not complete. The front cracked along the mount holes and fell off... lost to the ages. I'm sensing a pattern here....
Anyway...Think I'll make a piece for the front, weld or braze it in place, polish it all up and send it out for new chrome. That'll take care of the rear... and puts me back on the hunt for an original front.
Far as these go, I'm pretty much fucked. They give a 30 day return window. Problem is I have to pay return shipping. Return shipping to India is over 200 bucks... to get my $250 back. Ain't happening.
Think I'll put these up on Ebay and explain in detail what's wrong with 'em and say make me an offer.
If I'm the canary in the coal mine, avoid Indian repop stuff like the plague.
Sigh...
Last edited:
Also... installed the side stand. Fit's and works perfect. So at least the whole evening wasn't a complete waste...
Have you ever used a Chinesium front fender for a 65 Mustang? I had probably 16 hours cutting, welding beating etc. in it and that was BEFORE filler. 'Effin junk. I'd rather repair rusty beat up O.E. stuff any day.I'm a canary? Seriously?
'Bout a month ago I ordered front and rear fenders off Ebay. These are repops made in India. Long time company has a 98% good rating. Pictures looked fantastic (don't they allhey leave a little to be desired...a lot to be desired... They're friggin' junk.
Where to start....
Soon as I opened the box, I could see the stays were rusting... bad rusting.
View attachment 336214
And although the finish overall looks fantastic, they forgot to clean up and polish up the edges prior to plating.
View attachment 336215
So anyway... I decided to install the rear just to see how much the flaws show. Well, they don't fit.... the holes are drilled wrong. I went ahead and positioned it where it needs to sit and redrilled the holes. Here's the top (right) hole...
View attachment 336216
And here's the front...
View attachment 336217
And here it is installed.
View attachment 336218
View attachment 336219
The stay for the rear was too wide at the front by about an inch. When I tried to bend it into the correct shape, the chrome cracked about halfway there.
So here we are. What to do....
If this was just a run of the mill Victor and all you wanted to do is replace your ratty beat up fender's, these would prolly be more than acceptable, but that's not our case. This is a full on, frame off restoration. So no... not acceptable. I've got an original rear fender in the basement that I picked up on Ebay (of course) for $50 or so. It was sold to me as complete with faded chrome. Well it's not complete. The front cracked along the mount holes and fell off... lost for the ages. I'm sensing a pattern here....
Think I'll make a piece for the front, weld or braze it in place, polish it all up and send it out for new chrome. That'll take care of the rear... and puts me back on the hunt for an original front.
Far as these go, I'm pretty much fucked. They give a 30 day return window. Problem is I have to pay return shipping. Return shipping to India is over 200 bucks... to get my $250 back. Ain't happening.
Think I'll put these up on Ebay and explain in detail what's wrong with 'em and say make me an offer.
If I'm the canary in the coal mine, avoid Indian repop stuff like the plague.
Sigh...
If they were not as advertised you can open a claim with eBait. It`s a buyers market. If you paid with PayPal you might have some recourse there too. I would try to get a partial refund at least.
If they were not as advertised you can open a claim with eBait. It`s a buyers market. If you paid with PayPal you might have some recourse there too. I would try to get a partial refund at least.
I left 'em a nasty review... complete with pics. No doubt in my mind their 98% rating was bought and paid for by paying off bad reviewers to change their review. Ball's in their court.
