Commando motor into es2 slimline

65tiger · Nov 9, 2022

I have a spare cradle for the Commando. Couldn't I use the profile of one side to rough out the basic shape of my engine plates on cardboard? Then all the funky twists and turns of the engine plates would be accurate. I could expand or delete where necessary. Just a thought...

ashman · Nov 10, 2022

65tiger said:
I have a spare cradle for the Commando. Couldn't I use the profile of one side to rough out the basic shape of my engine plates on cardboard? Then all the funky twists and turns of the engine plates would be accurate. I could expand or delete where necessary. Just a thought...

Yes it's how I did mine.

65tiger · Nov 17, 2022

Just to round out this great thread. I scored a commando cradle for $20. My thinking is to slice and dice it and use it as
My engine plates. I can weld it as required and the trans holes and engine holes will be in the right places already. Also it's the correct thickness. Thoughts?

t ingermanson · Nov 17, 2022

65tiger said:
Just to round out this great thread. I scored a commando cradle for $20. My thinking is to slice and dice it and use it as
My engine plates. I can weld it as required and the trans holes and engine holes will be in the right places already. Also it's the correct thickness. Thoughts?

My first thought is that there might be more of a heat affected zone than you'd want on something constantly vibrating, but, only one way to find out!

Worst that happens is it cracks and you'll have a perfect template for 2.0.

ashman · Nov 20, 2022

65tiger said:
Just to round out this great thread. I scored a commando cradle for $20. My thinking is to slice and dice it and use it as
My engine plates. I can weld it as required and the trans holes and engine holes will be in the right places already. Also it's the correct thickness. Thoughts?

That is what I did when I first converted my Commando to the Featherbed just welded a few extra bits to fit the rear frame mounts, I ran it like that for a few years I made new rear plates when I had access to a oxy profile cutter machine and free steel, I take pics of them tomorrow and post them up, they are hanging on my shed wall with a set of alloy plates, making new plates you can cut a bit out and looks neater., you still got to make front plates to suite as well a head stay, I have mine all set up to be able to lift the motor, GB, primary and all bottom engine plates out of the frame all together in one lift.

Ashley

Thomasa · Nov 20, 2022

In all this making of engine plates to tilt the motor, was it possible for any of you to make the plates and engine mounting position such that you can get the gear box out of the frame without pulling the engine, plates and all? The book says you can't and looking at mine I agree, yet I have a vague recollection of having done just that. Maybe I was dreaming. The book also says you can't replace the side-stand lug without removing the left engine plate but I did that operation a couple weeks ago by just removing the primary.

ashman · Nov 23, 2022

65tiger said:
Just to round out this great thread. I scored a commando cradle for $20. My thinking is to slice and dice it and use it as
My engine plates. I can weld it as required and the trans holes and engine holes will be in the right places already. Also it's the correct thickness. Thoughts?

As promise pics of my first set of Commando/Featherbed engine plates using the old Commando cradle with added bits weld on the plates to fit the Featherbed frame that I made in 1980 also pics of the alloy ones I made.

Ashley

ashman · Nov 23, 2022

Thomasa said:
In all this making of engine plates to tilt the motor, was it possible for any of you to make the plates and engine mounting position such that you can get the gear box out of the frame without pulling the engine, plates and all? The book says you can't and looking at mine I agree, yet I have a vague recollection of having done just that. Maybe I was dreaming. The book also says you can't replace the side-stand lug without removing the left engine plate but I did that operation a couple weeks ago by just removing the primary.

You can remove the GB with the Featherbed set up without pulling the motor and all, but with me it's not a major job pulling the whole lot out and putting it all on the workshop bench, you still got to pull the clutch and all out so for me easier to work on up on the bench.