Unexpected New Motorcycle Jame Cadet 1956 Rebuild

[milly]

Well today went to drop off 10x 250w solar panels to my son to go with his other 5, had 2 myself as must need them for something but I do not know what yet but at £100 for 11 cannot say no. They had blown over after being stood upright and the glass is not very healthy but something will be coated on that and they all work still.

On the return trip the trailer was empty so had to put something in it. Wife and daughter both did face palm when I got home but not sure what I will do with it may put in modern engine and wheels/forks after checking out silly prices for the vintage stuff.

Its a 1955 james Captain or cadet which uses the Villiers 125 or 150 2t engine

Off to the depths of the unit till others are finished off me thinks.

[pinkscoot]

Another nice find.

[milly]

Indeed pinkscoot I think I am in for a long haul getting this one together 😊

[aeroxbud]

That's a nice blank canvas. You could go quite a few ways building this.

[milly]

Yes after checking flea bay for footrests average price £45 dead and clapped out villers engines which look like they lived in a muddy puddle for years£200 missing parts what appears to be unobtainable rear sprockets I may well look at some wheels from old Chinese bikes the Honda cg125 type clones. My mate said I can borrow bits off him to try on the one he has stripped.

[FrankenMech]

How long will you be hiding from the wife?

[milly]

May 29, 2020 19:29:56 GMT -5 FrankenMech said:

How long will you be hiding from the wife?

No worries about this one she knows FrankenMech 😃

[FrankenMech]

She might know, but she may be loading your food with soap, or waiting for you to go to sleep, -then snip.... Hehe

[milly]

Well another suprise today i got me another and looking at the pics between the two and parts diagrams think I have enough to make a decent one and move the other bits on ebay, still short of front footrests though.I was also suprised the rear suspension is positioned like shock absorbers but is only springs bit like a plunger set up and it appears the forks dont take oil only grease as the parts book shows 2 x 3/16" bsf nipples each side. Best I start looking for a selection box of mixed nuts and bolts of the bsf and bsw variety, something I do not have much of these days.

[aeroxbud]

Excellent work. What sort of condition is the engine in?

[FrankenMech]

Sometimes the US SAE nuts, bolts, and pipe etc fittings are close enough to the old British stuff they will interchange.

[milly]

May 30, 2020 18:48:30 GMT -5 aeroxbud said:

Excellent work. What sort of condition is the engine in?

Says it turns over and selects gears new piston and rings but expect will need to plonk in frame and give it a test.

[milly]

May 30, 2020 20:17:42 GMT -5 FrankenMech said:

Sometimes the US SAE nuts, bolts, and pipe etc fittings are close enough to the old British stuff they will interchange.

That's good to know FrankenMech thanks

[milly]

Just got to await courier to contact me and then collect.

[milly]

Courier been put rolling chassis in unit for now. Tonight I started taking engine appart. Piston on backwards barrel scored and the spare barrel in same place corks gone on clutch, primary chain split link facing wrong way round ( not sure if they meant to be a continuos chain ) not sure of lighting coils on mag, carb crusty, small end bush needs repacing and mains. Not stripped gearbox yet do that another day. Took bears off the 3 crank ones are std. SKF's 6206. Think the most expensive will be the big end bearing, also need to find a reamer for the small end doubt if bushes come as the correct size.
Still I have a list of parts and may put it away in the unit for now and start on the frame sorting, already ordered lots of odds and ends.