WHEELIE SURPRISED

I had arranged for a trip down to Ditchling last Friday, to collect seat back and squabs from Arthur. I was intending to fit a pair of bucket seats, but my wife insisted bucket seats just didn't have the traditional look and to ensure I keep on her right side I opted for form over function, still nothing that can't be changed at a later date and Arthur was offering a good deal. However to my surprise a text from Steve at Wheelwise told me my three wheels were ready for collection. So with my chum Gerry, it was two birds with one stone.

Arthur had the seat, plus tunnel capping and side panel cards ready and once loaded its was off to Cowfold, thirty minutes away for the wheels. Splendid, very shiny, already shod and ready to go.

I stashed my new goodies away and got on with a few outstanding jobs, like re-fitting the fuel tank and fuel pump. That done I wired up the fuel gauge and pump and after adding eleven litres of petrol the fuel gauge registered just under half full, so I expect the tank will hold about twenty five litres when full and the voltmeter showed 12 volts.

Before I connected the fuel lines to the carbs I turned on the ignition and with a whirring from the pump, fuel gushed out the end of the hoses, I deliberately did this to flush out any debris. However once connected and ignition turned on fuel still poured out of the right hand carb, left one was fine, so I will have to it take off the right one and strip it, probably the needle valve or float sticking, shouldn't be too much trouble to fix and then I will hopefully be able to start the engine.

Just to round off the day, I loctighted the bolts that attach the brake disc to the hub, fitted the brake discs to the calliper, greased the tapered roller bearings, gently taped in the grease seal and mounted the wheel to the previously fitted stub axle and finally tightened the castellated nut until the wheel became stiff to turn. I backed off the nut just enough to allow the wheel to turn freely and inserted the split pin. I slipped the brake calliper over the disc and bolted it onto the mounting plate. The domed hub caps, mudguards and stays are still to come.

The third wheel will be the spare and I mounted it on the back, but I need to devise a way to keep it in place. But not long now before I can lift Marjorie off the trestles and roll her out of the garage.for a proper photo call.