My first restoration: TV175 Ser 3

[911hillclimber]

Stuck for those bearing parts, I took a tentative look at the carb, an SHi/18.
Cleaned down in a mix of WD40 and carb cleaner it scrubbed-up really well on the outside, completely unmolested and with a tightly closed slide.
some careful undoing found the bowl to be coated in old 2 stroke oil and the jets completely gummed-up.
A few pokes with some 0.6mm MIG wire opened some of the holes up but cant free the main jet yet.
I've left the body, bowl and jets in a full bath of thinners. this worked wonders many years ago on some old and very valuable carbs, so trust it will work here.

Went for a walk locally this morning to Kinver to be drawn by the classic rattle of a lot of 2 strokes...

[CHRIS in MARGATE]

Thats the wrong carb for the TV. Should be 20mm.

[911hillclimber]

Ok..
Anything that can be done or will I not really notice it?
Once all clean at least the TV will run I would think?

The manifold has TV 175 cast in it and the plastic insulation sleeve is very thin, the bore of the inlet is 20mm, the front bore of the carb is 18mm and the bore on the manifold side of the carb is 20!

As expected, another little turn here.....

Looks like a 20mm carb is almost not existent anywhere, and an alternative is the Jetex 22mm suitably jetted, but not too expensive for about £35 new.

[CHRIS in MARGATE]

Standard carb should be SH1/20.
A nice sized carb used on the 175 and 200 engines and very popular as an upgrade to tuned smaller engines so may have got "lost" at some point in its non-running life.
The SH1/18 was standard on Series 3 125/150 engines. You definitely will need the correct carb.
Best of luck.

[CHRIS in MARGATE]

Jetex 22 gets mixed reviews. They are never a problem if cleaned thoroughly and rejetted with new dellorto jets and the pilot raised to 50. Take float apart and run small file through plastic float so that is able to hinge more freely on the pin.
In my opinion a good priced replacement.

[911hillclimber]

Thanks Chris, in your opinion, the 18mm is a non starter?
I ask this as it is in great condition, very light surface marking on the slide, no steps or grooves etc.
Re-jet the main for the 175cc as per delorto and it should work ok?

[coaster]

Thanks Chris, in your opinion, the 18mm is a non starter?
I ask this as it is in great condition, very light surface marking on the slide, no steps or grooves etc.
Re-jet the main for the 175cc as per delorto and it should work ok?

No doubt it would 'run' but you will have to accept a loss in performance. Why not put it on ebay and either fit a Jettex as suggested or put an add on here in the wanted section?

[911hillclimber]

Thanks, I will re-assemble it and have cleaned it all out already, the thinners soak certainly worked.. When the kit arrives that will finish it off.
Jetex do not get good reports!

The Mikuni VM20 though looks and reads well from Scooter Restorations, but no inlet manifold yet. I think a Jetex will need a different manifold, so the Mikuni being a far more modern and Japanese carb for just £10 or so more seems a good direction. This will be the first temptation to drift from standard spec.

Wanted ad can't do any harm.

Spent the afternoon cleaning, fitting new condenser/points to the stator, bit of a fiddly job and had to drill the condenser screw out, the first difficult fastener so far, and it's only an M4

Bought some grey sleeving to replace the brittle/cracked original on the stator loom. Endless fun ahead getting 4 wires into a sleeve meant for 3...but tomorrow.

[carlos fandango]

Just had a quick read of your thread and noticed you quite local to me , im in Pedmore

Im not sure if your aware but theres a scootershop in Stourport called Readspeed, and i can recommend them

Great thread by the way

I take it you race at Shelsley Walsh ? a couple of lads (brothers) who worked for me race there, im sure you'd know the family

Russ

[911hillclimber]

Indeed close!
Yes, the scooter shop is the one set back on the left on the 'ring-road', I thought they only did modern stuff/twist and go etc. I'll check them out.

I've raced at Shelsley/Prescott and Loton Park for 22 years now, so 'know' a lot of people. It is a great sport and my first love.

Glad you like the thread; I like doing them and enjoy the detail and the little adventures that come along...
A few more to reveal themselves yet!

Need my parts to arrive so I can progress.

The Beedspeed P&B is quite good. Measured the piston/cyclinder clearances and all seems well (and uniform) the inlet port is a bit crude so will match and smooth it to the manifold. The exhaust is machined in so ok.
The hone/hatch is a bit light, but the rings (shipped loose in a stack in the bore have the right gaps.
Nervey time putting them on the piston, hope my ring expander will work.

Graham.

[carlos fandango]

This is one of their cars ...thats not the driver though, thats my son a few years ago .
Readspeed do Modern and classic , have a good stock of lambretta parts, and they can do all engineering work , rebuilds , rebores, tuning, welding etc.

[911hillclimber]

Certainly know that car! (The Spencers). Bloody quick, fabulous thing.

Spent the afternoon in the den working away on the engine now I had all the bits.

Crank went in easy.
All the bearings etc went in the mag housing with a frozen bearing, a 'spit-sizzelling hot' housing and it all pushed/dropped into place, even the circlip snapped in well!
Bolted that all tight and moved to the cranks sprocket. All that went well too....what's happening?

Had to sharpen the flats on the high tensile sprocket bolt as the Italian Mechanic had used a chisel at some time, but all is well and I've saved £17.

Fell foul then of the repro lower chain guide. The vulcanised rubber is 3 times thicker than the original and no way was the clutch basket going to fit.
Have re-fitted the original Italian 50 year old part as there is little wear.
My first encounter with poor quality parts. Have told the supplier!

