madness this way lies

[Blue Duck]

There's a reason you aren't allowed to transport  lithium ion and Lipo batteries in large quantities by air! 

Just one.

 

[phil d]

I have found the "solution"

I read of someone that restored an old trolley bus. To power it, he tows a trailer with a diesel generator. It is still legally classed as an electric vehicle, and he legally uses red diesel to power the gennie.

So the solution to the range issue is tow a trailer with a diesel genny running. Not even any emissions test needed.

Until you leave it parked up and a pikey drives past, we all know about their love for nicking genny's.

 

[Lurch]

This is whole thing is pointless nonsense anyway. As someone pointed out, diesel vehicles will most likely be in decline anyway as other technologies develop so this ruling is like banning new vehicles from being steam powered.

Well it seems someone's happy at the decision

Link trimming service activate.

https://www.indeed.co.uk/m/viewjob?jk=6396a15bfe9fb616&

 

[phil d]

This is whole thing is pointless nonsense anyway. As someone pointed out, diesel vehicles will most likely be in decline anyway as other technologies develop so this ruling is like banning new vehicles from being steam powered.

Link trimming service activate.

https://www.indeed.co.uk/m/viewjob?jk=6396a15bfe9fb616&

It beggars belief that the government can even consider doing this, considering all the problems that we are facing.

There's no money in the pot to pay for police, so they're being cut , there's no money for the NHS,people are going to food banks, because they can't manage, we've lots of homeless, the list of problems is endless, we keep being told it's austerity, and we're all in it together, times are hard, the country is struggling.

Amazingly TM, managed to find the cash as a bung for the DUP, there's money for the HS2,which nobody seems to want! We still appear to have cash to give to "poorer" countries, a lot of whom don't actually need it.It strikes me that all these people care about when they gain power, is making a name for themselves, regardless of how.

Years ago you had the likes of Aneurin Bevan, founded the NHS, an excellent idea,I'm sure you'd all agree,we had other people who did other great things that helped change millions of lives for the better (they banned sending young kids up chimneys, or down the mines remember).

Then we had Thatcher, see killed off the mines, Blair, led us into a war in Iraq, we're still dealing with it's consequences, now we have May, she's successfully managed to increase personal debt, increase food banks, and cause misery to many many people. My how times have changed.

 

[Sharpend]

Strangely enough there is no need for all this debt & poverty, it can all be changed in one easy change, if only they were brave enough to do so or more to the point if they really wanted too. 

 

[Tony S]

More research needs to go in to hydrogen fuel cells. 

 

[steptoe]

This is whole thing is pointless nonsense anyway. As someone pointed out, diesel vehicles will most likely be in decline anyway as other technologies develop so this ruling is like banning new vehicles from being steam powered.

Link trimming service activate.

https://www.indeed.co.uk/m/viewjob?jk=6396a15bfe9fb616&

I could work for a company like that

Although you will be working remotely, when you are in the office , we have  a fully stocked bar.

 

[rapparee]

I could work for a company like that

You need to be a hero who can do anything, so that rules you out steps 

 

[steptoe]

You need to be a hero who can do anything, so that rules you out steps 

:slap

:yellowcard

 

[apprentice87]

what is it John ?  150/175,?

I used to have one of those,, 

Hi Steps,

I got this bike by a miracle!! It was first registered in Bournemouth on Thursday the 21st of May 1959.

In the early afternoon of Thursday, the 29th of June, 2017, I looked, just by chance, on the Francis Barnett owners club website. There was a post there entitled "Dismantled Falcon 81 available" that had been posted at 10.25am, [just a short while earlier] by a man called Ian.

The post read;

"In about 1976, I dismantled and stored my then working Falcon 81, and have it stored in my garage. It is available for collection, to some-one who wants to rebuild. I believe I have all the components still. It is a Falcon 81, 197cc, NFX 723, first registered May 1959, frame nos AN86459W;  Engine nos 662B4048. Registered on V5 as 'not licensed'. Location, in East Sussex. I don't want payment, but prefer it goes to a worthy case"

I sent a reply immediately, and, after some correspondence,  Ian decided that he would like to give it to me!!

I asked Ian about the history of the bike and he told me that ;

"I bought the bike in 1971, to get to work. I was 17 and filling in a year before going to university. After graduating, I moved away from home, but left the bike there. My father, who was always making or repairing things, decided to strip the bike down and stored it (I must admit, I had forgotten about it, and assumed he had sold it). Anyway, when he had to move house, and I helped him clear it out, we came across the bike, I felt pressured into keeping it, so I moved it into my garage, where it's been for the last 10 years or so. There is also some spares: a couple of barrels, gearbox, and a 'damaged' engine."

I asked Ian what he had used the bike for, and he told me that;

"John,

I did about 10 miles each way around Weymouth. Only way to get around with all the summer traffic.

