I'm currently restoring a 1940 Excelsior Universal which shares the same front fork and brake cable assembly (albeit a de luxe version) with the James ML.
I am seeking dimensions of various bits and pieces so as to make an accurate copy. The James Spare Parts List illustrates the various parts but lacks detail.
The parts concerned are as follows,
Part No 20 (BML/26/5/3) Cable nipple, brake end
Part No 25 (J20/4) Rod, front brake
Part No 26 (BML/26/6/7) Spring, front brake rod
Part No 29 (BML/26/6/6 Plunger , front brake rod box

There is also a mystery part that I don't understand,
Part No 24 (BML/26/5/6 Stop, front brake cable. Can anyone enlighten me?

The spare parts list gives enough info to make a working assembly that looks and works like the real thing but if I have the dimensions I can do it properly.

Rather unwisely I bought a stalled restoration. It looked really good in the photos. Need I say more.

Hopefully someone can assist

Bob

email (option): bobmcgrath21@hotmail.com

I can take more detailed pictures and measurements as require. The stop No24 is the adjusting thumb screw on the bottom of the rod. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Thats wonderful Ron. It's very kind of you.
I don't really need much as as the dimensions of one part leads naturally into the dimensions of another. Could we start with the dimensions of the front brake rod?
Diameter, length, thread type at each end and the threaded length of each end?
After that about all I need is the length of Part No 26, Spring, front brake rod and the length of Part No 29, Plunger, front brake rod box.
Luckily, the only original part I have is Part No 27,the original Box, Front Brake Rod. Having both that plus your advice giving me the critical dimensions of the missing parts the rest should just logically fall together.
Famous last words I know but I have to think positive don't I. Otherwise I'd be as nutty as my mates say I am.

Thanking you in advance,
Bob

email (option): bobmcgrath21@hotmail.com

OK Bob I'll look at it later. Just off out to the pub on my M20.....For breakfast with mates!! Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Here are the measurements of my brake rod:-

Exposed length 15" (I guess there is about 1/2" threaded in the brass at the top.
Thread at the bottom is 3BA and about 3 1/4" long
The rod is .156" (4mm) I think the nearest imperial would be wire gauge 7.

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Well, I could have saved you a lot of trouble Ron, I have all the measurements in my PC, and think I shared them with you some years ago.

Bob, send me an email, and I'll find them again.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbi**.net

I can't remember that Lex. Can you send it again when you find it. I'll save it for next time someone asks. :slightly_smiling_face:

Your hub just arrived BTW. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Ok, I found it, but it's all pictures with sketches, not very professional, will see if I can tidy it up a bit.

Thanks for the hub, renaming Hermes, doesn't give me much confidence! And I hope this will be the right one! 3rd time in a row should do it?......

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbi**.net

It's Evri now and the delivery girl is very young and pretty.:blush: Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Aargghhh, what use is that for me? hahaha! but maybe you could check if the hub is the same as on your James? the anticipation is killing me!

No worries about the brake plate, I have too many now! (picture of only 2)



Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbi**.net

Hello Ron and Lex,
Thank you for your efforts so far.
I've tried to send you an email Lex but my computer insists your address, welbike@welbi**.net cannot be found. I've re-entered it several times, checked the spelling, tried a few variations and so on but no joy.
Could you just pop your info up here so as to spread the joy a little further?

Finally, the brake rod thread would be 3BA wouldn't it. I have the rod plus the family accumulation of BA taps and dies with multiples of some sizes but of course what is the only missing die? 3BA taps aplenty but no die. Sometimes I think somebody up there is having lots of fun at my expense. I'm getting well acquainted with the old three steps forward then two back workshop dance.

Cheers for now,
Bob

email (option): bobmcgrath21@hotmail.com

Bob with Lex's email you replace the ** with ke (welbike). It's his way of avoiding scammers. Now the whole World knows :thinking_face:

Lex, I did offer up the hub to mine and it does look right. Bloody good find!! Dave Walters (B4) is looking for a rear hub, I did tell him you have brake plates. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Ok, that's great Ron! I do have another NOS hub here, but it's a bit too narrow, about half an inch, that will be for sale again, these ML hubs/wheels are just impossible to find, been working on that for mover 3 years now!

