mike wilson

Well done! Excellent quiz. Looks like he was an engineer for Peugot and built these in his spare time. I don't understand why he went to the bother of building his own engine, that looks like nothing I've seen before ( http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afbeelding:Meier_BAC.jpg ) then built such a home-made (which, of course, it was....) looking sub-frame.

Just a sec; I'll tell you when I've finished this.

Well, that is entirely similar to what happens with a "proper" squish band so I'm not at all sure that it would be a problem if _all other factors_ were properly dealt with. For example, on a twostroke, the combustion chamber is shaped like a beaker on top of a tea plate (both upside down) with the plug in the centre of the base of the beaker. A very regular shape. There are other parameters that affect the flow of gas in there, such as the direction of the transfer ports but, because the chamber can be formed to such an ideal form, squish flow generally overcomes them. For fourstrokes, there are so many other parameters to take into account in forming the chamber, not the least of which is the presence of at least two dirty great valves and associated ports. Because you can't make the chamber anywhere near perfectly shaped, you have to allow some of the other parameters to take a hand in assisting the combustion process, for example the inlet ports are angled to promote swirl. Piston crowns are shaped to help promote a best-form chamber, as well as defining compression ratio. It's all rather subtle and intertwined. Not to say that creating a definite squish band would not be beneficial - it's just that the work involved may not be propotional to the reward. It just seems to me that simple lumpy pistons would have to strike a magnificent vein of luck to come up with a shape that added a fully functional squish band to increased compression ratio. m

I would love to help but I just don't have the time. Bollocks. Just because I can.

Stainless has about 2/3 of the expansion of Aluminium. There will be some creep but it will probably be less important with regard to gasket integrity than the difference caused between the original parts by the heat block of the gasket.......

Is it doing something it shouldn't? If it's running fine, then I don't understand what the problem is. The engineers who spent a long time desiging, building and refining this machine have obviously come to the conclusion that any level of effective squish band is unnecessary. That does not mean that there is not sufficient turbulence (the purpose of squish) already or that there is some overwhelming need to provide it. On such a large, comparatively slow revving cylinder the engineers possibly discovered that creating an excessively compact combustion space _caused_ detonation. With the faster-burning, lower octane fuels used nowadays it is possible that a less fashionable shape is all that is needed.

The squish band is a result of the shapes of the piston _and_ head. It needs both. You can have a whizzo "squish" shape in the top of a piston but, without the corresponding part in the head, it is (at least) useless. There are numerous complications that conspire to make the physical implementation of squish problematic, especially in a four stroke. Not forgetting that it is not compulsory, squish seems to be something that Guzzi engine designers have decided to forgo. One less thing to worry about, Ratchet. Nogbad will be happy. m

About 3mpg.

Looks more to me as if there is _no_ effective squish band at all in the V11 head. Even the Breva type head shown is poorly designed that way. All the figures I can find online seem to think somewhere about 30% of diameter is needed. This may explain some of the difficulties with pinking/detonation, etc.....

Just in case anyone wonders how these were used: http://www.ozebook.com/cpotw/pacebike.jpg Note the frame tubes.....much better made than in the quiz bike and much more fragile looking. The helmet looks the same, though. I revise my opinion of capacity. I think it's about 800cc. About 48c.i?

Nugget. If he wants to go fast in the country, this is the place to do it. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=87...p;q=nurburgring If he can't manage the pace, someone will take him round. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1...urburgring+taxi Although a woman being in charge would probably dent his ego somewhat.... Someone forgets to warm his tyres. Well held!!! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=21...urburgring+taxi m p.s. none of this stuff is dialup friendly.....

From convicted murderers, in the UK, who have served their sentence and gone out to repeat the offence: sixty two, the last time I saw any figures, which was in the mid 1980s. Don't know if that's a trick enough answer for you but it's plenty scary for me. Is it better for one murderer to go free than one person be executed wrongly? Better ask the 62. Would I like it if the innocent person was me? I don't think so. Just because one advocates gun control, it doesn't mean that one thinks all life is sacred.

