Cripes! What have I done now?

[ruffgeezer]

Well this little lady has been a-slumbering for a long time now, born in the 40's, her heyday has long since passed.

I have know of her whereabouts for several years, but now that the Ruffshack^tm is finished, I have been itching for a something new to get stuck into, and she's only a little one...

 

I have done a little bit of research on the model, and have turned up one or two sources for parts, I really just want to prove to myself that I have what it takes to bring a shed find around to something that is usable.

 

So here is where she's been hiding for over 40 years:

 

And after a little bit of digging, we can see a bit more;

 

If ever there were something to attach the phrase "basket case" to, this would be it.

 

 

I have more pictures, I will add them later, if there is enough interest in this old lady's frilly underneath bits!

[scruff]

Oh lovely!

[Lord Sterling]

Ha! This takes bikeshite to new extremes.

[trigger]

Wow!, I look forwards to seeing the progress on this. What is it?.

[Jim Bell]

That looks amazing.

 

+1, what is it?

[Junkman]

No matter what it is, you've just won.

[Richard]

It's something pretty basic, judging by the forks, the little engine and afterthought pillion seat and pegs. I don't think it's a BSA Bantam but it's something in that class. I'm looking forward to seeing how it progresses.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

That'll be great, just needs the metal parts and the rubber parts replacing. 

 

Keep us updated, please!

[overrun]

Holy Cow! That's Gas Monkey style. Yow!!

 

Get it running, replace what is necessary, and roll as is.

[beko1987]

excellent! Moar infos asap please...

[jmsguzzi]

That looks great. Good luck!

[hairnet]

id in progress badge says RTS i think trying to dig right now *anorak* *perv*

[hairnet]

phail prolly been there since the old style logbook were out so no go

 

plate could probably be saved tho......

 

worcestershire registered........

[CreepingJesus]

Cool! Looks like a little 50cc stroker from here. Identity has me stumped too. I thought BSA too, but the tank badge looks like something else. Only other 3 letter makers of the period I can recall would be AJS + AEW. Neither of them built economy strokers...

[ruffgeezer]

You are all looking at the badge wrongly, just as I did when I first discovered her, try looking again at the negative image...

 

Sadly, the paint has fallen off of the rear number plate, but in all honesty that is probably the least of my worries!

 

 

 

I'm told she spent some time with her nose in a hedge hence the rather grotty front end, we shall see if there is anything to salvage...

 

 

 

I think it'll need a new wheel mind;

[Rusty Pelican]

Autoshite has been won , game over .

What a corker of a bike .

Moar please.

[Vin]

worcestershire registered........

 

'VL' is a Lincoln number, so still in it's 'home' county...

 

Certainly an interesting project...Good Luck with it RG.

[ruffgeezer]

Could it be a Royal Enfield 'Flying Flea'?

 

Close enough, this is the civilian version, the 125 RE, from 1946 with the original buff log book along with a modern V5c too, happy days!

[vulgalour]

So the plan is to bolt an intact wheel on, spray everything with WD40 and pray it'll get you to the testing station, yes?  Does this even need a test?

[Split_Pin]

I havent got the foggiest about bikes but this looks like a brave and exciting project!

[Junkman]

Hmmmm...

 

 

You know what I mean.

[garethj]

What an awesome machine.  I think you could debate about replacing the front wheel or not.

 

Does it run?  Another trifling issue, I know

[Guest Breadvan72]

Kindly close the internet.  After this, it is no longer needed. 

[Angrydicky]

This is superb 

[Sean]

Good luck with that, agree with the sentiment it needs only the bare minimum of new parts to get it road worthy then just run as is!

[ruffgeezer]

Well the first stumbling block is the missing kick start, although this may be a clue as to it's original lay up.

[John F]

Epic.

 

You could have that front wheel rebuilt with a new rim & spokes using the existing hub (although admittedly it would look a bit strange if you intend to ride it as a rat bike).

[ruffgeezer]

I think I'll have to get the rear wheel rebuilt too, as the spokes on it are quite grotty.

 

Main priorities are to free up the gear selector and see if the engine will turn over, I've found a good (new) parts supplier so I'll have a worst case scenario price list for all the parts it MUST have.

 

I've not really got any intentions as to rat bike or what have you, it'll just be a survivor look bike I reckon.

 

If anyone does have any old bike bits stashed, please do let me know, there is a lot I'm going to need for this one I'm sure.

[ruffgeezer]

I'm going to leave this here so I can remind myself of what the bike should look like:

 

 

Someday, one day, maybe.

 

I'm going to book it in for Spilsby Show 2015, it'll be there in one way or another!

 

By the way, I should also add, I've never ridden a motorcycle on the road, in fact the total sum of my experience is repeatedly stalling a knackered Suzuki dirt bike on my Father-in-Law's farm.

[nigel bickle]

Taxed worse etc etc etc

 

Bloody lovely. Quite jealous