Had a good pm about the 20mm carb placed in the Wanted section, so hope that all works out! It will be really good to keep original.
I would have bought the Mikuni yesterday except they have no manifold for it yet; maybe a good omen.
The Readspeed outfit looks really good and is not far from me, quite a civilised ride to them from home. Might start buying the parts from them. Good they have a good depth of equipment etc, might be useful.

[carlos fandango]

Yep the spencers, ...all petrol heads

Well if you like hill climbing ...and lambrettas....you could have a go at this when you've built yours

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INwYZnnirD0

[HxPaul]

When you're tightening the front sprocket bolt make sure that the spring cap locates on the splines of the sprocket shaft.If it doesn't locate and you tighten the bolt,it will come loose when you run the engine and it could drill itself right through the chaincase cover.

[911hillclimber]

Yes, you are right. I checked the height the final assy should be off the gasket face, 40mm with the spring out.
On tightening it down it is all fully home and the splines engaged as it tightened at 40mm. It is very easy to get a number of the spline locations out by 1.2 a spline and you think all is ok then it will soon come loose.

Thank you for the thought, most welcome that this novice is being looked after!

[Rob64232]

Graham,

I can recommend Readspeed, very good engine builders, but ones I have had are tuned TS kitted 230's. Just had a second one off Jerome and its sitting waiting to go in my GP.
They are great for general spares on a Saturday morning when you need it quick, cables etc, but do some nice specialist bits, ignition system, clutches. Not the cheapest but very good service I think.

I have a TV175, 1963, body needs a rebuild now, but its tuned as well, TS230. Have always had tuned Lambrettas so coming back to them a few years ago first thing I did was get a new engine built.

I think speed/power helps with the safety of the way traffic is today, also got hydraulic front disc which is one of the best bits of equipment.

But what I would suggest you buy is a good legshield mirror, a stadium one, not cheapest but the best I think. These are the round ones sit down by your feet, you see on a lot of the Lambrettas.

Do I take it your up around Perton way, from your location to Bridgenorth Rd? I'm in Tettenhall, may have the odd bit useful to you.
There are quite a lot of us around as you can see from Kinver. Odd little groups here and there. Bunch of guys up on Perton. One saved my bacon when I ran out of Petrol near halfpenny green.
They are good roads to use, Pattingham, Swindon, to get used to riding again, Sunday mornings when its quiet.

Drop me a PM with your number, there is another guy round here has lots of old spares but a little hard to get hold of.

Rob

[911hillclimber]

Thank you for the recommendation too as well as others for Readspeed.
Quite close and must be better than waiting for the post man/currier to deliver.
I've had good service from Allstyles as their web is so clear and easy to use for a novice like me and easy to find what I need, but it is surprising how my memory of what I learnt when 16 is coming back!
M7 threads irritated me then too.

I am over in Wombourne, close to Wolves.

I notice those shield mirrors a lot more now and well worth it.
I still look over my right shoulder when pulling out even now driving a car, but my neck isn't as supple as it was then...

When the engine is done (very soon) it is frame time and powder coating. Taking it to Redditch Powder Paints as I did with my Kart. The fun will take another turn I bet then.

[911hillclimber]

Cold in the garage this afternoon, but made some progress, but certainly '3 steps forward, nearly 4 steps back'.
Got the clutch basket on and the center section with all new needle bearings. Very tight fit, if the chain was just 1/2 mm shorter it would not assemble, but I'm sure it will stretch soon enough.

Left the clutch out as I took the engine cover for vapour blasting as it is too tarnished to go back on imho, and as it is the bit you see when the side panel in on, thought it was best.

Turned my attention to re-sleeving the mag loom, but gave up. Need 8mm grey sleeve, no chance with 6mm.

So, then turned to the new P&B.

Put the new studs in after putting my 7mm tap down the holes, threads looked very short to me and put new studs in with a smear of Loctite.
The exhaust gasket is a crude affair, nowhere close to the port, but at least it does not overhang into the port.

The inlet however is MILES out with a huge 3mm step in mis-match to the inlet manifold.
Made a card template of the inlet port/stud holes and marked this to the cylinder inlet port face.
After an hour porting grey cast iron I have a good match and still some gasket all around the port land/face.

The gasket was nearly as bad, overhanging for about 120 degrees by 3mm, so a very sharp razor blade cut that to match my new porting.
It is all ok now, but I hoped for better.

The broken and groovy original cylinder is Rolls-royce quality in comparison and porting.

Tomorrow will be a dry-fit and a check on piston/head clearance at TDC as per Stickys most excellent book.
Guess who forgot to order new cylinder head nuts....

[911hillclimber]

Daily update!

P&B nearly flew on.
Ring gap was right, piston clearance was right, rings slipped onto piston, new 'heavy-duty' small end and a gentle warm of the piston (now in the cylinder) and the gudeon pin slipped in and the circlips even snapped in too.

However, the cylinder refused to drop down to the block, stopped solid.
A torch down the stud holes shoed the newly installed inlet manifold (short) stud to be intruding into the drilling for the cylinder head stud. Removed that and the cylinder pushed down nicely. I shortened the stud and when installed tight the cylinder was still free to move up and down so no interference.

you do need to keep your eyes open with these repro parts.

Dug out the rear brake drum and checked it all over. Drum steel band is a bit groovy, but ok and it is totally concentric. All 3 M7 holes are threaded still. Nor sure these parts have ever been apart, but everything is painted over in original metallic blue, even the rear brake knurled adjuster. How is that?

Awaiting a few other bits, have 2 carbs to decide on, and the flywheel from up North! On track for the drive block to be done by end of Jan.

Some parts have come for the racing car, so that will be some of the weekend taken up. Racer needs to be ready for testing by end of Feb/mid March.

[dickie]

Flywheel will be posted on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.

It was too dirty to send. My wife would kill me if I sent you a dirty flywheel!