still not starting

[Barnsey]

It looks like I had the kickstart stop plate in upside down:

 (https://www.classicbikeshop.co.uk/triumph-350-500cc-unit-twins-kickstart-stop-plate-1957-74-oem-57-1157.html)

Maybe that contributed to the fracture in the side plate. It looks like the tapered end goes downward? 

 I'm now reassembling.

  I am always grateful for all advice, but sometimes things get in the way and I don't get to try it out in as short a time frame as I would like.  In this case kicking the bike over when in gear, and then the kickstart breaking again. 

  I'll try the stripped down minimalist loom just as soon as the bike is back to being in a kickable state. 

And... ohh yes,  I added extra grounding wires to the engine and headlight ages ago.

  This has been going on so long that it is getting hard to remember  what I have done in what order.  If ever I do another project like this I will keep a paper log book!      (Serious amount of IF in that!)

[Barnsey]

New problem.

 The new side cover has locating dowls in difference places to the old one so I need to move them around in order to get it to fit on the bike.  It looks like they were originally a push fit but they are not budging now.  What is the best method to remove them without destroying them in the process?  Is it the old,'heat it up in my wife's oven till they fall out' approach? 

[Barnsey]

Forget I said that. Even with heat an penetrating oil, the metal of the dowl was so thin that it just tore.

 I'll carefully file it flat and then drill it out.  New dowls appear to be still available. 

[Barnsey]

Drilling out the dowl went without hitch  (Phew!).  New dowls on order from Feked.  I had a hunt around my workshop to see if I had anything the right diameter to re-purpose, but no joy.  Apparently some brake pipes are 7.8mm 5/16" . 

  Anyhow, it looks like I will be reassembling the gearbox next weekend.  Then back to electrics. 

[Steve.S]

Pay attention 007.

I suggested running a separate earth wire from the distributor to battery earth, in the unlikely event that the distributor is not earthing to the crankcase, for some nefarious reason. It shouldn't take too long.