Cooper & Ludwig

[fasteddy]

That Sir, is a brilliant reply and I'm sorry to say that I would never have thought of it.

On my end it was, "OH, your an antique dealer" and then the very long description what they had and then " What is it worth?". My answer was what ever you can get for it.
Same thing when they discovered that I was an antique furniture refinisher and they wanted a brief lesson on how they could redo their family heirloom. Not a problem. I'll tell you in 10 minutes what it took me decades to learn.

Steve.

 

[Ludwig II]

We did a little more today with almost no visible difference. The steering was offered up to the frame, and one new lower race for the bottom was selected to replace the pitted Raleigh original. The upper half top race was replaced as well, and IWW will know this name well, and hopefully be as impressed as I am. It's a nickel plated Brampton item, the nearest I can find is the attached image, but the name is on the wide flange, where the curious, the prying and just plain nosy, will be able to see it.

It had to be opened out and the thread removed in order to slide down to the plain tube and that took a while, using a superhard cutter in a drill to eat away at the case hardened thread metal. Once that was done, it was all offered up to the frame, and then we found the top yoke was flush with the end of the steering tube. This is not insurmountable, the yoke will be counterbored to accept the shouldered nickel plated retaining nut.

What else? The 28 hole rear hub is to have 24 of them filled, so it can be drilled 36 hole to match the front hub.

The tank identity is unsolved, but the filler cap, now cleaned, clearly says New Henley; whether the tank is for some product by New Henley, or the cap is just an orphan that fits this tank, we don't know. It is, however a minimum of 86 years old. I wonder if I can find something from 1916 for the bike.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

Brampton, - Ooooo yes very nice

 

[Ludwig II]

Today the forks went in. It took a while to assemble the links and screw them in place because things have to be in their correct positions, and you have to learn what they are. There is wear in the seating for the bearing cups to be filled and recut in the future, as there is a small amount of fore and aft sop that cannot be adjusted out.

We looked at the 2 carbs, and I'm going for the later one with the float chamber cap off the earlier one as that has a nice proper brass gauze fuel filter. I have to find out about an air filter that will fit and look vintage.

I have the rear hub in the house to work out the 36 hole pattern and spacing once 24 of the existing 28 have been welded over. Unless I cannot buy a 36 hole Motobecane c/w brake drum.

 

[Ludwig II]

Further update. It appears we have a vario bottom end and the Motobecane 7 top end, but the 7 is a single speeder. I will look to see if the single speed pulley we have is the same size as the closed up vario. This becomes interesting.

Edit: Mopedland appear to have a 36 hole hub affordable in stock.

 

[Ludwig II]

The hub is in stock, there are bigger sprockets to give a suitable drive ratio. Further clues and information tell me the engine is probably the 25mph variant. A 10mm carb will give 1.7hp, the 12mm I have gives 2hp. Rear sprockets come in 2 sizes, the 39 I currently have is for the 20 and 25mph versions. There is a choke slide missing from the Gurtner carb, and a new air filter box needs making to protect the internals of the infernal device.

 

[Ludwig II]

I'm ordering a newhub with bigger brake and final drive sprocket, also the freewheel for the pedal chain. Added to this is a new and better ignition coil and capacitor, I have dealt with old school electrics before.

While I'm away in Swanage, Doug hopes to get the back wheel assembled so we can get a proper look at the assemblage on my return.

 

[Ludwig II]

Going over to Doug's tomorrow, for some more knuckle scuffing. Hub and bits will arrive after tomorrow, bit of a pain, but that's life. And we're under no timetable pressure to finish, so all is pleasurable endeavour.

 

[cannonball2]

Maybe I will live so long. Great so far though.

 

[Ludwig II]

As the weather warms up, I can look at going over to JC and pulling the minimoto engined bike out of his shed and doing some worthwhile butchery and swearing. It will be nice to deal with an engine that needs no rebuilding or new parts.

 

[Ludwig II]

Rear hub and bits on the way, accompanied by megaspark coil. I'l probably be across at Doug's next week now.

 

[Ludwig II]

Hub parts and the sparky bits that are strong enough to stun a buffalo.

 

[Ludwig II]

I can't do anything for the next couple of weeks, Doug is up to his eyeballs in work, including the polishing of tubes for a pair of Dursley pedersen frames. Ever seen a Dursley Pedersen?

 

[Ludwig II]

Back to Redditch again tomorrow, brush painting Pedersen frame tubes and then possibly trimming a solid rubber tyre for an American high wheel bicycle.

 

[Ludwig II]

Nothing in Redditch now for a while, I did the tyre on Tuesday. Circular section rubber now has a 13/16"average width flat on it so it sits properly in the rim of an American Star.

http://classiccycleus.com/home/1886-american-star-bicycle/

I will try to get over to Melton Mowbray to do some more on the Cooper & Ludwig special, depends on weather and woman.

 

[Velodrome]

Seriously cool bike there Wiggie! Got pic's ?

 

[Ludwig II]

The Star is currently in bits scattered in the "informal storage system". I'll see if I can get some off him when he puts it back together.

 

[Ludwig II]

I went over to Doug's and spent a while lacing up a back wheel, then we messed around working out how much offset the rim needed .

We also looked at different silencers, and I'm going to be using the body of this ancient pattern thing. The brackets conveniently go straight to the orignal silencer support on the Motobecane engine, either side of the downtube of the frame. We need to make a sinuous pipe from the barrel to the body, but we know how it will go together now.

 

[Ludwig II]

I have been unhappy for a while over the tank; I have 3, one will do as a fall back, but I saw something the other day that might be the very thing. An air reservoir for pneumatic suspension systems. Note to self: stay on top of urge to write rheumatic instead. I will do some investigating.

 

[fasteddy]

I always feel that the forks and the gas tank define the bikes looks. An air tank would be an excellent choice for a gas tank. Probably not inexpensive but an excellent choice.

Steve.