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  • 10 months later...
Posted

WP_20160706_12_16_23_Pro.jpg.f340b4d15317347078ab2d72efbf19c6.jpg

 

WP_20160706_12_14_49_Pro.jpg.b216e7f4042b710d1866c85a15c73f85.jpg

 

A CS2 built and flown in 1938. Now standing under a DC3 in the Adelaide Aviation Museum. Located in Port Adelaide, the museum is half a block from the SA Railway Museum which is half a block from the SA Maritime Museum. A really good day out.

 

 

  • Like 1
Posted

There is no such thing as a HENDERSON ACE Henderson was Part of Excelsior Henderson and made motorbikes until the big depression when they Closed (1931) They continued to manufacture Schwinn Push bikes and may still be made today. Ignatz Schwinn was the owner of the Company.

 

The Ace company was separate and was eventually taken over by Indian, who built their first four cylinder bike based on it (almost a copy) called an Indian ACE about 1927. After then it was modified substantially and just called the Indian Four. The 8 HP is not the true HP but a figure based on capacity. The developed HP would be around 22. for the earlier motors. Heath built specialised Henderson motors with OHV heads and a deep oil sump for aircraft use in the 20's always four cylinder. The gearbox section at the rear was cut off the crankcases of these motors for aero use. Individual iron cylinders on an aluminium crankcase, is the layout. The Heath OHV heads might have been bronze from memory. Much more power. Nev

 

 

Posted
There is no such thing as a HENDERSON ACE Henderson was Part of Excelsior Henderson and made motorbikes until the big depression when they Closed (1931) They continued to manufacture Schwinn Push bikes and may still be made today. Ignatz Schwinn was the owner of the Company.The Ace company was separate and was eventually taken over by Indian, who built their first four cylinder bike based on it (almost a copy) called an Indian ACE about 1927. After then it was modified substantially and just called the Indian Four. The 8 HP is not the true HP but a figure based on capacity. The developed HP would be around 22. for the earlier motors. Heath built specialised Henderson motors with OHV heads and a deep oil sump for aircraft use in the 20's always four cylinder. The gearbox section at the rear was cut off the crankcases of these motors for aero use. Individual iron cylinders on an aluminium crankcase, is the layout. The Heath OHV heads might have been bronze from memory. Much more power. Nev

Is there anything you don't know??

 

 

Posted

An awful lot I'm afraid. I am a bit of an engine, bike, boat, and plane nut, so a specialist in a few things like early motorcycles. I love them and think they are often a work of art. Some aircraft as well. If I had the money and resources but THAT didn't happen. Off a few topics, I regret I have missed out and it's probably too late to do much about it. I should have done more with languages and music and many other things. I'm not sure flying planes, Looking back on it was as satisfying as I hoped. It certainly was a challenge and also fairly risky, but the BS gets to me, and it's always been there but it's getting worse. People starting today won't get the experiences I got, and you aren't treated very well either. Not even sure I would recommend it now.. Regards. Nev

 

 

  • Like 1
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Hi Nev,

 

I had a 1937 empire star BSA 250cc, with foot gear change, & it still had the bolt studs on the tank for the hand gear.

 

Was offered 1000 pound and any new BSA in the BSA dealer's shop.

 

Shame, my mothers boyfriend took it for scrap to pay his gambling dept.

 

spacesailor

 

 

Posted

The pre war OHV BSA's were quite nice bikes. Good performers and nicely built. I haven't seen any 250's for a while, but they don't get taken to the tip like they used to, when the shed's cleaned out. Nev

 

 

Posted
Hi Nev,I had a 1937 empire star BSA 250cc, with foot gear change, & it still had the bolt studs on the tank for the hand gear.

Was offered 1000 pound and any new BSA in the BSA dealer's shop.

 

Shame, my mothers boyfriend took it for scrap to pay his gambling dept.

 

spacesailor

Bet you're 051_crying.gif.fe5d15edcc60afab3cc76b2638e7acf3.gif, it would fetch around $20grand today, in good shape.

 

 

Posted
Hi Nev,I had a 1937 empire star BSA 250cc, with foot gear change, & it still had the bolt studs on the tank for the hand gear.

Was offered 1000 pound and any new BSA in the BSA dealer's shop.

 

Shame, my mothers boyfriend took it for scrap to pay his gambling dept.

 

spacesailor

We have a 37 Empire Star 500 in the shed - wonderful bike to ride !