And Bob, I did send you 2 emails yesterday, hopefully you can make some sort of drawing from them.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbi**.net

Once again, thank you Lex and Ron. I have your sketches and dimensions Lex.No bother to read them. They look remarkably like the stuff I draw up for workshop use.

I remain surprised at how similar the James and Excelsior complete front ends and front wheels are. They are definitely brothers under the skin. One may have a few civilian fripperies and the other made a little simpler for wartime production but definitely from the same family.

Anyway, it's now full steam ahead after I buy myself a 3BA die.

Thank you both again,
Cheers,
Bob

email (option): bobmcgrath21@hotmail.com

Could one of you email the drawing to me please. Just for future reference.

Cheers Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

It's a series of pictures, I'll send them on, but wish someone would make a proper drawing! I don't have the time, and have 2 original sets for my bikes.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbi**.net

If no one else volunteers Lex, I could draw them up for you.

Mark

email (option): pes.sales@btconnect.com

I've forwarded to you all the info Lex sent me Ron.

I've also tried to respond to Lex's latest email to me but the only response I've got is a notice in Dutch from my email provider. I think it's telling me it couldn't deliver but I don't really know. The message claims an English translation is available but this translated everything --- except the message! Sometimes you just can't win.

Anyway, I've got everything I need, you've both been a great help and the bike is moving forward again.

You may wonder why the enthusiasm over just another 1930's lightweight. I'm a great admirer of one Frank Fletcher who won a bronze medal riding a similar model Excelsior Universal in the 1938 ISDT held in Wales. Next year he rode another in the 1939 Austrian ISDT held on the eve of WWII. Like all in the British contingent he left for home before the event finished but as a mere private entrant I've never been able to pin down the exact details of his return home. I've been keen to get myself an Excelsior Universal ever since I read of his exploits and adventures and now I have one. I was very pleased to get it.

Cheers,
Bob

email (option): bobmcgrath21@hotmail.com

Thanks Bob and very good to hear.

Lex is a very poor Dutchie with worn out clogs. I expect he didn't pay his email bill:disappointed:

You can copy and paste any foreign text into "Google Translate" Ron:+1:

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Haha! donations are always welcome!! it's my PC, it's too full with bike stuff! half a million pictures, so have to buy another one.

I didn't get anymore emails from Bob, after the first 2 or 3.

Here's the article he sent me about the forks.

Nice story about the ISDT bike, any pictures of that?

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbi**.net

And Mark, please if you can make proper drawing off of it, would love to see it!

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbi**.net

Hi Lex,
Now we know the secret. You have a full to the brim computer memory! I don't trust computers that much. I've had one hard drive fail and I never want to go through that again. I've taken various back up precautions since then but from friends tales of woe it seems that no matter what you do you never quite get back everything.

Back to interesting things. No, I have very little photographic eveidence of Frank Fletchers rides in the ISDT. He was a private entrant with no affiliations. When you look at ISDT reports there are lots of photos of National teams, factory teams, Services teams, club teams and so on but not much of solo private entrants. They are occasionally seen in the back ground or as part of a group on a stiff hill or through a watersplash or some such but you have to hunt for them. I've found a few of that sort showing Frank but nothing good enough to show how he prepared the bike. I also contacted the Technische Museum Wien, who hold much of the official German photographs taken at the 1939 ISDT but they have none of him. Possibly I could contact Mortons to see what they have but that could be an expensive exercise and I'd rather save that one until my next trip to England and do it in person. Much more fun.
Of course the 9D Villiers engine itself has an excellent ISDT record even though the British didn't like them much. The Dutch Eysink team did very well with them both before and after WWII. I'd be very interested to know how they prepared their bikes.

I'm sorry this seems to be getting away from WD bikes but it does involve general proprietary items used across a range of machinery as well as in the WD field. In fact you could say they are regular civilian items successfully adapted for WD use.

Cheers,
Bob

email (option): bobmcgrath21@hotmail.com