John Player Special restoration project

grandpaul · Dec 18, 2015

Inside the crank was the cleanest I've ever seen (18 Norton big twin engines overhauled)

Just a bit of creamy sludge in the crank, no particulate whatsoever.

The last of the parts washing. Re-assembly will now begin, with the crank re-assembly.

grandpaul · Dec 18, 2015

Tires are original spec, I'm betting they are the actual originals.

Front and rear tires are the same size

Still a good amount of tread depth, but too dry/hard/cracked to trust for actual riding.

TT100 Dunlops are also referred to as "K81"

gortnipper · Dec 18, 2015

Decide on new tires yet?

swooshdave · Dec 18, 2015

Where were the tires made? One of mine said Made in Ireland...

grandpaul · Dec 18, 2015

Original molds I believe were "Made in England", new ones are Japan, (again, I believe)

swooshdave · Dec 18, 2015

grandpaul said:
Original molds I believe were "Made in England", new ones are Japan, (again, I believe)

I believe you are correct. So do yours say England then?

grandpaul · Dec 19, 2015

swooshdave said:
I believe you are correct. So do yours say England then?

Close...

Maybe I can make some rubber "Made in Great Britain" stick-ons...

Fast Eddie · Dec 19, 2015

grandpaul said:
swooshdave said:

I believe you are correct. So do yours say England then?

Click to expand...

Close...

Maybe I can make some rubber "Made in Great Britain" stick-ons...

They've probably still got 100% original Great British air in them too ... !

grandpaul · Dec 19, 2015

Fast Eddie said:
They've probably still got 100% original Great British air in them too ... !

I already bought 2 cans of British air and a bottle of Lucas smoke for the eventual start-up and test ride.

grandpaul · Dec 20, 2015

First small batch of new bits arrived yesterday...

Next week should be a big week, re-assembly time.

grandpaul · Dec 22, 2015

Sandy Claws has been here early. "Hepolite" (JCC) pistons

JCC makes pistons for many marketers

Stainless adjustable isolastics will NOT be original but are a "hidden" major upgrade worth every penny. Concourse judges and rivet-counters won't be able to see them.

grandpaul · Dec 22, 2015

Good quality Hastings rings to go with the JCC pistons

Rubber bits, exhaust crossover, and left sidecover/keyswitch bracket (centerstand spring is for the Green 880)

All the gaskets and seals, and a Champion oil filter. Not sure which brand were originally fitted, but this'll do (it's British, after all).

grandpaul · Dec 22, 2015

Beautiful black chrome mufflers. Too bad they don't have the gold stenciled "US, German, Japanese and British patents applied for"

I have a friend that MIGHT be able to produce the stencils. Here's hoping...

jaguar · Dec 22, 2015

This is going to be a killer bike!

850cmndo · Dec 22, 2015

grandpaul said:
Good quality Hastings rings to go with the JCC pistons

Rubber bits, exhaust crossover, and left sidecover/keyswitch bracket (centerstand spring is for the Green 880)

All the gaskets and seals, and a Champion oil filter. Not sure which brand were originally fitted, but this'll do (it's British, after all).

I'm gonna guess a Crossland oil filter. Not that it matters...

Nater_Potater · Dec 22, 2015

grandpaul said:

Mine arrived with the same label. I can't bring myself to throw it out! Instead, I'll be making a large wall clock out of it.

850cmndo · Dec 22, 2015

Nater_Potater said:
grandpaul said:

Click to expand...

Mine arrived with the same label. I can't bring myself to throw it out! Instead, I'll be making a large wall clock out of it.

I have one here marked the same. Great tread, no checking but harder than a rock. I'll hang on to it for whatever reason.

grandpaul · Dec 22, 2015

I keep these old tires to put on rolling projects and to replace totally blown out tires on some of my scruffier bikes.

It's been a few years since I've hauled a bunch of bikes to a show, but they look much better with an armor all polish job on decent old tires than really rotten dry tires with huge cracks in the sidewalls and/or chunks missing. They're okay to ride up and down our private road and from a trailer into a show venue.

I rarely ever throw ANYTHING out; it's got to be completely useless for a slapped-together parts bike for me to even consider it.

grandpaul · Dec 22, 2015

Cylinders dropped off at the machine shop, along with the new pistons.

Yep, the wheel bearings need grease, alright!

Rear brake hub guts out of the hub.

grandpaul · Dec 22, 2015

Left these specs with the machinist to best determine the finish spec for the re-bore

Rear brake hub guts cleaned and ready to re-install

Re-packed brake hub double-row bearing. This is officially the start of re-assembly!

Rear brake hub repainted and re-assembled.