Throw back old school engine resurection?

How about recreating a Woods/Axtell era engine mainly using what they had available back then expect for ignition. Jim Schimdt Race Manual pretty much has the scope of processes with some Dunstall thrown Manual trown in - except for lightening cast iron flywheel. I've got re-enforced tested Combat cases and small port head to start with and maybe a cylinder that could be bored to .060". Would have to run on unleaded 91 octane. Would like it to stand 8000 rpm now and then like the desert racer did to out run the inline4's and win. I guess start with the crank first then once that issue is settled on move on to next all Norton components. If old school spares floating around unneeded available that be appreciated.

hobot said:

How about recreating a Woods/Axtell era engine .......If old school spares floating around unneeded available that be appreciated.

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Hi Steve, I thought you were scraping funds together to finish the super charged bike you call Peel. Are you starting another project here or are you just panhandeling for parts? You could use the points and AAU I sent you a while back for this project instead of on trixie though

Failures on top failures finally slowing up so can attend to a few desirable projects little pieces at a time. Only got 5 engines in a row to recover now instead of 7 but 5 more after that to use again. For the' throw back' engine I've cases, small port head, flywheel, rods, oil pump and barrel on hand plus alu ceramic headers, so 'only' need, pistons/pins, a cam its TS drive components - likely each item needs massaging though. What I really want maybe even more than fancy pants heavy 920 is the Ole P!! engine though the above parts except for a steel flywheel gave Ms Peel the spunk to hunt down and reel in wheelie prone over powered sports bikes much to me and their amazment up to the ton. If not for the over rev event I'd of just put the Drouin on past Peel engine to do everything I want but break under 10 sec 1/4 m or go over 160. I have enough private contacts to proceed behind the scenes and each feature of old school engines has been covered on this forum so mostly just hoping to get some interest from what others might do with all Norton part numbers expect the cam profile though I suspect a 2S might work well as it did in past Peel. Every item on Peel needs 2-3x's more massaging, or substituting than simple all out racers or street bikes and I abhore being a mechanic. oh yeah I've done with any more motorcycles so still don't know what to do with the 'throw back' engine.

hobot said:

What I really want maybe even more than fancy pants heavy 920 is the Ole P!! engine.

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Heavy? Do you really think Peel's 920 engine with alloy cylinders and Jim's light pistons/long rods is heavier than P11 with iron cylinders? The Maney cases are a bit heavier than original, but I don't think that's enough to make up for the difference in cylinders.

I understand your interest in building an "old school" engine, but if built to racing HP levels, I don't think it would live very long with regular 8000 rpm use. Ron ended up with heavily reinforced cases and billet crank to keep his alive at the really high HP levels. Still, it would be an interesting exercise, particularly in a light weight chassis.

Ken

I don't know for sure yet but seems 920 a bit heavier than iron 750's but if only in Maney bottom then a good thing. I've got a Combat and Peel engines out of frames so when I get Trixie's to same state as Peel's I'll weigh them to know but I think Peel's crank a few lb lighter than Trixie's. IIRC the engine in your robust mount-box package listed as 120 lb. My attentive sense was the Maney cases added more than alu cylinder lost. Your assessment does please me to hear as even if can't match Ludwig's feather weight it matters to me, ugh while adding and adding one in a row features Peel can't live without. Over all I'm still in PSTD from WOT tach needle vanishing act so more disappointing-PENSIVE to end up with 920 super duper than just spiffed up factory Peel Combat that was LSD like flash back approaching the P!!. Both P!! & Peel were exquisitely predicable controllable to point I'd snap throttle a specific set amount for a specific set over spin of rear for a specific set period of acceleration lowering hesitation looseness to adjust aim waiting for bike to catch up then add throttle more sedate rate tire stays hooked so usually able to accelerate faster than I could stand in the tight fun challenging places. The kind of power band I'm after if short shifted will hook WOT threatening a wheelie but as torque peak approached tire just spins so short shift to hook up WOT again. Hi speed is scary but I love getting whiplashed. Boosted big block may not be controllable enough except bee line use that scares me. It was the over one liter Ducadi's that appeared out here a few years after Peels over rev event that force my hand to ping Steve in UK.

So what to do with past Peel's left overs that applies best old school features? Then what to do with it? Its not stock so not for Trixie, it can't hang with elite liter bikes so not for Peel, I know I'm crazy to cycle so not wanting another. I don't want to build this up just to blow up like Peel so 8000 ain't realistic but for a dyno test.
But dang it before they disappeared drag racers and desert racers told me they'd hang on to 8 grand or exceed it missing shits or drive train let goes. I'll never get over the P!! marked 9000 which I religiously never exceeded but sure did visit it any time or place I wanted. Makes valve floating Combat is rather dull puller, hell so were the triple smokers. Head porting and cam profile biggest missing ingredient to me but JMS has instructions. The lightening of cast iron flywheel has been covered which I'd think would releve some its sling apart proneness and I'd cyro it too. Sure would like a water craft again.

Imagine snicking up a 4 sp?
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CPZ3svFfn0[/video]

Ron Wood used to say the cases would crack when the rider let off to start a turn, so just keep it at WFO and all will be well.

Yeah man Danno that the brave spirit memories come from. Peel cases for this throw back were tested beyond belief with a throttle snap shut[stupid reflex as that is when I think the damage hit] took a couple seconds for tach needle to show up as a blur and handlful more disctinctly seen bouncing off the pegs and another few to get below redline to finally ease to 0 peg. Tach worked fine afterwards. Got another 2000 miles durring winter with huge wind screen but power way down and topped out by 5000 which I think was d/t two things, 1. the oil pump snout cracked apart loose when tensioner wiped away to chewing gum pieces that left chain slack that over advanced boyah brains plus an exhaust lobe was mostly gone so not even plain Combatish. I about vomit thinking on entering red zone let alone exceding it so not in my plans with a 'throw back' but buildt as if it was and would be a few times just to see if it could on a dyno or two. I'm not even temped to up Trixies Combat safety factor so again I don't know why I even want too but been more on my mind than Peel even while I'm struggling final assemblles daily now. Somewhere there's images of trimed down cast iron crank shaft I haven't looked for yet. i'd have to farm that out of course. I'm thinking $2000 might do it.