Some great vids I'm impressed with the 41 min one particuarly. With my internet connection that would probably take me at least two solid days for it to upload.
Ever had one of those mornings when you wish you hadn't bothered? Even though I'm suffering from exhaustion I got to work at first light after checking the forecast to top coat the fan shroud. Guess what?, the forecast lied. I was just putting the final coat on when it started to pee down, then in my rush to get it back inside quick it fell off the forklift. Using every trick I know I think I've managed to salvage it. Photos to follow tonight as otherwise if I upload now with the iPad Nigel will have to do another hand stand, lol.
Cori like that is there still any around or have they all gone now, and why is it not orange and what age would it be
I know to a couple of examples but not many. The age is probably mid to late 30's. The colour of early Howard's is a bit of a controversy. The chap who restored these had been in contact with me for a few years prior to the auction trying to sell them( they cost x amount of thousands to restore so therefore they were worth this price in his opion) and he said that he found grey as the base coat. I've heard from a couple of sources that grey was used and even green before howard settled on orange. The far end one is a howard junior 5 imported from Australia ( I've still got this example) and the 6 is from the uk but I have scince moved it on as I needed the space and the money.
Yes, prior to the gem there was a v twin, I sure there was a jap and a British junior version. Attached is a photo of one in the 2013 tractor world auction were sadly I was the under bidder- but the I did purchase the 5 and 6 in the background.
The really gutting thing was this twin had the engined removed for a motorbike and the remains sold on ebay later in the year.
Been having a bit more of a dig through my archives today. This photo is the only period image I've got of these early type gems ( I guess with the war on there was more important things to photograph than rotavators). I believe this is probably of the prototype as there is no support for the rotor shaft on this side, in which case this photo will date from 1942. Due to shortages it's unusual to see a set of tyres fitted.
I repair worn butterfly spindles by drilling oversize and using a sleeve of silicone pipe over the spindle it gives a good seal and moves freely.
Thanks for the suggestion, in the past I've had a mate drill the hole over size and fit a brass bush. However I like the idea of a silicone pipe, should be a lot easier to do.
That JAP engine is so similar to the Sturmey Archer derived TB Ransomes engine that it would not surprise me if the barrels and head were interchangeable.
I was thinking at tractorworld that the engine on 137 looked very similar. I believe in Australia the very first Howard's had a sturmey archer engine, then jap developed this engine for howard, so perhaps they copied it? Even Howard's own engine the British Junior was after a similar design.
All the gaskets have been made (except the head gasket as it's good enough to reuse) and I've started building the engine back up. It was quite tricky to slide the cylinder down with the exhaust still attached but there's no way that it's going to separate from the cylinder without shearing off the outlet. I had to remove the piston from the Conrod, fit it to the bore then try to line everything up and refit the gudgeon pin and Circlip with the whole assembly trying to crush my hand.
Whilst at tractorworld I met up with Chris Austell again from www.vintagebrassplates I've had some of his products in the past, and whereas they are not cheap they really do finish off a restoration so I've commissioned a couple of the badly damaged plates for this project. They should be ready in a couple of weeks.
Photos will have to wait until after the weekend as I've forgotten my camera.
Try ebay.com ( the American site) usually only a few pound with carriage, and even if the sellers don't offer to post to the uk most do if you ask, also on something of that value there shouldn't be any import duty either.
So I have been informed Gareth, that should make it a bit more pleasant
well I shall leave entering again until 2018, I'm not prepared to freeze my bum off at a show like I did at this years malvern. I spoke to a number of exhibitors this year who felt the same and even overheard a few spectaters saying its to cold to walk round. A great pity as apart from the temperature it was a great show.
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in Ride On's
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