h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

not seen 'em have you got that flange coupling sorted yet Fred?

Ah, now a pre-66 flange. That's a rarity that is y'know. Not many people know it though.

They're the ones with the white metal valve guides aren't they?

I think the imperial ball race was actually stopped around '45 with the so called 'archibald' wheel adjuster.

I don't think the archibald ever quite solved the problem. I thought they used Croydon pattern valves in the Fifties anyway, and they were never white! Just goes to show...

ah yes, well the Croydon pattern were quite infamous!
I remember an old boy I met up eskdale way telling me about the problems they had with the casts for them. Never really sorted them did they?

Although there was that break in the summer of '56 when they imported the Dutch double-wingnut version.

Trust the Dutch to show us how to do things properly, as usual. I remember the only reason they never caught on was that they had left-handed threads, and many nuts were lost when the operator thought they were actually tightening them up. Fiddly things too.

Did you get the 'tool kit' with yours? the 66 reissue came with a nifty tool kit in a kinda canvis wrap bag thinggy, it contained all the tools for adjusting the sprockets and valves, and a neat little tool for tightening up the belt drive, and another that adjusted the nipple tortness....

My original one came with a tool kit but after i ruined it and picked up my replacement it didn't have one. But i still have my original toolkit. I never use it though.

no, the toolkit for mine was long lost. But I did find the coronation edition toolkit one at a local auction. don't think anyone knew what it was so got it for a steal.
I know it doesn;t match mine, but the coronation was the only toolkit to come with the factory made inverted reciprocator.

I was thinking about fitting a 3/8 sprunge throcket to mine... do you think it would work or would I see a big deterioration in performance.

Sorry I came late to this conversation, Ictoan. I've had a Vernier wheel added to mine - it gives much more accurate readings on the lever. I got a 7.34 yesterday evening!

About your original problem, I think you could probably get it re-machined at a grommet and cleat maker's toolshop.

I think I may have found an antique model at a car boot sale. Can anyone direct me to some reference material to verify this?

try google or sometimes ebay has a manual for sale. Problem with antique ones is that spring...it oftens works loose and it's a hell of a job to re fix it.

a mate of mine tried a 3/8 sprunge throcket but it fell off, let me know if you have better luck!

A 7.34? That's pretty good, I might have to try that.
Problem these days is finding anywhere that even knows what a grommet and cleat is, last place I tried seemed to think you could they might get one in May!

you could try a rubber tap washer sometimes that works but only as a short term solution.It can blow the small gaskets so be careful.

I'll probably use the Mk. IV adaptor and the '68 "Zinger" gasket when fitting it. Unorthodox I know, but it looks like it should work.

In my professional opinion it would appear the flange and sprocket are suffering from a severe case of kanker up the bosnotics, resulting in the gigglepin coming loose.The cure is to use a 4 pound lump hammer to peal the giggle pin over on the watchyoumacallit thingmybob thus re-securing the flange to the sprocket.

Worked for me...

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If you're made of money, I suppose, but what's wrong with a few shims?

My uncle always used to swear by a bit of wire wool, some sand paper and a can of 3-in-1.

Hey - I didn't know there was a left-handed version; for the novelty of it, it might be worth learning to bat for the other side and become a southpaw.



Or is that bat "on" the other side?

That would solve the problem of the clockwise thread and people have problems with their nuts.

I tried that on mine - these days I just swear at a bit of wire wool, some sand paper and a can of 3-in-1.