[Martin Heckscher]

Hi Maurice,

I’ve just re-read your original post – and there is no question in my mind that on a bumpy road you are always going to get a much rougher ride with girders than with telescopic forks. There may be nothing wrong with your forks. A rigid rear end doesn’t do much for comfort either of course.

Poor fork spindle adjustment is unlikely to result in a rougher ride but it will adversely affect the handling and roadholding. Regular checking is essential, as is lubrication or your spindles will wear rapidly. There is plenty of source material on how to maintain your girder forks in period publications.

Good luck

Martin

 

[Martin Heckscher]

Hi Otley Scotter,

Thanks for your kind words re the lines and patina of my Squirrel. You’re absolutely right about the tyres which are 26″ x 2 1/2″ beaded edge. The previous owner was the late Mike Highfield who started a very sympathetic restoration about 35 years ago. He never quite finished it and I bought it from him in 2013. He had the wheels rebuilt to take those tyres – a wider tyre won’t fit inside the rear mudguard’s valance, but the wheel diameter of 576mm is bigger than the original 650 x 65mm rims which had a diameter of 536mm. His (and my) concern was that there may not be enough clearance for fork deflection on the front. Time will show. There has been significant progress with the bike but it has been slow with other projects, and life generally, getting in the way. The last obstacle before roadtesting, apart from the current lockdown, is sorting out the Tom Ward style contracting band rear brake which is proving more troublesome than I’d hoped.

Martin

[Martin Heckscher]

Regarding the factory’s plea for magnetos in November 1914, I should have mentioned that following the outbreak of war, supplies of Bosch magnetos ceased for obvious reasons. In his “Third Scott Selection” John Underhill wrote that the military Scotts were originally specified with Rudhardt magnetos made under licence by CAV, but presumably there were supply issues, hence the need to advertise to private owners. It must have taken a while for the replacement American made Dixie and Splitdorf mags to arrive.

On November 11th 1915 “The Motor Cycle”  announced Scott’s 1916 models under the headline “Scotts for Next Year Practically Unaltered”. The article indicated that a Dixie magneto would be fitted as standard for 1916. See below……

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[Martin Heckscher]

This morning I was unable to post the scans of the 1930 catalogue entry for the 300cc Squirrel because the files were too big. I have compressed them, and am now trying again. Hopefully it will work this time & they will still be legible…….

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[Martin Heckscher]

Glancing at Lewis’s photos, and remembering an earlier post in this thread, I thought it impossible that this little machine could possibly weigh as much as 330 lbs. I had handled one of these rare and not particularly desirable models when we offered it at a Bonhams sale a few years ago, and it was definitely a lightweight. The 1930 catalogue shows the weight as 230 lbs, while “The MotorCycle” road test of 18th July 1929 quotes “225 – 228 lbs according to equipment”. Like Lewis, I would prefer any model of the iconic two speeder to this. It is not surprising that it wasn’t a success.
Best wishes to all
Martin

[Martin Heckscher]

Glancing at Lewis’s photos, and remembering an earlier post in this thread, I thought it impossible that this little machine could possibly weigh as much as 330 lbs. I had handled one of these rare and not particularly desirable models when we offered it at a Bonhams sale a few years ago, and it was definitely a lightweight. The 1930 catalogue shows the weight as 230 lbs, while “The MotorCycle” road test of 18th July 1929 quotes 225 – 228 lbs according to equipment. Like Lewis, I would prefer any model of the iconic two speeder to this. It is not surprising that it wasn’t a success.
Best wishes to all
Martin

[Martin Heckscher]

Hi Keith,
If you’re looking for a more modern tyre I can recommend Avon Roadriders which I have on more than one of my machines. Check them out here: https://www.avontyres.com/en-gb/tyres/roadrider?cartype=motorcycle
Best wishes
Martin

[Martin Heckscher]

I wholeheartedly agree Tony. Many years ago I found a decent length of fine capillary tube which was just the right diameter to allow the chain lube tube to fit tightly inside. Sadly I have no recollection of where it came from, but it allows me to stand the aerosol on the ground, operate the nozzle with my left knee while turning the back wheel with my right hand. Thinking about this I cannot think what my left hand is doing, perhaps balancing the bike. It all sounds rather ludicrous, but it works for me, and is virtually impossible to achieve with the standard short tube supplied.
Martin

[Martin Heckscher]

Dear Barrie,
For your information Lewis is on a much needed holiday. Judging by your comments I don’t think you can have any idea of the vast amount of his own time that Lewis has put into the new website to bring it to its current position. Teething problems are unfortunate but will no doubt be sorted as soon as possible.
Martin

[Martin Heckscher]

Manufacturers of modern tyres recommend higher pressures than those suggested back in the day. I had a long discussion with one of the Avon people about this, following which I tend to go with 28 front & 30 rear.
Martin

[Martin Heckscher]

Hi Martin,
For beaded edge rims contact Richard Bros: https://www.richards-bros.com/
For beaded edge tyres contact Vintage Tyre Services: https://www.vintagetyres.com/
Good luck
Martin

[Martin Heckscher]

The right hand side stand spotted at Old Warden was mine. I fitted it many years ago and seem to remember that it was a regular new old stock left hand stand. I removed the foot and had it welded back on in reverse. I may have had to jiggle other things around to make it work, but it certainly wasn’t difficult. Because it needs to be fitted behind the gearbox tray you do need enough length to hold the bike at a sensible angle, and I may have had to extend it slightly. The same left hand stands are still around at jumbles. I may even have a spare, but I’d need to find it.

[Martin Heckscher]

Talk to Ian Parsons, the club registrar.

[Martin Heckscher]

The contact for the reproduction Webb/Velo fork parts is M. W. Lane-Spouge. Phone 07719 858890. Email mwls@pdg.co.uk
Good luck
Martin

[Martin Heckscher]

The frame number of my 1914 veteran (still largely dismantled) is 432. So 455 could easily be late 1914/early 1915 which would account for the stirrup brakes.
Martin

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