Hi,
I am unsure why, maybe a rush of blood to the head or early onset dementia, but I'm trying to build a C15T as near to standard as possible. I have the correct oil tank and side panel (1960) but no centre panel. (Paul at BSAunitsingles.com has been a great help sourcing parts). I think it must be possible to cut and shut a standard C15 item, in fact I have done one just to try and it's ok except I think I've made it too slim. Can anyone help with a photo and some dimensions please? Of course if anyone actually has a spare panel I do have folding stuff ( banknotes to the uninitiated).Sorry to be a pain, I hope someone can help, please.
For info, I am building this bike for when I can no longer handle my Goldie, a 1960 DBD34, in Clubmans trim. I'm only 70 so hopefully have a few years (wife says "more like weeks"!) left.
Thank you.
Geoff
There's a pic on Page 231 of Vol. 2 of Rupert ratio of the central panel config for a swan necked C15 competition model. From the pic, it looks as though the central panel has been cut back on the LHS so that the toolbox panel just clears the carb rubber tube on the RHS. I assume the central panel is also reduced by this amount on the other side so that it is then symmetric wrt the frame rear down tube.
If the above is correct, I would have thought that you might has well start with a new sheet of mild steel for the central panel since you are not going to be able to re-use much of an original one. On the standard central panel, the edges are stepped to fit behind the oil tank and tool box panel but, presumably, you do not really need this feature on a fabricated panel - if you do that could be the challenge?
Hi Spaceman,
I actually took a C15 panel and cut it down the centre and used the left and right sections so I kept the joddled edges. I then used a strip of the bit I'd removed and used it as a central stiffener which was spot welded in situ to join the two sections together. The idea is that once completed I'll lead load the visible joint line. But I've made this new panel 100mm / 4" wide and I don't think that's enough, because when it comes to fitting the rear mudguard I have a suspicion that the width is insufficient.
Out of interest I could not find an inner panel to mount the Vokes airfilter so I made one which I am really pleased with. I also located a brand new, original wrapped airfilter. Amazing what is still out there!
Thanks for your response, but I am still struggling. I've spent about 3 whole days scratching my head on this one.
Best regards,
Geoff
The images I can see early C15T's seem to show shorter versions of the oil tank and toolbox cover which may well be positioned a little further forward compared with a standard C15. It may be that rather than a circular mudguard, the front part may be a little straighter and therefore a bit further back as far as the oil tank and toolbox are concerned making it easier to bring them closer together. However, it's difficult to tell what is standard for a 1960 C15T especially without a parts book?
I do have the parts book. So I know the part number but sadly the detail is insufficient to enable a replica to be fashioned. I'm thinking I will need to assemble the back end of the bike and sort the mudguard first. It's a bit of a jigsaw puzzle, but I only started with an engine, a frame and rear cradle, so I am making progress, albeit slowly.
It does sound as though you need the sub-frame and mudguard in place before you can position the oil tank and the air filter box properly. I had a similar problem with a Tiger Cub for various reasons and that took quite a bit of fettling to get everything to fit with the mudguard in place.
I've never seen a parts book for the early competition models and would be interesting in getting hold of one. Would you mind telling me what the Catalogue No. is for it (00-5XXX)?.
I can see the early competition parts are in the parts book I already have - couldn't see them for looking!
Looking at picture of a C15T central panel and also looking at the top bracket for it, I would have estimated the total width of the panel at about 4.5". Assuming the panel originally took a 100 mm diameter horn would also give the total width at bout 4.5".
However, if you have the pukka oil tank and toolbox inner panel, I am sure you could work out the width of the panel from the geometry of their mounting brackets that bolt on to the sub-frame down tubes.