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BenK
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| Joined: | Sat Oct 4th, 2008 |
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Posted: Sat Oct 4th, 2008 03:46 pm |
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Hello,
I've been reading CB for a few years now, and have finally taken the plunge and bought my first classic. Naturally, this means I've had access to lots & lots of good advice on how to do this right. And I've ignored all of it.
I'm shortly to be the proud owner of a 1928 Sunbeam 350 SV, fresh out of long-term shed storage. So, the controls are totally alien to me, I own no suitable tools and it's going to need some fettling to get going, about which I currently have no clue.
My current plan, such as it is, runs thus:
- Join the VMCC.
- Find a manual (I've been recommended to go to Bruce Main-Smith).
- Buy some Imperial spanners.
- Umm...
Apparently it has a fresh magneto and does run, although the carburation needs looking at. It's also minus any lights. Any suggestions as to where to proceed from here would be much appreciated. Alternatively, just point and laugh.
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starfirebird
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| Joined: | Sat Mar 1st, 2008 |
| Location: | Telford, United Kingdom |
| Posts: | 1650 |
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Posted: Sat Oct 4th, 2008 04:40 pm |
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Welcome BenK!
Actually, your plan sounds pretty good and finding this forum was a Good Thing too. There's a Sunbeam owners group on Yahoo as well that looks useful. Other than that, all I know about is Sunbeams is that my other half has managed to break the same one twice and its not even his!
Join the VMCC and get to the meetings, you will find lots of nice helpful people.
Good luck, you'll be fine.
You can always get a daytime MOT in which case you don't need lights - although I would be inclined to cheat a bit, get it through the day time MOT and then wire in a brake light. I'd also carry some decent bicycle lights in case you ever do get caught out in conditions of poor visibility.
And show us a picture, please! 
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BenK
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Posted: Sat Oct 4th, 2008 06:30 pm |
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Thanks very much.
A set of photos can be found here:
http://www.andybuysbikes.com/4162.htm
The site is well worth a nose-around anyway, as there's some cracking stuff (the Enfield v-twin would have been coming home with me if I had the cash). Plus I can reccommend Andy as a very nice man.
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ClassicMCnut
Member
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Posted: Sat Oct 4th, 2008 06:43 pm |
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Hi Ben and welcome. ........... Suggestions:
1/ ... Do nothing when you first get it. Now I know that sounds impossible but I would say that most mistakes on any fettling/restoration projects occur through enthusiasm.
2/ Great idea to join VMCC ..... take your time, get to know some of the members and especially those that have a good knowledge of Sunbeams.
3/ ......... Devise a cunning plan .... in other words decide what it is exactly you want to do with it. It looks a great bike with a lot of patina, but it will be down to you which way you want to go regards how it looks after. Things like the leather tool pouches you can get on with immediately refurbishing them but just take your time tackling the main bike itself. Set yourself a date when you want to take it to a show then work towards that date BUT if it's a matter of rushing it and not getting it right then remember there will always be a later show. Better to get it right the first time.
4/ ....... Start haunting car boot sales. You can pick up some really good quality tools, especially Imperiel sizes, that just have a light covering of rust on them that will wire brush off to give you a more quality tool than you can buy nowadays for 1/10th of the price
Good luck mate and it really does look like a superb project. Don't forget to take lots of pictures, not only to post on here but to remind you what goes where when you start re-assembling. A good digi camera is a must now.
____________________
Do unto others before they do unto you.Wise men learn by other men's mistakes,fools by their own.
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starfirebird
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| Joined: | Sat Mar 1st, 2008 |
| Location: | Telford, United Kingdom |
| Posts: | 1650 |
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Posted: Sat Oct 4th, 2008 06:46 pm |
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Nice - we were admiring that on the site only recently. Andy Teirnan has a good reputation and I am pretty keen on one of the B31s he has for sale at the moment.
The simple welding repair is probably the same as we had done on our friends Sunbeam - we took it to a company called Head Technique in Telford. Check the kickstart shaft and make sure that the kickstart isn't moving on the shaft because if it does move, it can hit the clutch cover and cause the damage. The cotter pin that holds the kickstart on the shaft can be easily replaced if it is no longer a good fit - just take it into a bicycle shop. That's the extent of my useful knowledge, I'm afraid.
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BenK
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Posted: Sat Oct 4th, 2008 08:01 pm |
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Cheers once again. Not rushing is definitely something I'm going to need to enforce on myself. Excess zeal has landed me in trouble once or twice before now...
Its condition was one of the main things that sold it to me, so my aim is keep it as original as possible. Essentially I just want to get it running reliably, fit some lights (the rear is with the bike, although it looked a bit ropey so it may have to serve as an indication of what to look for), and then just enjoy it. The one thing I probably will do is repaint the primary chain case, as it's that that needs welding, so it'll have to come off and be cleaned up in any case.
I'm not a polisher by inclination, anyway. Anyone familiar my regular ride (an Aprilia Mille) will confirm that...
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starfirebird
Member
| Joined: | Sat Mar 1st, 2008 |
| Location: | Telford, United Kingdom |
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Posted: Sat Oct 4th, 2008 08:16 pm |
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Sorry, the report said the clutch cover needed welding, that's why I mentioned checking the kick start wasn't hitting it - it is apparently a common fault.
Glad you are not over restoring though - it looks gorgeous as it is.
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hondapartsman
Member
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Posted: Sun Oct 5th, 2008 08:15 pm |
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Hi and welcome, pleased to meet you.
____________________
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