The Oil Sight Glass lets you check your oil level without having to take out the oil level plug to see if you have enough oil in your engine.
Category: General Scootering
Links
I’ve updated the Links page with more links.
Added are links to various Lambretta Clubs around the world.
AF Rayspeed 5-speed Clo5e Ratio gearboxes
AF Rayspeed have issued a product recall on their own Clo5e Ratio 5 Speed Gearboxes after a couple of failures at Mallory Park Racing practice Friday on Friday 23rd March.
Link below to the news on the SLUK website.
Scootronics DC CDI Review
Anthony Tambs of Scootronics continues to add to his portfolio of Lambretta electrical hardware and the latest item is a DC CDI.
I spoke to Anthony about its merits.
JB Fabrication Lambretta Engine Test Stand
This is the Lambretta Engine Test Bed made by Jon Betts at JB Fabrication.
The frame is painted black and comes in three parts, which fit together with the four supplied nuts, bolts and washers. You also get a bottle for the fuel supply which has an on/off tap and hose included that sits in a holder on the frame.
The welding is very neat and the metal is more than strong enough to hold a Lambretta engine.
If you have a spare headset that you’re not using, the raised bar that supports the fuel bottle is the right dimension to support one, but it’s not a requirement.
It may not be an essential item of Lambretta equipment, but if you find yourself building an engine and no spare chassis to try it on, it will save a lot of bother and time having to swap engines. Even if you do have a frame waiting for the engine. It’s an easier way of testing an engine before fitting. An example being, If you find an issue that needs the top end stripping, it’s a hell of a lot easier to do with the engine out the Lambretta.
There’s really not much to it and it’s very easy to put together. Just attach the CDI, fill the bottle with fuel and fire up the engine.
Jon, makes various parts and tools for Lambrettas. He can be contacted on his Facebook page.
Monkey Fingers Bungee
Planning any trip requires luggage of some sort and this always includes working out how to hold it all on the scooter.
I’ve used all sorts of cords and Bungees and they’ve all done their job, but adjustment of standard Bungees usually consists of wrapping the cord over and over to the required tightness and it’s sometimes hard to get it just right. It’s either too tight or too lose. Another gripe is when you need to access your luggage on the road. It’s a task in itself trying to get to something that’s held on with wrapped Bungees.
While planning for my France trip I was on the look out for something better. As stated, I’ve already got a selection of Bungees, some better than others, but I wanted something easier and quicker to use than the standard bungee. I came across “Monkey Fingers” by Dura Plastic.
They are adjustable from 6″ to 60″ and have a strong hook at each end. Incorporated on the back of each hook is a channel that takes the excess cord that isn’t required. All you have to do is connect each hook to the location of choice, pull the bungee as tight as you deem necessary and loop it back on itself through the channel and it holds tight.
It’s just as easy to undo, you just unhook the cord from the channel. You get the added bonus of not getting whipped in the face from a taught cord slipping from your hand
I have four of these and used them for my France trip of which I had bumpy roads, hot weather, wet weather, a crash and they held the luggage firm without a bit of movement.
The only place I’ve found them available so far in the UK is Homebase.
SIP Squeeze Oil Bottle
Mixing oil with the petrol is a bit of an annoyance, especially when you fill up on a regular basis. Until now, there was only a small measuring jug in which you poured your oil, then emptied it into the petrol tank. It’s not only time consuming, but messy. I always carried rolled up kitchen roll in the jug and after a long run or rally, it was very messy and 2 Stroke oil everywhere in my toolbox by the time I got home.
Now SIP have released a measured squeeze bottle which has a locking lid. It holds half a litre and is marked for 2% 3% and 4% mix ratios.
I was a bit concerned it would be too fat to fit the small gap between my saddles. It fits, but at a small angle. Nothing to worry about.
My only concern is the measurement marks and that they may eventually rub off. For the time being I’ll sit the bottle in a bag to help preserve the markings. This is a small point on an otherwise good idea that make petrol stops less of a mess.
The SLUK Clip
There’s many things about working on a Lambretta that make us question our sanity. Take fitting a bridge piece, a part of the Lambretta bodywork that’s removed and refitted, a lot. I used to think it would have been easier to dislocate my
fingers to fit it.
Things got easier some years ago when a Bridge Piece Fixing Kit came on the market. A great idea and welcomed by many, but it still meant drilling and riveting a bracket onto the frame.
SLUK have now produced a clip that saves all the bother of drilling and riveting. It’s so simple to use. No drilling, no prep work. Just push it on over the frame strut and that’s it. just sit the bridge piece in situ to make sure the clips are in the right place, move them if necessary and screw the bridge piece on.
The screws and clips are Stainless Steel and they’re very strong. Sticky did a test with a Torque Wrench to see which would give first. The screw or the clip. The screw thread gave way, leaving the clip thread in perfect condition to be used again without fear of getting a screw stuck.
You get 2 clips, 2 screws & two self adhesive rubber washers.
It fits all Series 1, 2 & 3 Models.
SLUK are taking pre-orders Here and will be posting these out on the 1st June.
JB Fabrication Lambretta Engine Stand
For a number of years, I’ve got along stripping & building my Lambretta engines with the usual huff and puff when I always have to turn the casing around, working on different parts of the engine.
Apart from when I had big enough space to build my own workshop to store and work on my Lambrettas, I’ve always found it difficult to utilise work space for a workbench, but recently I built a small bench on wheels that I can use for working on my Lambretta engines.
So with this I was looking for an engine stand that was suitable and there’s now a few to found. I was aware of John Betts of JB Fabrication and his work and when I found he was making the engine stands, it was the obvious choice for me as he has a reputation for quality workmanship and innovative.
The engine stand comes with two bolts. One holds the base to the engine stand and the other holds the swivel in any one of the 8 positions. You will need 2 bolts to fix the engine stand to your bench.
Fixing to the workbench is simple. Two bolts through the holding bracket to the bench, but make sure the bracket that holds the engine has space to rotate and protrudes from the work bench an inch or two. (see images at the bottom of the page). The longest bolt holds the two pieces together and as previously stated, the short Allen bolt keeps the holder in any one of 8 positions.
When fitting the engine to the stand, the rear shock bar goes through the hole and the engine mount goes over the other side. Then fit the engine bar through. Make sure you fit the necessary nuts for added safety. You’ll notice in the images I didn’t use nuts as the engine fitment was for photographic purposes only.
All I can say is this makes all the difference and everything is far easier when building a Lambretta engine. The 8 positions mean that you can do just about any work on the engine without the hassle of tipping the engine or having to stick something underneath to support it and no more nipping fingers turning it over.
JB Fabrication also sells these with a bracket that bolts the stand to a wall.
Jon’s work doesn’t limit to Lambretta tools and Lambretta fabrication work. He also does a wide range of work for cars and bespoke parts.
Petrol Pipe
I used to use the ordinary green pipe that’s available as standard with Lambrettas that eventually hardens. I never liked it.
A number of years ago, I was in a motorbike shop getting a couple of spark plugs and petrol pipe and I was recommended the braided hose. I’ve been using it ever since.
Always stays flexible.
bilkosoilyblog.com 