bankman

Hi Josh, I am at Cromford steam rally this weekend but am around during the week.

A few weeks ago I was given this machine to save it from scrap: "You collect old junk, here's a project for you" were the exact words. It was owned by the local Fullwood milking salesman who passed away a few years ago and has been stored inside since. Well I saved it, but don't really need another project but do need the space so it is a 'freebie' for anyone willing to collect it from Matlock, Derbyshire. Everything seems to move ok, has the various accessories, the engine turns and has decent compression but is missing its silencer. Fuel tank is spotless inside, some wear in the axles but generally not too bad. Don't know if they are a 'collectable' machine but it is what it is. Anyone interested get in touch but PLEASE no time wasters, I have had plenty of those in the past! Pete.

An email to Belle Engineering with serial numbers may get you a date? The company was formed in 1961.

I will be there as usual, but in the stationary engine section. Will have a wander around at sometime during the weekend and have a look at you all!

Not customised in the true sense!! This was just one of the Rolls and Bentleys owned by a local scrap dealer. First task after delivery new from the factory was to remove the rear seats and weld steel plate in to carry the gas cutting equipment he carted around with him. My late step father in law worked for him and the cars got a good bashing and a lot of welding and plating was involved! Rolls were not too happy about it. Pete.

They were used for setting the speed of lathes etc in machine shops. Pete.

It was an excellent display of engines, you lads didn't do so bad yourselves though! I didn't get round your area at all (or see that many of the engines) , my legs wont carry me far nowadays and by the time I had taken my missus round the stalls in her wheelchair I was fit for nothing else that day. Pete.

It was a fantastic show. Luckily I was under a tree with my engine all weekend so stayed nice and cool. Pete.

That attends many rallies in the North and is always popular, however until now I hadn't realised what actually powered it though! I did realise it wasn't steam...... Pete.

Pleased to see that my old friend Eric Moody was there keeping his chair warm! Also John Lowes with his sparkplug collection as he hasn't been too well of late and I wondered if he would still be attending events this year. We were at the Heskin rally otherwise we would have attended this. Pete.

I will be there but in the s/engine section, I haven't room for a horticultural exhibit as well but will come and have a look around your displays.

Well work has progressed very steadily of this project. Checking the rest of the machine over I found the frame was twisted (not a big issue really) but the wheels were both rotten where the machine had presumably been left on wet ground for a long period and the axle was also badly corroded. Given the missing engine parts as well I was fortunate enough to come across another machine fairly local and cheap enough to take a punt on. This machine is in much better condition frame-wise, it has the hand control and cable, a decent set of the double blades and also a totally worn out engine! Valves flopping in their guides like the proverbial p**** in a bucket, almost a 1/4" of endfloat on the crank, big end rattling around but it does have the manifold and carb/aircleaner and a better fuel tank so the plan is to make one good machine from the pair. I also bought a rotary mower attatchment as well, that needs a full restoration of course! The other frame looks to be a good candidate to form the basis of a trolley for moving my argon cylinder around, nothing wasted here! The tool head from the original machine is all finished now, just some washers required for the filler and drain plugs; The later machine, now in pieces; Pete.

Straight fins on the cylinder head Wristpin. That new gasket will be fine, it touches in all the right places and just needs another hole making! When I return home next weekend I will line up the fuel tank temporarily as the fuel line is still fitted (it hasn't been cut) and it will tell me where abouts the original carb and inlet manifold were positioned, I can then try and search for the correct set up. I think that it will be similar to the one on Paul Mackellow's Gardenmaster 85 as his engine looks to be the same as my one with a similar spec plate, no hurry though as still plenty of work needs doing on the framework. Pete.

Proceeding steadily with this project. I ordered a headgasket for a Tecumseh H30 and what came proves to me that it isn't one of those engines so Aspera seems most likely, however with a little bit of trimming and punching an extra hole it should still be useable. New piston rings arrived and were fitted, the bore was honed and piston installed. Timing set, valve clearances adjusted to spec and a new governor bar made as the old one came out in 'three halves' as shown! Engine block/crankcase now in primer and I'm now away for a weeks holiday in Lancashire while it hardens off haha. Pete.

Wish I had known some of you lads were there as there was nothing listed in the Events section so assumed you were not attending this time. I only saw the Auto Culter display and missed the other machines, I was hoping to see a Gardenmaster 85 or something with an Aspera motor fitted to take som pics for reference but I was only exhibiting on the Sunday and didn't have the time to explore the halls properly alas. My leg problem doesn't allow for much walking about nowadays! It was a decent show though, and the weather stayed dry but cool. Pete.