JohnMillham
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« Reply #150 on: 28 September, 2020, 06:45:23 PM » |
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I think 21 inch wheels are more like the original metric ones. There are a few choices of tyres in that size still available, including Michelin and Blockley.
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Mikenoangelo
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« Reply #151 on: 28 September, 2020, 08:37:40 PM » |
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Also consider Firestone and look at Longstone Tyres website where they list the actual dimension of tyre and tread width which can vary surprisingly between different brands.
I had Dunlop F4, size 5.25 x 21 on a Twenty Hp RR which were due for replacement but also in my opinion looked too fat so instead I fitted the Firestones which were slimmer and lightened the steering as well as looking better. They were perfectly OK and as well as being slightly slimmer than other makes and have a more period looking tread.
Also consider the rolling diameter which also varies, changing the effective gear ratio (MPH per 1000rpm)
Dunlop F4 are no longer made but there is an Ensign version which looks identical.
The competition style tyre with the square block tread tend to make more road noise than the tradition type of tread which may or may not worry you.
There is also a considerable variation in cost - Lucas tyres are very inexpensive but I have no experience of them.
Perhaps talk to Dougal Cawley at Longstone.
Mike
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Dikappa
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« Reply #152 on: 28 September, 2020, 09:56:19 PM » |
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Mike, indeed the Firestone caught my attention, and as you say it is much slimmer then the rest. The Longstone website is very infomative in this respect.
For wheels: is Richards Bros the way to go or are there others?
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davidwheeler
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« Reply #153 on: 28 September, 2020, 10:03:36 PM » |
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From the practical point of view, 4.50/500 x 20 is the size to go for. Looks pretty good, reasonably slim tyre and, most important of all, readily available and likely to be so for the forseeable future and at a reasonable price. My VIIth torpedo came from Oz on 500x22, now unobtainable. All I can find is 600 x 22 which is really too fat and extremely expensive. In fact, when the present set wears out it will be cheaper to rebuild the wheels 500 x 20! Colonial models did have bigger wheels and the 500 x 22 was the nearest equivalent to the original metric size. Nice high gearing though, needs the new alloy head to power it.
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David Wheeler. Lambdas, Aprilia, Fulvia Sport.(formerly Appia and Thema as well).
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Mikenoangelo
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« Reply #154 on: 29 September, 2020, 08:02:10 AM » |
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There is also Motor Wheel Services but I have no recent experience of them. Richards have done several good jobs for me and both firms have been around for a long time.
Mike
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Dikappa
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« Reply #155 on: 30 September, 2020, 06:28:28 PM » |
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David,
I have a 12/47 crownwheel/pinion set in the diff now, so I guess wheels should not be too big...it will indeed go between 19" or 20". Like the firestone option most I must admit as they are slim.
Nobody seems to know the original width of the rims....
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Dikappa
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Posts: 559
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« Reply #156 on: 02 October, 2020, 03:28:20 PM » |
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Further tyre investigations led me on the Blockley site. In general I find their racy profile a bit too much, but they now also have a 21" tyre: https://www.blockleytyre.com/product/440-450-x-21 which I find better looking and is rather slim with only 120 mm overall width. Diameter is 775 mm which is very close to what the original tyres were with 780 mm about (measured that on the press pic related to wheelbase) If Blockley is as good as they always shout out themselves (and I mean road use, I'm not a race man...) they offer very good value with this tyre. Has anyone here used them? |
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Dikappa
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Posts: 559
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« Reply #157 on: 05 October, 2020, 02:07:04 PM » |
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This weekend I took on something that had been lying around idle for way too long...window frames.
I had the steel laser cut months ago, but was a bit unsure how to proceed with welding (MIG or hard soldering) but after talking to an expert mig was the weapon of choice.
I drew reinforcements in the frames to prevent them distorting but in the end they came out quite well. I did the welding in short runs, and changed sides all the time, allowing cooling off time in between.
Sanding went well, it is a matter of working in an organised manner (NOT my strong point...) but here it really pays of.
The pivoting points still have to be welded in, but I did something wrong in the design so luckily I noticed in time...they are now ready for the laser again, still fighting with the drawing of the square windscreen though...
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Mikenoangelo
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« Reply #158 on: 05 October, 2020, 03:20:07 PM » |
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Magnificent work! My workshop is of wooden construction so I gave up welding when we moved here - I never was much good at it! Any silver soldering is done outdoors. Luckily we have a brilliant welder not too far away.
Mike
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simonandjuliet
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« Reply #159 on: 05 October, 2020, 03:45:22 PM » |
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Lovely , as always ....
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AmilcarCGS, ApriliaCabrio,S2Aprilia, 2xArdea c'cino,S4 Ardea, Appia c'cino, Appia f'cino,B20s4,R4 Sinpar, R4 Rodeo, 65 Moke, 3xR60 Tractor, 2xToselli 78, Moto Guzzi Ercole,LR Defender, Mini ALL4 JCW, Moto Guzzi Cardellino, Fulvia GT, RE Himalayan
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DavidLaver
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« Reply #160 on: 05 October, 2020, 03:51:54 PM » |
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Lovely. Just lovely...
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David Laver, Lewisham.
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Dikappa
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Posts: 559
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« Reply #161 on: 05 October, 2020, 05:01:59 PM » |
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Can anyone tell me how fine it should be polished before I can hand it to the plater? I have absolutely no knowledge....but I did get me a second hand polishing mill. Or is it good enough as it its now?
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Raahauge
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« Reply #162 on: 05 October, 2020, 07:21:38 PM » |
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Nice work. The plating will not change the finish to any significant degree, it will look like it does now except a different colour.
To get a good final finish it needs polishing so that it is difficult to tell whether or not it has been plated.
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frankxhv773t
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« Reply #163 on: 05 October, 2020, 10:28:02 PM » |
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I'd have thought the plater would be the best person to advise on that. I believe it is standard for them to polish the item anyway before plating (but I understand that you might want to do some of the work yourself rather than pay for someone else's labour).
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JohnMillham
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Posts: 1045
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« Reply #164 on: 06 October, 2020, 09:40:51 AM » |
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Further tyre investigations led me on the Blockley site. In general I find their racy profile a bit too much, but they now also have a 21" tyre: https://www.blockleytyre.com/product/440-450-x-21 which I find better looking and is rather slim with only 120 mm overall width. Diameter is 775 mm which is very close to what the original tyres were with 780 mm about (measured that on the press pic related to wheelbase) If Blockley is as good as they always shout out themselves (and I mean road use, I'm not a race man...) they offer very good value with this tyre. Has anyone here used them? Yes, I use them. They make the steering a bit heavier, but they certainly grip like mad. |
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