"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
I puttered around today..and after ****ing with the Honda XL 350 for a
bit...decided to see if I could get the 1961 Indian Chief/Royal Enfield
700 Super Meteor/Constellation up and running.

After doing a bit of this and that, I got spark on both plugs. I
screwed them in, put a pint of gas in the tank, a new gas line and
double filters ...hey..its been 37 yrs....and turned on the gas. I
ticked the primer on the Amal Monoblock until it leaked gas, and turning
on the ignition toggle switch..found top dead center with the kick
starter and romped on it. Several times. About a dozen actually...and
then....Brawwummph...

I sprayed some WD 40 into the carby...tickled the primer again..and
finding top dead center...stomped on it....

Brawummmmmph..cough..choke...Brawmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmm....

I ran it for a few minutes, until the engine started to warm up, then
shut it off. pulled the plugs, sprayed some Kroil down each plug hole,
and kicked it over a few times. I came back to the bike an hour later,
kicked it over a few more times, then reinstalled the plugs, turned on
the gas, and forgetting to find top dead center, blew out the arch of my
right foot kicking it and getting a kickback. Limping back a few
minutes later, now properly clad in thick soled boots, I fired the old
girl up and let her run for a while, while I gently loosened up the
various banjo bolts lubing the head bits, and finding each putting out a
sufficient amount of oil (black as night)..tightened them back up.

now that the engine was warm and had circulated the oil a bit...at least
15 yrs or more..old...it was time to change the oil. I located the oil
drain on the starboard side of the engine..and attempted to remove it.
It is Whitworth.... the closest match was a 15/16 wrench..which
promptly started to round the head of the plug off. A good crescent
didnt work, a 23 mm didn work....Knippex 'channel locks" didnt work...so
i quite while there were still flats on the plug......this is gonna be
interesting to get out.

It doesnt help that the plug is behind the starboard exhaust down
tube.... cant get a socket on it....not until I pull that exhaust
pipe...rusty hardware.....not going to be fun......

I found out that parts are mostly available from Hitchcocks Motorcycle
parts in the UK. So when some of my clients start paying me again...net
45 sucks...will be placing an order for bits including that plug,
distributor cap, a level check plug on the transmission (somone rounded
that off a bit.....points etc.

But damn...while the carby needs a tear down and cleaning...idles too
high...it sure as hell sounds NICE. semi megaphone pipes and sounds
totally different than a Harley...but a deep throated rumble...almost
Triumph sounding.

It went into gear Hard..but it went into gear...I really need to drain
that transmission and refill...and IRRC..most of the brit bikes Ive
owned many years ago, needed to be kicked into gear..no syncros...and
the idle was a bit high..shrug

37 yrs..and I finally started it for the first time in all the years Ive
owned it....damn...felt good....a milestone. Now that I know the old
girl hummmm are Brit bikes boys or girls??? The old chap...?
anyways....now that I know it runs and there isnt much wrong with it...I
pushed it into shelter, tarped it over and it will be waiting for me tis
winter when Im ready to dig in and fix her up properly,..and by then Ill
have found a headlamp and fgured out how to mount it on the forks,
switches for the handlebars etc etc.

Im looking forewards to that project.

Yesterday I figred out the wiring for the BMW R90/6 ignition switch that
had been cannibalized and stuck on anothe bike by a tweaker...and if I
dont get called in to So. Cal tommorow..will try to get Trudy runnng.
master cylinder for the front disk brakes is leaking, she needs new fuel
lines/filters etc etc but she should fire up. All the handlebar switches
need removal and cleaning lubing etc....once I get her running, it will
be time to mask off the engine, rattle can paint the frame, put new
rubber on her and repair the Luftmeister fairing and saddle bags. Its
the usual Bmw blue with white pinstripes, but have been considering
repainting it Afrika Corps colors with the AC palm tree logo on the
sides of the gas tank.....g


Gunner

"They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist..."
Maj. Gen. John Sedgewick, killed by a sniper in 1864 at the battle of
Spotsylvania

I wish I had a transfusion of your blood! You have so much more ambition
than I!