Swing arm ID 1956 Cruiser 75

Hi all,
I have been digging through my spares and my bike proper and I have noticed a difference with the swing arms.
The one fitted to the rear section of my dry build has a bolted on guide fitted and on my spare its part of the arm itself.
Sorry about the state of my dry build it has been 'in storage' for a long time - I was a member way back in 1992 - last time a did anything with the bike





I think the bolt on may have been added later
Any thoughts from the experts would be appreciated.

Ian

Yes the bolted on one is a "later addition" probably to replace one which came off, i have seen a couple of swing arms where the stop has come adrift and recently supplied a swing arm to a member who had his come off causing his bike to lock up when the brake plate went round and ripped the brake rod off
JH

Thanks John
I will keep my spare then

I am digging an engine out I bought last year maybe you can ID this on for me, ill post up the pics, I cannot find any info in my Villiers single and twins book,

Thanks again
ian

Yes can do that ? engine no. should be enough, but if not picture will help

JH

Hi John,

Here are some pics of the engine I bought
The generator take off is different, ignition switch blanked off front engine mounting looks to be more substantial and has stamps on it.
it has been rebuilt at some point, good compression.









Pic 4 is my 1956 1H engine
Could it be an engine out of a microcar or an invalid carriage (very un PC sorry)

better get them back in the garage as its snowing a hooley up here


Ian

147B means it was originally supplied to be used in a Dayton Albatross scooter.

JH

Hi Ian, If you are going to use the swing arm with the bolt on anchor, I would weld the top and bottom as bolts have a habit of coming loose. I had one fail when I was eighteen, I put I down to the way I rode the bike. Before going on a tour of Norway with the club, I had a piece of metal welded below the anchor, this gave me reassurance when coming down the steep mountain roads. Ps Jeff had his done too, so if you have a look JH it should be still there. Mike  

PPS My Villiers 2H was out of a Dayton Albatross

Aye that's interesting - I would not have thought of the Dayton.

Thank you for the information.

My plan is to use the engine until I get my original 75 engine rebuilt.

John will it be a problem getting dating cert for my 1956 75 with this engine?

Ian

No not a problem at all, original type of engine, just a different number, if you swap the inner chaincase with the 147B number on, with the correct one, which should be 642B it will have the correct number on anyway, so will not need to be changed on the V5C when you refit the other engine ?
JH
Odd that Villiers 9E onward engines had the engine number on an easily interchageable part, the 8E and earlier ones had it stamped on the crankcases ( much harder to change)
JH

Yes I noticed that, ill do that, the purists will notice the difference with the engine but I am not really that bothered by it to be honest.

I got the year wrong I have 2 YB prefix frames the good and the spare, which makes it 1957 it has been a while since I dug out the bikes

I will send PM with frame and engine details,

Again thank you both for the info,
Ian

If it is dating for registering you require a p.m with frame and engine Nos will be no use
i require
Hard copy photo of bike, frame No and engine No.
cheque payable to FBOC for £10 and copy of your membership card ( or £20 if not a member)
A4 sized SAE with large letter stamp
to register the bike it needs to be complete

If claiming back an original number from an old cardboard logbook, i will also need
copy of old logbook and a V765 Form

John H

Ah OK John I have sent a PM - ignore it until I get it built up again, had to dismantle it for storage years ago.

While I am on I need a seat and one of the members mentioned you were the man for these, do you have any for my 75, also need a down pipe and silencer

Ian

Sorry cannot help with a seat for the Cruiser at the moment, but RK Leighton in Birmingham do one i believe ?
I do presently have a seat base for a Falcon and a complete seat for a plover 95/ James M15 if anyone needs one ?
JH

Hi Ian

Downpipe & Silencer and filter pipe to weld on all available from Armours Bournemouth

Peter

Peter,

Thanks for that - I forgot about armours, didn't have them when I looked a long time ago,

Cheers
Ian

Hi Ian,

JH has a falcon seat these are fairly easy to alter to Cruiser spec just a pair of brackets up front to move outwards

Rear brackets will probably fit.

Peter

The falcon 87 shares the same base as the Cruiser and a modification to front brackets will fit, but the base i have is for the Falcon 70/74/81 this uses a narrower front to the base and would require a lot more surgery to get it to fit a cruiser, namely it would have to be widened at the front by about 3 inches as well as moving the brackets
JH

Sorry John!!!

Peter

My bad i should have said which Falcon rather than just "falcon" as dual seat types for falcons are
1 Falcon 67
2 Falcon 70,74,81
3 Falcon 87

3 distinct types

JH