Project MEC 2

I started this about two years ago before I had a bad accident, and with my ongoing health issues have only recently got back to finish it.
This started when I was looking at a Villiers 7F 98cc two stroke engine that my father bought in 1957. It was used on a mower, a home made boat and finally on a firewood saw bench. I inherited the saw bench in early 1980's when my grandfather gave up firewood and have been using it every winter since. Recently I put a bigger blade on the saw and fitted a 6.5hp CHonda engine to drive it, which left the Villiers sitting in the corner. I thought I might be able to make a bike with it in the style of a 1930's little commutor bike.
I rounded up a few parts I had laying around.

These are the original forks from my 1937 Royal Enfield that I considered too rusty to be used on RE.

To strengthen the forks I used some 10mm tubing and tack welded to the insides with some thicker plates top and bottom to hold axel and link bolts.


The Yamaha front mudguard had a few problems that needed attention.

Some small metal bits braised into position and some filler had it looking nice.

 

With the fork legs fixed I then bought a 12mm left hand thread tap, die and a 12mm reamer to make new top links for the girder forks. The original were 7/16th so to take them to 12mm wasn't a big step, but was enough to get back to good metal. I made new links and after getting the threads correct was able to assemble the forks.
I was given the little two speed 1921 Douglas TS350 gearbox. It looked like it had been sitting the bottom of a dam for years and took nearly a week to get it apart.

After a good clean up I was able to get it working and selecting low and high gears.

I used the clutch and main shaft from a 200cc Yamaha wreck and made alloy plates to hold a tube I had machined to take the clutch. One of the bearings I wanted to used was just a bit too small to fit the shaft so I packed it full of grease and put in the lathe. I then used a dremel with grinding stone to take a couple of thousands out of the inner.

Lining bits up.

I made a smaller flywheel for the crank and converted the Yamaha clutch to chain drive, with a second chain to the gearbox.

 

I made the frame from bits of tubing I had on hand and took to blasters before home to paint. The steering head is made from 40nb and 50nb pipe welded together and machined to fit some used trailer hub bearings.

Using a front wheel from a Suzuki, a rear from a Kawasaki AG bike, one Honda and one Yamaha footpegs, Rear guard from Honda 125, petrol tank from Honda K1 XL250, headlight from Luna scooter, handle bars, levers, seat, etc from ebay.

 

I wanted a 1930's looking muffler. I had a Kawasaki baffle I had found on the side of the road one day, and I wanted to try hydo-forming so got some .9mm sheet and cut out a shape that I thought might work.

I welded together and put a fitting in the end that would fit to my pressure washer.

A couple of pulls of the trigger and I couldn't believe how easy it worked.

I cut out the fitting and put in a short bit of tube to take the engine pipe and a piece at the rear for the baffle. Some taps with a hammer to get straight and fitted nicely.

 

With the painting done it was assembly time. The engine fires up easily, gears, brakes, clutch, etc work. Lights and switches all good so time for a little ride around front yard before draining the petrol and putting on the wall.

 

With a modified engine crane. Strap through front and rear wheels.