TWO SPEED PROBLEM

[ERIC BAYLISS]

Another successful Abbotsholme over for another year ,I even got to ride my barn find two speeder, I must say it flies. now the problems start, has any body got any ideas how to get the long petrol tank of that’s been there for at least 60 years , I know they stick on the the saddle tube but this looks as if there is a piece of old red inner tube in between the tank and the front down tube which has vulcanized itself to both. The other thing is when Scott put the pilgrim pump on the mag platform on the two speeder was the platform made up out of two , bolted together or is this a bodge by the previous owner. Cheers Eric

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

Hi Eric, There were a number of different variations in the tanks on ‘Long tank two-speeders’, and on some the rear of the tank actually went over the seat pillar tube, whilst on others there was just a semi-circular indentation in the rear face of the tank, and clamps secured it to the tube. This was on 1926 two-speed Flying Squirrels, and there was a different style tank on the Sports Squirrel. Firms like A E Reynolds also made their own offerings for owners who wanted more range out of their oval-tanked machines. What type have you got ? I can only suggest lots of penetrating oil into the tank/frame joints, and gentle persuasion initially…..
Brian

[ERIC BAYLISS]

Hi Brian its the type with a tube in the tank that goes over the saddle tube.

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

Hi again, Have you got a castellated ring nut at the top of the seat pillar tube, that also secures the removable ‘wishbone’ top chainstay section of the frame ? After 85 years or so they can be difficult to remove without getting brutal with them, but once that is off you should be able to get plenty of penetrating oil down inside the tube, and be able to get the tank moving a little bit at a time. It’s a good few years since I last had a fight with one, but it did come off after a lot of swearing, and hitting the top of the seat pillar tube backwards, forwards, and sideways with a rubber mallet, to break the grip of the rust between the tank and the tube.
Brian

[ERIC BAYLISS]

That came undone and the top frame tube came of quite easily. but there does seem to be another piece in the top with two slots in it that the frame tube went onto. Eric

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