 

 

  • Like 1
Posted

When I was 18 and looking for a "full size" bike after coming off my P's, I almost bought a 1945 Harley WLA with the hand-shift. Instead I went for a Honda VFR750F. Never regretted it.

 

 

Posted
When I was 18 and looking for a "full size" bike after coming off my P's, I almost bought a 1945 Harley WLA with the hand-shift. Instead I went for a Honda VFR750F. Never regretted it.

A couple of years ago - well, actually, a few more than a couple - I decided to get back into riding after years away from it - the old 'family responsibilities, job, opportunity' crunch syndrome. I'd run a 400/4 Honda playing Agostini around Canberra streets for some years, and had heaps of fun on quite a few bigger bikes: the CBX1000, Duc Darmah and a few great runs on an octagonal-case bevel-drive 900ss, Squeeky GS 850, Yammy FJ1100..

 

I'd always yearned for a Viffer. Found an '86 - the first, lightest and arguably fastest.. in Rocket Ron Haslam blue, not the White Bike. In need of a little TLC - and when doing that, found just what a fantastic job Honda had done with it - (you will remember the stuff up with the cam and cam-chain drive of the Vf750R, for which the urban legend said Hoichiro Honda said: 'we will redeem ourselves') Urban legend says it sold at a loss; the quality absolutely everywhere on that bike is just fabulous; with nearly 100K on the clock, I changed out the headstock bearings and replaced the front fork seals and it rode like a brand new bike.

 

All motorcyclists appreciate 'character'; the way a Viffer 750 lopes along below about 5k revs as a slightly urgent Ducati twin is restful, then above that, the cam hits and it just flies. I fell in love with riding again- then disaster - severe carpal tunnel in both wrists. Operations, but they've taken several years to actually get sorted, and my beloved Viffer sits awaiting my attention in the back of the workshop... but that story isn't yet over.

 

 

  • Like 2
Posted

A friend of mine flies a Heath Parasol I think it is the oldest flying machine in Australia, Built in early thirties and didn't fly succesfully till 1936. That makes it 80 years old,

 

 

Posted
A couple of years ago - well, actually, a few more than a couple - I decided to get back into riding after years away from it - the old 'family responsibilities, job, opportunity' crunch syndrome. I'd run a 400/4 Honda playing Agostini around Canberra streets for some years, and had heaps of fun on quite a few bigger bikes: the CBX1000, Duc Darmah and a few great runs on an octagonal-case bevel-drive 900ss, Squeeky GS 850, Yammy FJ1100..I'd always yearned for a Viffer. Found an '86 - the first, lightest and arguably fastest.. in Rocket Ron Haslam blue, not the White Bike. In need of a little TLC - and when doing that, found just what a fantastic job Honda had done with it - (you will remember the stuff up with the cam and cam-chain drive of the Vf750R, for which the urban legend said Hoichiro Honda said: 'we will redeem ourselves') Urban legend says it sold at a loss; the quality absolutely everywhere on that bike is just fabulous; with nearly 100K on the clock, I changed out the headstock bearings and replaced the front fork seals and it rode like a brand new bike.

 

All motorcyclists appreciate 'character'; the way a Viffer 750 lopes along below about 5k revs as a slightly urgent Ducati twin is restful, then above that, the cam hits and it just flies. I fell in love with riding again- then disaster - severe carpal tunnel in both wrists. Operations, but they've taken several years to actually get sorted, and my beloved Viffer sits awaiting my attention in the back of the workshop... but that story isn't yet over.

Mine was the blue too, with white pinstriping (before I dropped it and got it totally resprayed, it was just blue after that). Lovely bike. I had another one later, '89 model I think. Mate of mine just sold his '95 with only 50,000 on the clock for $2,900.

 

Here's my second one:

 

PA061616.JPG.9c9b93933760fc045939fa467a5c3abc.JPG

 

 

  • Like 2
Posted

Bit off the track from Guess The Plane, aren't we?

 

 

  • Agree 1
Posted

Only made a comment about my BSA, didn't want to make a new thread about bikes.

 

Many pardons.

 

spacesailor

 

 

Posted

Mr McCarthy you have me stumped ... and twitching as I HAVE seen that picture before but for the life of me cannot remember it.

 

Well done sir, well done.

 

 

Posted

OK a clue or two - the gent at the rear has opened a hinged section of the fuselage for some reason.

 

The twin pusher plane first flew at Heston on April 3, 1937.

 

 

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