Oddball engines and prototypes

[Grumph]

Here is a real oddball Porsche 911 head bolts onto BSA B50

Makes you wonder if anyone has done the upgrade to a 911 and fitted six of the Rickman/Weslake head kits....

Edit - for those not of an age to remember, Weslake did a bolt on head and barrel kit for the B40/441 Victor which took them out to 500cc. Marketed by the Rickman bros.
Having seen a 911 head, a BSA B50 head and the Rickman kit, I'd reckon there's nothing between the 911 and stock BSA except casting quality - shapes are very similar. But the Weslake developed 2V head is superior to both IMO.
Finding them now could be a problem...No idea if Nourish had the patterns.

[WilDun]

Weslake did a bolt on head and barrel kit for the B40/441 Victor which took them out to 500cc.
Having seen a 911 head, a BSA B50 head and the Rickman kit, I'd reckon there's nothing between the 911 and stock BSA except casting quality

Amazing! - So which company produced the best quality castings?- Porsche I guess?

[Grumph]

Amazing! - So which company produced the best quality castings?- Porsche I guess?

Yes, Porsche obviously had big money invested in dies. BSA were pretty good for the era - the Birmingham area was well known for foundries as you'd remember Will.
Weslake in the late 60's onward were good too. I seem to remember in Harry's autobiography reading that they took over a local foundry to keep quality control in house. I've seen a few Weslakes and without exception the foundry work was top class.

[tjbw]

I was quite impressed by the quality of castings on the AJS Porcupine. There's one on display at the Sammy Miller museum, New Milton England. Also on various Bristol sleeve valve radial aero engines, some on display at Science museum, London.

[husaberg]

Makes you wonder if anyone has done the upgrade to a 911 and fitted six of the Rickman/Weslake head kits....

Edit - for those not of an age to remember, Weslake did a bolt on head and barrel kit for the B40/441 Victor which took them out to 500cc. Marketed by the Rickman bros.
Having seen a 911 head, a BSA B50 head and the Rickman kit, I'd reckon there's nothing between the 911 and stock BSA except casting quality - shapes are very similar. But the Weslake developed 2V head is superior to both IMO.
Finding them now could be a problem...No idea if Nourish had the patterns.

from memory another crowd did a 4v head as well?

I would have though the BSA was likely better in flow, BSA always had pretty decent heads esp combustion chambers compared to Triumphs and other era stuff.
The Triumph twins were just a bit sturdier and had those two cams to play with.
The B25 head is first class almost thoroughly modern looking head design just cams mounted underneath.
the B25 also has eccentric rockers rather than traditional screw and locknut.
Shame they cheapened out on the oilpump and filter set up.


Someone else (I think) also did a speedway version of the BSA.

edit CCM did one.


http://www.b50.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3640

[Grumph]

from memory another crowd did a 4v head as well?

Someone else (I think) also did a speedway version of the BSA.

edit CCM did one

The factory did the first speedway B50. One of the contracted trials riders was a pro speedway rider too so he got the job of trying it, lol.

Pretty sure all the experimental stuff wound up at CCM. That guy in the forum link putting a CX head on one makes me laugh. Almost as much as when an Adelaide macchi customer told me he was building a CX post classic racebike...I don't think he ever finished it.

[husaberg]

The factory did the first speedway B50. One of the contracted trials riders was a pro speedway rider too so he got the job of trying it, lol.

Pretty sure all the experimental stuff wound up at CCM. That guy in the forum link putting a CX head on one makes me laugh. Almost as much as when an Adelaide macchi customer told me he was building a CX post classic racebike...I don't think he ever finished it.

Sorry the CCM edit was about the 4valve head.
Its mention in there somewhere
haha those CX heads are twisted as well.
I used to love just looking at the CCM primary covers. Form follows function.

[pete376403]

Yes, Porsche obviously had big money invested in dies. BSA were pretty good for the era - the Birmingham area was well known for foundries as you'd remember Will.
Weslake in the late 60's onward were good too. I seem to remember in Harry's autobiography reading that they took over a local foundry to keep quality control in house. I've seen a few Weslakes and without exception the foundry work was top class.

My Weslake speedway motor was pretty rough (castings finish-wise), especially when compared to the 4v Jawa that replaced it. (early versions of both) I did a rebuild on one of the OHC Wessies, that was a bit better than the 4v pushrod one that I had.

Also halfway down this page is a pic that looks like a B31/33 BSA with a 4 valve twin cam Jawa head and barrel
https://www.flickr.com/photos/309200...57629892320000

[pete376403]

Someone else (I think) also did a speedway version of the BSA.

edit CCM did one.


http://www.b50.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3640

That cylinder head looks a whole lot like the pushrod Weslake I used to race.

[husaberg]

That cylinder head looks a whole lot like the pushrod Weslake I used to race.

It sure could be, I have no idea, I was only going by the text. It said the Westlake was a bit poos compared to the CCM.

[Grumph]

My Weslake speedway motor was pretty rough (castings finish-wise), especially when compared to the 4v Jawa that replaced it. (early versions of both) I did a rebuild on one of the OHC Wessies, that was a bit better than the 4v pushrod one that I had.

Also halfway down this page is a pic that looks like a B31/33 BSA with a 4 valve twin cam Jawa head and barrel

The pushrod singles were always a bit rough round the edges. They got caught out by the demand and never had the time to go back and tidy up the patterns.
The later engines like the parallel twins were very well finished.
Guy I know mechaniced for Poole Pirates who were used by the factory as a test team and talks of Harry turning up at practises to see how a new cam or whatever went. Nice guy and very approachable.

[WilDun]

After seeing the videos etc. of the Suter two stroke to be ridden at the IOM TT by Ian Lougher, I am really quite impressed.
I really love the sound and with a power to weight ratio right off the planet as it will no doubt have, with a bit more development it'll be a fantastic machine....... but after these last few years of no smoke from exhausts, that cloud of smoke at the start etc. will not go down well with the general public or the four stroke brigade! - quite frankly I believe that really does matter for the future of the two stroke, whether we (ie the two stroke brigade) like it or not!

Maybe it's time to drag out the 3 cylinder Bill Buckley racer (BSL) and try again with Bruce Anstey on board!

[husaberg]

Sutter ..........why not one of these Bantams crossed with Ariel Arrow and RG500.
It looks like there are a few versions.

[Grumph]

The extra shock in the frame has me baffled...

[Ocean1]

The extra shock in the frame has me baffled...

Given what he's using for the rest of the bike he's probably just making best use of a pair of half fucked second hand shocks and a half fucked monoshock...


Edit: or compensating for the difference between what he weighed back then and what he does now.