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WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

To help fellow restorers, here are some images of my now finished WD/RE "Flying Flea"......first contract from 1943, Frame number 8083...........she started and ran well on the second kick........3 months since acquiring her in a sad state....

When first acquired in March this year.......built in 1943, released from the Army 1955, first civvy registered in 1956 and last used early 1970s.......whole life spent in East Anglia........

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And at the end of June this year......... Back to her former glory.......

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Correct Miller WD lightswitch Top thanks to Arnaud (!!!! ).......lower part of switch had to be assembled from various scrap Miller switches here...and Arnaud's parts fitted faultlessly ! Merci Arnaud.....
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Offside rear frame detail........
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Nearside rear frame detail..........note position of 1st contract plate, and opiginal NOS WD tyre pump.......no foot-stirrup used on either the James ML nor Flea pumps.........

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 photo 013_zpsaptfx0sy.jpg....the correct fuel-tank mioxing instructions............

Frame number should be duplicated on engine......here "5550" but as my frame is "8083" this suggests a replacement workshop-rebuilt engine........the "V" numbered number (the "V" standing for "Villiers Carburetter") is the engine's own individual number............
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Engine detail.......note no "Royal Enfield" embossed on the timing cover....that was post-war...........also, no immobiliser fitted as the entire HT lead could be detached.........
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Front view......
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Frame number position........right-hand side of the headstock..........no suffix nor prefix..........
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That's all for now folks !!!!!!!!!!

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Awesome job Steve!!

email (option): mike.kaczorowski@gmail.com

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Could it get any better?! That is quite the primer gallery of pics for anyone wanting to restore one. The more you look at it the machine, the more interesting it becomes. I'll bet not many make it out to shows so they must be a rare sight. Will the air cleaner be attached or was that not an original as shown in the unrestored picture?
Excellent restoration, Steve.
Wade

email (option): iron_ariel@yahoo.ca

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Nice one Steve! the repro blackout mask could do with some modifications though.

Glad I had all the transfers printed instead of waiting to find the time to do them myself!

Hope it keeps running as good as it looks!

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbXXX.net (think about this!)

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Thanks Wade........a fair bit of work here.......

Lex, Blackout mask an original held here.........have a copy to compare......

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Steve, all factory and other pictures show a Miller blackout mask with a reinforced rib on the bottom of the hood, see here:



Even Metalmagic's repro's have it (there's other things wrong with those, but will not go into that now)

So I do not believe there was a second type, the Lucas masks have the same reinforcement rib....

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbXXX.net (think about this!)

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Mask NOS Lex.......had it for over 25 years and still had Miller WD stores label on when acquired (I will see if I can find it).........it came from ex-AMC WD stocks originally.........I have a Metal magic copy here also to compare and this has the front-rib you refer to......the original doesn't so there must have been more than one version..........

Miller may well have sub-contracted some parts (as did probably Lucas) during WW2 so variations will exist...........

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Worth also mentioning that I have seen 2 variations in the Miller WD lighting switch, 2 versions of the blackout mask, 3 variants of the Villers Air-Maze filter, 2 versions of the Miller tail-light, 2 versions of Flea folding footrests, etc...........different contracts and/or manufacturers ?

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Fight! Fight!

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Hee Hee

Does make you wonder though, what is 'original' ...

see Uncle Dick pix, a real mish mash ........
As for the Black-out "thing" ......... wouldn't even call it a hood ?

Its even got those nice cast front number-plate brackets - but no number plate!?

email (option): ginantonik@tiscali.co.uk

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Ha Ha !! No, seriously, Miller mask on my Flea is an original......it was NOS many years ago now and although in packaging was a tad rusty-corroded.......came in with a load of NOS AMC WD stuff.........there were 3 similar masks in there, and I only took one as seeking a Lucas 6" at the time ! ]

I have found all manner of variations and sub-contracted parts over the years with various manufacturers, few documented........we cannot say for certain today, 70-odd years later, what was and what did not feature........even back then I doubt if they could keep track............

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Anything goes then...So we'll have no more talk of 'originality'.. ..Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

God! the welding's crap ..... I'm still not used to how badly made the 3HW stuff is !


Nice restoration though.
I admire your work Ron.


Though sadly, I'm the type who would have run it as found ..... probably why the VMCC doesn't like me ?

email (option): ginantonik@tiscali.co.uk

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

It's not mine Nig. But I have one like it. Ron

 photo Lightweights 336_zpsmwqvnyz6.jpg

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Bloody hell, sorry Steve M. getting crossed up with Ron ...

Same remarks apply.

email (option): ginantonik@tiscali.co.uk

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Awesome resto Steve well done, I have had a soft spot for one of these little bikes for months now and would love one in my collection.

email (option): glenn.johns@hotmail.com

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

NigP, that's okay mate.....I'm better looking than Ron anyway.......

You're dead right about that welding though...noticed it myself..........it's pretty poor quality across the entire bike, almost as if to reinforce the point that these machines were (then) cheap enough to abandon if broken-down................post-war, when in civvy production, the welding certainly noticeably improved........

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Glenn, get to the back of the queue. Remember the first law of motorcycling "Thou shalt not covert thy neighbours motorcycle. " Bikus Chapter 1 .

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Ha ha !! JT, I fear you may have a task finding an original WD Flea today.........

Find soon, whilst I still have a fair few mechanical spares....!

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

hi steve...
any joy with the flywheels ???
or a complete engine !!!

email (option): chris dot astinbarker at bt internet dot com

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

It's just like mine...............

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m582/cbranni/flying%20flea%20003_zpsvkmditeo.jpg

Anyone got any ideas why the photo didn't appear only the link?

Colin

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Because you have to copy and paste the HTML code. Ron

 photo flying flea 003_zpsvkmditeo.jpg

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

Thanks Ron,

Re: WD/RE Flying Flea Restoration Completed

chris b
hi steve...
any joy with the flywheels ???
or a complete engine !!!


Sorry Chris, not looked yet..........rather busy at present with big DiY project that Mrs M has me working on whilst she is away in the USA.....need to complete it before she gets back in the next week or so otherwise I'm in trouble.....

Taken me and a mate (who's a professional decorator) 5 days so far and only half-way through !!!!! 8am to 6pm every day so far.........

Her Grace is back from the USA next week, slumming it back from New York via Halifax in Canada on the Queen Mary........alright for some !!

I'll look as soon as I get a bit of free time Chris......

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