For music of a certain type, I have found these folks 8-))) to be rather useful in supplying the hard stuff. http://www.freakemporium.com/index.html

We don't know that (yet....) - there were companies that made these. Not that I know of one offhand but I'm always willing to learn. Having said _that_, even before WWI these were not the most difficult machines to construct, they were limited in design by cycle racing regulations and so it is likely that there were more one-offs than commercial products. Modern motor pacers are made from mopeds to a quite specific design. Is it American or European, JRT? You did mean to say "buddy" didn't you? 8-)

A fascist is anyone who uses force to get their own way. From Wikipedia: "Fascism is a radical totalitarian political philosophy that combines elements of corporatism, authoritarianism, extreme nationalism, militarism, anti-anarchism, anti-communism and anti-liberalism." It wasn't aimed at you but, if you feel the cap fits, far be it from me to tell you otherwise. This paragraph is downright scary: Former Colombia University Professor Robert O. Paxton, speaking about the essence of fascism - "1. a sense of overwhelming crisis beyond reach of traditional solutions; 2. belief one's group is the victim, justifying any action without legal or moral limits; 3. need for authority by a natural leader above the law, relying on the superiority of his instincts; 4. right of the chosen people to dominate others without legal or moral restraint; 5. fear of foreign `contamination." Definitely reminds me of something.....

But have you heard the "tick"? Makes Harley watches seem really wimpy. I don't think Martin's got the knack of reading it, though. "Hint": The clock faces are on the other side.

Sounds scarily like a Norge....... That's not an S3. This is: http://www.s3750motoguzzi.co.uk/

I'd still use a loop so that, if it breaks, it should be attached at one end.

If the plug is to one side, try going for the squish area furthest away from it. The plug must be angled towards that. I think. You could do it at night as you are already working in the dark. 8-))) Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Front and back wheel are two different technologies. Front is normal (as used today) well rim, rear is beaded edge. I can't think any manufacturer would have built a machine like this, _unless_ it was a really small outfit that had a large stock of beaded edge tyres to use up. Later owners would have changed the front wheel (no brake, simple hub, very cheap) for the more modern well rim to get access to tyres instead of ones that were probably getting hard to buy. The rear wheel is more complex and would have been kept as it would require custom building and that was probably an expense that the owner wished to avoid. Beaded edge went out of fashion (with bloody good reason) in the mid 1920s. The frame just looks far too solid to be original. If you can find pictures of the Curtiss machine, its frame tubes are no bigger than bicycle ones though it is likely to be older than this machine. Even by the 1920s, the rear subframe would be much thinner than that pictured on a standard roadgoing machine - this one is designed for smooth board tracks so would likely be even lighter. The forks look like 1930s Webbs, as fitted to Velocettes. I assume my guesses are nowhere near correct?

Only if her head doesn't go to the top of the bluebell flower she wears as a hat. I am in so much trouble.................. That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me in ages. Although I'm not keen on the purple and lilac scenario.

That's a hoot! Democracy until the majority disagrees with me, then break out the ballistics! It's a sad country when even the fascists don't trust the ballot box.

Sorry to hear that. Best wishes for both of you. m

92mm bore? Central(ish) plug? Then about 46mm from centre to periphery, of which about 35% (the only figure I can find online) is squish. You might be falling a bit short with 30mm of solder. I would drop the piston all the way down, fiddle with the solder until you find the bore wall then, using a new bit, try that length. And hope none of it breaks off. If it does, Blu-tack on a coat hanger works well. Although I'm not sure you have Blu-tack over there...... 8-)))) Two BTWs: 1. I would use a solder loop, which might reduce the chances of a piece breaking off. 2. Squish is the formation of an area inside the cylinder head which makes a very thin ring around the outside of the bore at TDC. This makes all the gas there try to whizz into the centre, both concentrating the chanrge and mixing it thoroughly. If it's done properly, the charge won't even explode prematurely!

It'll be a weekend or nothing for me, I'm afraid. It's about a five hour journey to Cambridge from here at rush hour times and I just can't manage it and stay alive, too. When do you leave? BTW, if sprogette is coming over and wants to go out to do some serious photography, send her up. She can get a train from Peterborough to Newcastle and we can go to haunt some castles, Roman ruins and coastline. I've got loads of equipment she can borrow. If you and Jude need an escape from family duties, feel free to visit also. You can PM me for contact details. m