John Player Special restoration project

gortnipper · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

grandpaul said:
Not sure I recall seeing a stone guard on the front brake caliper like this one. Seems an easy field upgrade

I have one of those on my April 74 mk2.

L.A.B. · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

grandpaul said:
Not sure I recall seeing a stone guard on the front brake caliper like this one. Seems an easy field upgrade

identify-this-disc-brake-part-t13767.html

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Down to just the suspension and a very few minor bits still clinging to the frame

The yoke stem started out obstinate, but decided to cooperate and slipped off once it cleared the bottom bearing

Yet another first, I've never seen one of these rubber nubs under the front chainguard crossover bolt

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

The first sign of true neglect on this bike (apart from lack of chain lube) - swingarm is sticky on it's spindle, probably never been lubed...

Here's where things got ugly. The rear isolastic through bolt decided to take up the rest of my formerly happy morning with attempts to free it off and extract it. After fussing about for an hour trying heat and friendly 5-pound persuasion, I resorted to cutting out the PTFE washers to make space (I have plenty of spares), and then chopped the bolt and one of the end abutments to give the cradle room to maneuver out.

There.

That was enough for one morning, it was nearing 1PM and I was hungry.

So, 9 hours for general disassembly without disassembling the power unit, transmission, forks or wheels. About 1 day's work.

gortnipper · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

L.A.B. said:
grandpaul said:

Not sure I recall seeing a stone guard on the front brake caliper like this one. Seems an easy field upgrade

Click to expand...

identify-this-disc-brake-part-t13767.html

I doubt neither mine nor this one float very much!

grandpaul · Nov 25, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Well, it was bound to happen; after making a deal on a scruffy fairing and probably paying to much for shipping from the UK, I've found an absolutely NEW one COMPLETE with all brackets, windscreen, lights, etc, along with another tank and shroud, for a very reasonable price, up near Niagra Falls.

So, we're looking at a road trip to drop off the P11 in New Hampshire, MAYBE drop the rolling project Commando in New York (and see the sights), pick up the fairing and see Niagra Falls, pick up a Triumph SlickShift tranny and maybe a bunch of odd spares in Kansas City, stop in and see a friend near there, then visit the kids & grandkids in Austin on the way home. Looks like 11 days on the road, maybe 12. IF I can sell the Green 880, and IF the buyer needs it delivered somewhere along that route, that will help reduce the pro-rata shipping cost on the other stuff. Now, if the weather will cooperate...

grandpaul · Nov 25, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

The guy I bought the JPN from came by this afternoon and dropped off the meters. They are indeed the originals that were on the bike, they also had a set of meter cups with "thin" mount loops (not original, as meters mount in the fairing on the JPN).

Anyway, they are in rough shape; the tach is unbroken, but had something spilled inside it, partially staining the glass (also the needle is jammed). RSM 3003/15 Green Globe, 9KRPM with Redline between 7K & 8K.

Speedo had the glass gone, bezel ring messed with, but the needle seems to spin okay. SSM 3001/09 1000 Green Globe, 150MPH by odd 10s. Don't think the mileage is accurate, but maybe not that far off, based on the condition of the inside of the engine...

So, these will go out for overhaul.

Next, a front fender...

grandpaul · Nov 26, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Just won this correct airbox on e-bay. One step at a time.

Just needs a bit of straightening out dented corners, and a correct bracket...

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

THIS is why I decided to go through with a total strip-down and powdercoating

Sure enough, the swingarm spindle was bone dry. Extracting it was a bother, although there was no damage to the bushings or spindle tube.

The spindle inner threads were grungier than I expected, but my extractor rod screwed in okay

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Due to the fact that this bike never had rivets for a data plate, water was able to get into the steering neck through the 4 rivet holes. (JPN owners might want to clean out your steering necks and seal the 4 rivet holes for future longevity) suprisingly, the lower bearing came right out without a fuss...

Not sure why the steering stop tab is notched as it is? They used some kind of strong, circular nibbler...

THIS is why I'm rechroming stuff on this bike

Brake pads look good, no significant scoring and they appear only slightly worn (low milage)

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Dirty, rusty, crusty.

CLEAN! So far, every oil-bearing cavity in the engine that I've opened has been quite clean.

Not even a hint of dirty oil misting...

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Intake valve box is also nice and clean. One valve was just snug, the rest all seemed to have proper gap.

I flooded the crankcase with oil to see if it has any static weepage. 2 hours and zero moisture...

No oil weepage after 2 hours...

It was oil fouling a bit more on the left than the right, I suspect the intake valve seals. Already had an idea from the pix down the exhaust ports...

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Cylinder staining from years of parked pistons. No scratches or gouges at all.

Left cylinder has a bit more evidence of oiling...

I'm not believing the previous owner's statement that it wasn't smoking.

You can see the signature of the piston's wrist pin pocket, stained on the cylinder wall

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Sure looks like low mileage to me.

Pistons are standard bore

Definitely oil fouling going on. Not even the slightest damage to the head from any stray debris.

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Ready to go to sandblasting, masking, and powdercoat; later added the sidestand and rinsed-out oil tank

Almost ready for chrome, I need to pull the grip off the other handlebar (shifter is coming, too). Kickstarter is not rusted at all. Not a lot of chrome on these beasties...

End of a long day.

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Sump filter was doing it's job; just a little bit of particulate, not much.

Nifty trick - after the head is off, remove all cylinder nuts, then use the back two to push the cylinders off the cases. No hammers, no screwdrivers, no pry bars, no cussing. Easy.

Looks like first oversize bore will be required to clean up the right cylinder. It would almost appear as though the relatively higher oil fouling on the left cylinder may have helped that piston not to do what the right one did...

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

I don't like to see rusty-red engine internals. It's not bad; rods are nice and smooth, crank spins freely, I just don't like it. Cylinder deck is perfectly clean on the gasket surface.

Points look like they've maybe been adjusted once, hardly a nick in the adjuster screws. Timing appears to be undisturbed, no tell-tale marks where the pillar bolts were ever sitting anywhere but right here.

I remember the first time I removed points from an old Britbike, then re-assembled them incorrectly, shorting the points wire direct to ground under the nut on top. Doofus!

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

I don't think the advancer had ever been disturbed from it's place on the cam. The bolt "cracked" loose. I threaded in the proper (larger) bolt and gave it one tap and it popped off clean.

Very little residue, and the case itself is clean with no evidence of overheated oil stains Oil is pretty dirty.

The inside of this timing chest is the cleanest I've ever seen on a Britbike that has been sitting. Yes, there's a bit of sludge at the bottom, and the camchain adjuster plates are rusty, but other than that it's very spiffy.

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

VERY low hours on the camchain adjuster.

That's all the sludge in here, not much.

Really nice and shiny

grandpaul · Dec 2, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Only the tiniest bit of metallic particles in the timing chest.

Right piston scuffing related to the evidence in the cylinder.

Typically, the inside of the piston crowns are dark brown to almost black. Here, the right piston is barely brown, left piston light golden. I'd say this bike was never abused as far as thrashing it to the red line all the time.

John Player Special restoration project

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