Association of ABC Enthusiasts
NEWSLETTER No. 1010, Jun. 2014
Referring back to the last line of Newsletter no. 1009, Keith and I did our best at ABC flag-flying, at the VMCC's Burton Parade event on 11.5.14. The machines performed well enough, but any flags were soon totally sodden…we rode through walls of water for most of our 85 miles! I discovered that my bike is fitted with foaming brake-linings, and had to rely on engine-braking for most of the way. Keith became worried by bevel-gear whine (I thought that this was entirely normal!) although subsequent inspection showed nothing untoward.
Issue of this number is a day or two late, as I was hoping for last-minute news from Keith about free entry tickets to Stanford Hall for the annual Founders Day event, in July. But no matter, I can easily email all of you as soon as there is news. (I see in the VMCC Journal for June that such tickets are on release through the Flattank Section, but, well, we have our own ABC pitch to occupy!)
At last we have a Skootamota owner among our ranks: welcome, Peter! I have just delved into some of the box-files presented by David Hales, and have found some Skootamota transfers, and patterns for chain guards. Could this be your lucky day? The second photo down is to confirm that although the core-interest of the present membership is the Sopwith model, we aren't blinkered to the charm of other ABC products! The archive also contains a Gilbert Campling Instruction Book for Users of the ABC Skootamota.
On the subject of transfers (ref. the query on Richard's behalf in the May issue) it seems that there should (also) be one on the rear mudguard, "approximately level with the centre of the rear wheel hub". This comes from a note concerning the "Application of Original ABC Transfers", written long ago by our Registrar. Overdue thanks, David!
I have received no intelligence on the matters of a valve-lifter mechanism that is compatible with a front-fitted Pilgim pump, nor of a chainguard being supplied as original equipment. To address the first point, Richard is looking into longer-than-standard lifter arms that will enable the cable to clear the pump, but will this reduce the actual valve-lift too much?
The headlamp of Richard's machine is fitted with what is surely an unusual bulb: it has twin filaments (yes, we've heard of them) but the one is Main Beam, and the other is a 3 watt Pilot! Could it in fact be a vintage motorcar brake/tail-lamp bulb?
Richard has sent me a hand-written translation of a French article about the Sopwith: the translation is sound, I think, but the original article is rather difficult to follow…a suggestion is made for instance that Stanley Woods once raced an ABC! I'll have to work on this, but anyway, many thanks, Richard.
Harking back to the mention in Newsletter no. 1007 of Sealing Rings for petrol-tank caps, Keith can now confirm that these (oval-section) rings, made of Viton rubber, do the job satisfactorily. Well, at about £13 each (inc. P & P) they really should! My own solution to this problem (see photo below) costs about 10P…it consists of a few inches of dia. 6 mm. X 1 mm. polythene tubing, tailored to length, with a bit of dia. 4 mm. tubing forming a joining-link, inserted with a wipe of araldite. Petrol will very slowly harden the tubing, but at that price, who can complain?
Aaah! Those were the days…I doubt that the vans contained Sopwith motorcycles, on their way to the Olympia exhibition or not, but as an exercise in flag-waving, this was as good as it got!
Can anyone enlarge on the time/place/background of this noble convoy? Autumn of 1919, I guess, but there is clearly much more to the story than that.