Did that for about 4 years, before and during University holidays. University was in London, so I didn't take the bike up"

Anyway, on the beautiful sunny morning of Wednesday the 5th of July 2017 I went and got it from his house, not far from Uckfield in east Sussex.

The house was beautiful!! I asked Ian what it was that he did in university, as he was obviously very good at it and he told me that he was a "Geophysicist" He was involved finding oil deposits for oil companies..

The bike was in great condition and we piled it all into the car.

Ian had the original engine for the bike that was described as damaged. It had blown up and the con rod was missing and had poked a hole through the crankcases. It also came with two spare barrels, one of which I believe was from the damaged engine, as, from the marks on it was fitted to the motor when it blew up. So far as I know when Ian bought the bike in 1971/2, the motor had already been damaged and a different engine fitted. This engine was complete. It was a Villiers 9E, that, according to the paperwork that came with the  bike, dated from 1961. This engine had an unusual engine number too, 078D 4687. I could not at first, find what bike this engine had been originally fitted to, but it turns out that actually, it was not fitted to a bike at all. This engine number was issued to Villiers 9E engines supplied to an aeroplane equipment makers called "Aero Controls" of Industrial Estate, Weedon Road, Northampton. Apart from parts for aeroplanes they also made Go-karts, very good ones as it happens, and it turns out that my engine was taken from one of these and is indeed is from 1961. I actually have a copy of a road test of just this same kart from Aero Controls!!

I also have the last MOT for this bike!! It was issued on the 22nd of June 1975 and it ran out on the 21st of June 1976. In addition, I also have the last tax disc too. It was taken out on the 24th of June 1974, and it ran out at the end of May, 1975. The recorded mileage was 32,951 miles.

All very very interesting stuff!!

I have had it a few weeks now, and have nearly finished the"bike" part, as it was stripped down to the last nut and bolt. This weekend i am rebuilding the rngine, and hope to have it on the road by tuesday..

I have not tried to "restore" it in anyway, just to put it back as it was in 1976

john..

View attachment 8643

View attachment 8644

 

[ruston]

That is a nice interesting story , and I am glad it has gone to a caring home .

 I had an Excelsior that looked very similar to that with the tank gear change and Villiers engine given to me when I was  13.

 Alas we move around so much following the work , I ended up giving it to a neighbour - to get to work on.

 I hope you get a lot of pleasure out of it.  I did with mine . I spent many hours working on it , learning from my Dad - golden memories...

 

[roys]

That's a nice looking bike John, I also like the fact you have the history.

 

[steptoe]

Very interesting @apprentice87

When you say not restored it, have you not replaced any parts,? Bearings and such,?

I do assume you've cleaned the fuel components and tank.,,,,

Its a very nice looking bike,

 

[ProDave]

SWMBO had a 1940's bike, I forget it's name but had a 125 villiers Engine. It had the nickname "clockwork mouse" for some reason.  We never had the time to get it back on the road, it was all there but the engine needed rebuilding. It was sold to a cousin who still has it but I don't think it is yet back on the road.  That had a 3 speed tank mounted gear change.

 

[Lurch]

Ian decided that he would like to give it to me

Giggity.

 

[apprentice87]

Very interesting @apprentice87

When you say not restored it, have you not replaced any parts,? Bearings and such,?

I do assume you've cleaned the fuel components and tank.,,,,

Its a very nice looking bike,

Hi Steps, the only thing missing was one tank badge, and i had one of them!!

All i did was to clean off all the bits of the thing, fit new rear shock bushes as they were perished, a new rear sprocket as the original was the wrong one [50T instead of 48] and looks to be for a wider chain] [which meant i had to get a new front sprocket and chain too] and a battery. That was all so far as the bike was concerned. it had brand new tyres on it, and, since it has been in the dark all these years, they were ok.

The tank was still shiny inside, but i have washed it out and i am fitting a small inline filter. I will give the carb a check, but as the whole bike was in bits, the carb was in a box with no fuel in it, so is fine!!

For the moment i am putting another 10E motor in it, as the bits to sort the original 10E are more than i wanted to spend right now, [but will before long] I could have put the 9E that was in it last back in, but it would be the wrong engine for the bike, even though you can "convert" it to a 10E just by fitting different primary chaincase and timing cover.

The motor and gearbox that is going in the bike for the moment is in bits right now, as i have stripped it to check it over, and am fitting a new primary chain, and a kickstart pawl in the gearbox, just to make sure it is all correct.. i do not want to do the main bearings on it as you need, or at least it would be nice to have the proper factory tools for changing them. I am going to make all the tools as them i can do it without messing around with bearing separators and presses..

This is the 9E that was in it

View attachment 8647

 

[apprentice87]

Here is the original motor for the bike, the one that blew up some time before 1971!!

View attachment 8648