'67 BSA A65 Lightning

grandpaul

grandpaul

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Some time back, a few years ago, a guy got my number through a local all-brands dealer that knows I have old Brit bikes, and offered me a "twofer" deal on an old Triumph and an old BSA, plus some spare bike parts. He called me every few months wanting to sell, with the price going lower each time. Finally, he called with a price that matched my stack of play money, and we closed the deal.

What I ended up with was a "mostly" '62 Triumph 6T Thunderbird that kicked over, and a "mostly" '67 BSA A65L Lightning that seemed stuck.

This is what the BSA looked like when I got it, although it didn't have a seat when I picked it up (I had a spare one on the shelf)

'67 BSA A65 Lightning
 
I finally got around to messing with the BSA a few months ago and for some reason I took a look underneath the engine...

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


Brilliant, eh?

"Less hoses must be better"

I have my critics, but even I was very concerned about this.
 
(from late last year)

I got some parts swapping done, working with stuff I already had on the shelves.

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


Looks more like it ought to look, at least.
 
(from 2 weeks ago)

Here's a shot of the replacement lump I bought on BritBike.Com, although there's not much to see...

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


And these are the mufflers that ought to look 100% better than the baloney slice turn-out that are on it right now.

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


Since the last photo was taken, I've got original headlight mounting ears & bucket installed (no photo).

I figure one good weekend or a couple of good late nights once the lump arrives, and I'll FINALLY have a running, rideable BSA big twin for the first time in my life. It'll round out my "British big 3" (Triumph Norton BSA).
 
(yesterday)

Finally back home and managed to get in a little shop time this evening.

First order of business was to pull the tank, exhaust and carbs...

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


'67 BSA A65 Lightning


Many spider webs, egg bundles and whatnot...

'67 BSA A65 Lightning
 
Rockerbox looks to be in fair shape-

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


Made a few notes before double-checking against the book during re-assembly-

'67 BSA A65 Lightning
 
Can you tell which cylinder's exhaust valve was left open?

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


Apparently the PO was trying in vain to pour oil (or whatever) into the stuck cylinder...

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


That's as far as I got in only an hour and a half, although I had to wrangle the bike from the garage to the shop, set it on the lift, tie it down, and then haul the new lower lump from my office around back to the shop rear door, to have it close by for inspection tomorrow evening.

At least it was only in the 90s, and the little A/C unit fired right up after about 8 months since it was last used.

Baby steps...
 
Are the pipes in the first picture ' t. T. ' pipes , that fit in under the frame rails ?? DONT loose THEM . :shock:

The Devimead Bike ran long scrawney ones like that ; on their Road racer .

Youll have to throw the Stands AWAY , and fit Folding Footrests . As they all drag . :P :)

P.Eskie Comrade , the Front Brake is the GOOD One , Their . And the Forks should Have the Two Way Damping .
good Steady beast . Not quite as nimble as a bonnevil , Idea to fit a Oil Pressure Guage .So you can tell if the timeing side main is out to lunch .
If the clearance is gone their , the big ends come off second best . Reving the snot out of it thus gets a positively ventilated crankcase /
rod through the side . :cry: Timing cover off you might get a clonk lifting the crank , if the clearance isnt as they made it .

A Ancient Classic Bike mag. had pictures of Chis Vincents cylinder head . with the SS duke like ports & valves . Not slow a good one .
Mufflers up & in or suchlike , no point turning them into sparks . Theyre the Straigh Through ' glasspac' ones , I presume . :twisted:

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


O.K. WHAT is the Original Engine No ??????????????? a ' H ' & or HHC or ' C ' in their , olde chape .
 
BSA seemed to change the tanks e.t.c. according to the seasons, or, as one pundit quoted, what mood the foreman was in that day. I have even seen one with a big red Spitfire tank emulating as a wolf in sheep’s clothing - hope the following helps you as you almost have an endless choice, if you are not trying to get it to look as if it came straight out of the factory;

http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/pictures/1 ... ghtning-2/
http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/pictures/1 ... ghtning-2/

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=BSA ... ORM=HDRSC2
 
Matt Spencer said:
Are the pipes in the first picture ' t. T. ' pipes , that fit in under the frame rails ?

O.K. WHAT is the Original Engine No ??????????????? a ' H ' & or HHC or ' C ' in their , olde chape .
Click to expand...

It's a definite '67 Lightning (-Y model). Replacement lump is '66, no biggie. The pipes are NOT TT, they are standard.

Maybe get out in the shop after work (if I'm lucky), to inspect cylinders, pistons, cams & followers.

The tank is not correct for the year, but easy to adapt with a couple of hand-formed brackets.
 
Interesting police bike photo.
Those bikes have Lucas turn indicators and the latest front brakes.
Maybe 1973?
 
Engine and frame are now divorced.

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


One of the rear frame brackets was bolted in at the top, but set on the outside of the lower mount nut. Also, one of the rear through-bolts was missing.

Started with 1/4" drive sockets set on the cylinder studs all the way around and started pounding on the pistons with a 5# sledge and a custom-made "big bearing" spacer tube for a Dreer Norton that has large round threaded lugs that sit on top of the piston dome real nice.

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


By this time I had graduated to taller 3/8" drive sockets and the pistons were moving right along. I marked and pulled the cam followers, they are in fair shape, a quick polishing will show whether they are better than the other set (I doubt it).
 
About an inch of travel where the pistons started out with the bottom of the skirts about 1/2" short of the base of the cylinder flanges.

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


A few more light slams and... walla! (that's voila for all you Francophiles)

'67 BSA A65 Lightning
 
Tomorrow will be decision time regarding which parts to use, then back together with the new(ish) lower end.

'67 BSA A65 Lightning


I am going to pull the other jugs and inspect bores, ring & piston gaps & clearances, and cam/follower condition.

The cam on the previously stuck engine is in good shape. The rods have a lot of slop. I WILL NOT be using the old lower end.

That's not bad for 2 hours on a nice 75 degree evening.
 

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