John Turner's project is slowly progressing in the workshop of Jake Robbins Vintage Engineering (Hastings)

Mats Olofsson has solved the mystery of who built it and what became of it... Built by Tim Ball:

Matchless SS80 engine; home made frame that contains the oil; single-sided Triumph 959 swingarm and rear wheel; Gilera Nordwest fork stanchions; home-made yokes, handlebars and internal controls. Front wheel = Gilera back wheel! Harley ghearbox; seat from an Indian; Promo starter and pimary drive; bus starter button; panniers carry batteries.

HOT NEWS! I have just spoken on the phone to Colin Butler, the new proprietor of Blackburne Engines…

The idea was to design an engine for people building Morgan-type three-wheelers who could not afford the £27,000 price tag for a new JAP engine (e.g. from Cameron Engineering)
The objective was to make a v-twin that would be available for less than £10,000 complete with ignition, carburation and clutch.
The top ends ARE Ironhead Sportster, since these parts are easily available new or second-hand. The bottom end needed to be angled to allow a carburettor room to fit behind the heads – hence they chose 55 degrees – which will also look right.
The bottom end will look quite like a JAP, but a bit “fatter at the front” (i.e. on the timing side) – in other words, sticking out about an inch more – since it will have 4 cams.
The crankcases have been designed, and mocked-up. The first batch is currently being machined. They have decided to machine from billet since, with all the CNC machines set up, it will be more reliable (no duff porous cases) and so more economic.

The engines will come with non-adjustable electronic ignition (since Morgan racing specifies this) but this can be changed to adjustable – and will have a more reliable oil pump from later Sportsters such as the 883.

There will be three price options:
1. Complete engine with carb, ignition and clutch: about £9,000
2. Crankcase kit for about £4,000 and buy new Ironhead Sportster components from USA for about £2,500: Total: £6,500
3. Crankcase kit for £4,000 plus buy second-hand Sportster engine for about £1,000 and transfer components. Total: £5,000-£5,500
4. Even cheaper for motorcyclists, since they will probably need neither the clutch (and can just put an engine sprocket on) nor the S.U carb.

The first examples should be ready to fire up in May; the first batch should be ready by August, ready for the Morgan show at Malvern in September.
He will keep me updated, and may send some pictures or put pics of the mock-up on the website. http://www.blackburneengines.com/

VINUELL: A Vincent with chopped-off gearbox inserted in a Buell, including Buell gearbox: More Info

Brian Shackleford has been in touch with pictures of the progression of his special that uses Harley, BSA, home-designed and machined parts plus.... intriguing!

DOUBLE MAC - Allen Millyard's 698cc 50-degree Velocette v-twin special progresses:

BUT... here's something odd: An Argentinian artist by the name of Patricia Couto of Buenos Aires has produced a drawing of an apparent Velocette prototype from 1948 that is almost identical. It is labelled "Punto alto Velocette 698cc v-twin-1948" meaning "Velocette's high point" a mystery ... did Allen reconstuct a prototype? No, the drawing was produced about 3 weeks after Allen posted his picture, and is obviously copied from it, with altered lighting. Mystery solved!: Patricia Couto's page

Twin OHC Morgan now finished... original engine built by Paul Newsham in Cltheroe lancs, UK, the 3-wheeler is now ownws by Francois Tornare in France

"This interesting 'special' consists of a 1927 James 500cc overhead-valve v-twin engine purchased, mostly complete and in very good order, around 18 years ago in Harrogate. The only part missing was the rocker box cover, which proved so difficult to find that a new one had to be cast in aluminium. The frame is from a James single but has been modified, the top tube being lengthened and a 'U' shaped bracket fitted at the front. Forks are from a heavyweight Levis; the front wheel from a Velocette; and the rear wheel from a heavyweight Triumph. The fuel tank and three-speed gearbox are James. Other noteworthy features include custom-made exhaust pipes; original 1930s James-type silencer; and an oil tank copied from that of a 1931 James v-twin. All other parts date from the 1930s. We are advised that the machine has not been run since rebuild was completed.

Pete Thompson who built this originally, along with the other four Thompson V-Twin B100s is the resident "genius engineer" at Attitude Cycles, Southampton, UK. https://www.attitudecycles.uk

Before resto...............................................................................................................After resto (Nov 30 2018)

Pete Thompson is the resident "genius engineer" at Attitude Cycles in Southampton, UK https://www.attitudecycles.uk I hope to ask him for more info on the apparently extra long stroke version above...

Very rare BVR-Weslake 10-valve twin. Weslake OHC bottom end with BVR 5-valve heads.

The Jabsawock has had a rebore and new pistons and recently (September 2018) travelled 180 miles in a weekend. It won a prize for "The Most Desirable Panther (!) at the West Dorset Panther Rally. Since then it has had an auxilliary hand oil pump fitted.... pics soon.

In New Zealand: "...Homebuilt Ariel -Howard homebuilt 1400cc special. A combine harvester engine with International truck piston and Harley Sportster rods. Triumph slickshift gearbox, Ariel frame,forks and front wheel (1929). He made the tank and primary cover, all the necessary mounting brackets, C10 BSA distributor, Honda 90 gearbox gearsdriving it... A work of art! Starts 1st kick and sounds beautiful.He said it cruises all day at 60mph" Thanks to Graeme Duckett for pictures and info.

