The engine currently in the bike isn't the original - its one from a pile of Bantams I acquired. I don't like it for the main reason that its jumping out of 2nd gear on the up change. Plus its a bit "slappy" but not really an issue, "they all do it"

Lurking in my shed, I had 2 rolling chassis' 2 assembled engines, extra (rusty) wheels, dubious (rusty) silencers, tanks, (rusty) mudguards an extra set of forks and a box with nearly 2 complete gear clusters..

In the short term, checking of all my usual old haunts for ageing Brit spares revealed nothing! So I've embarked on completely stripping all the spares I have. To prevent any further decay - The whole lot is being dismantled, degreased, cleaned and preserved properly (lightly oiled and greased).

I stripped the spare engines, including the original engine, to the last nut and bolt, spent most of a day doing it! One poor engine had a broken crankpin on the big end!!!! and a tooth broken off the layshaft 1st gear. The original engine, has a "o.k." crank but I don't like the look of the surface that runs in the centre of the generator - its quite pitted.... hmmm. ( the engine currently in Billy is increasingly looking like a crank donor) The case hardening has gone on 1/2 the teeth on the layshaft 1st gear. Not what I wanted to see! The 2 sets of crankcases have cleaned up immaculately, I admit to spending just that extra 10 minutes on the original cases, as they are going to get all the best bits, and be returned to Billy! I have 2 usable barrels and pistons, the original had obviously nipped at some point so the piston is going to need "a little polish" - As long as it doesn't slap too much after.... The other is a +30 thou oversize, nice rings and bore - but the piston is definitely higher mileage than the original's barrel & piston.

The engine build came to an abrupt end when Billy's forks started pissing out oil. Priority has shifted to stripping front ends to get the best set of stanchions, bushes and seals onto Billy. My god why didn't B.S.A. chrome plate the forks?

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