Handlebar controls!

itma · Post by **itma** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:16 am

Its not specifically anti Bacon.
Its just that you cannot guarantee a modern photo of a restored bike means the bike in question is 100% correct.
Its like some of the stuff in the NMM; an awful lot of them have glaring errors in the detail; no problem but folk tend to assume its there because its the finest example. [and you try pointing out that such and such bike has someone elses silencer on it,out the door with you chum].
The same thing goes for bikes in magazines; they all vary wildly from , and I use the word carefully, original spec.
If you want an accurate guide you need a photo or other documents of the era.
I have been down this route and these days its damn near impossible to do.
I once got a 100 point award from Bob Currie at Founders day; I could do it because I had a shop full of obselete old stock; I could not do it again, even if I had the medication.
Even if you found your year specific screws [and maybe that batch had Bowden not Amal levers?] you will still defeat your own object on the rest of the bike.
Common things.
non stove enamel finish
stainless steel fittings
bad tank lining
wrong material on oil fuel lines
socket head screws
plastic covered wiring harness
Jointing compound showing
Bending machine marks in the exhaust
metric studs on after market exhausts
wrong control cable material
NGK plugs or cap
any electrical mod such as transistor rectifer or 12 volt.
unlined wheel rims
waterslide transfers.

you want me to go on?

Every ones an expert
The experts are often wrong.

Don Madden · Post by **Don Madden** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:40 pm

I restored my 1961 G12CSR to original spec, easy since it was very original when I got it, except for color & excess chrome plating. I put on the original Amal dual controls, Lucas switches & headlamp, etc. I showed it & got some nice comments but no award as on close inspection some light scratches could be seen on the original fittings.

I sold the bike, & the new owner re-restored it with pattern controls, headlamp unit, & other things that were nicer but different from original. He displayed it at the same show the next year & won the prize for best AJS/Matchless.

Cheers, Don.

Rick.Edwards · Post by **Rick.Edwards** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:15 pm

Bet you didn't lose any sleep over it though Don.

Don Madden · Post by **Don Madden** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:05 pm

Nah! But I hope he keeps the original stuff to preserve the history. Even better if he has the items re-finished & puts them back on. It was the only one of my bikes that I returned to original. Great expense, but it was so close, I did not want to destroy the history.

Cheers, Don.