In Australia, Nick Hicks will be restoring Otto Lantenheimer's "Black Erna" 120 bhp Weslake v-twin speedway bike, hopefully by Christmas 2018:

The build has gone incredibly quickly, as he posted daily updates on his Facebook Wall: https://www.facebook.com/allen.millyard In only a MONTH (Oct 18th to Nov 19th 2018) Allen built this complete one-off engine!. Staggering quality and beauty! Crankcases are welded rather than cast.

Siannu in Rusutjarvi, Finland created this machine. Clck on piuctures above and browse Flickr archive for more pictures.

Adbertised on ebay in August 2018, for £9,500 it was unsold with NO BIDS. Let us know here, if you buy at and I will cover any future modifications.

Hello!
If you are searching original or museum piece this is not for you. I do not have any papers or documents for the bike but engine has run about 3000km within last 5 years.
Frame is Norton plunger modified to take big V-twin engine.Gearbox,wheels,tanks,toolbox,and clutch is from Norton as is oilpump which is Norton inter/Manx type.Front end is unknown but may be from Horex S8.
Cylinderhead castings(iron) are MFC made as is aluminium cylinder barrels and timing cover.Rockerboxes and oilpump housing are home made.Magnetos are from BTH and with manual advance.
Engine is one off made by me with Harley sportster evo crank,british type drive side bearings ie. ball and roller bearing,timing side is HD needle bearing.
Pistons are 85mm HD ones.Compression ratio is modest but still "adult" is needed to kickstart the bike.I have added photo of the longer conrods(with omega pistons) which with you can increase compresson ratio over 9:1.Last foto shows similar timing gears and roller followers as this engine has.There is many homemade parts on the bike so expect to have some work time to time but main construction should be ok .Paint work is not good.
Reason why i am selling this as a project is that there is several oil leaks and rear plug needs cleaning more often than front one,reason is maybe piston rings.Carbs are Dellorto 32mm and best settings still to look.All gears are selectable and clutch is working,engine runs.
Will sell worldwide but buyer to arrange freight.More fotos on request.
Thanks for looking!

Brian Shackleford is building another very similar engined bike using a Harley/BSA combination of parts. Brianb sdays he has now ridden the original SHACKLEFORD 1200 miles with no problem - not even needing adjustments!

The motorbike to be brought to Japan was inspired by the motorbike era in 1920. Besides its old-fashioned appearance, this motorbike was intentionally built to show engine performance. Taking the base of the 45ci HD engine, Oldcrack modified the engine using Japanese car parts combined with Triumph gearboxes.

"The manufacturing process takes a little time and energy. The engine base that we use is only a side valve and the rest is overhead valve, we have to make our own using components in the Indonesian market, "Rudi opened.

Some of the engine parts made by Oldcrack include burring (barrel?), cylinder head, rocker arm and intake. The rest use motor parts or cars such as pistons from Mitsubishi cars, valves from Japanese cars and Mikuni 28 carburetors.

Data modification
Basic 45ci
Burring (Barrel) by oldcrack
Head by oldcrack
Cam stock
Flywheel stock
Oil pump stock
Mitsubishi Piston
Valve japan car
Tappet stock
Rocker by oldcrack
Intake by oldcrack
Carb mikuni 28
##
Basic Triumph GEARBOX
4speed
Kick start only
Clutch can muro
1chains
## rolling frame
Frame
Swivel Wheel by Old Crack Swallow
Tire
Front end Yamaha 125 SR400 Gas tank by oldcrack
Brake disc
Oil tank

AND... a previous version of Don't Panic 13, (Cawang Eight) 8-valve conversion by Oldcrack Cycles:

"Harley-Davidson WLA 1948 Cawang Eight Exceeds the Age"

...

SOURCE: http://naikmotor.com/43503/harley-davidson-wla-1948-cawang-eight-lampaui-jaman

"NaikMotor - It seems that the work of the Old Crack Cycles workshop goes beyond the standard of Harley-Davidson. Because, only this year the United States motorcycle manufacturer introduced the Milwaukee Eight, V-Twin engine thanks to 8.

"While the builder from Cawang has applied it to the Harley-Davidson (HD) WLA 1948. Of course, HD designed for US Army needs has been changed by the combustion unit sector.

WLA, actually has a machine with side valves, with an active valve push rod model. This means that the crankshaft is equipped with a cam to raise the lever that will make the valve open, both at the intake and exhaust.

But the side valve system has a fundamental disadvantage, namely the combustion chamber will be too large. So that the compression ratio is low, and the engine speed cannot be high.

Old Crack's crime on WLA 48 was based on the weakness of the pushrod and side valve engine. And the project began, the target was completed before KustomFest in Jogjakarta October 2016.

Now the WLA 48 HD still has a V-Twin but with all custom combustion devices. Because the cylinder, push rod, piston, and piston rod are made from aluminum babet.

As Edi said, the owner of Old Crack Cyles, through his technician, Sasongko. "So the main part of the cylinder and the top is made by itself from babet, the WLA is originally made of iron," he said with enthusiasm when met at the Djakarta Rumble event on Sunday (12/18/2016).

"Now, we change the side valve into an overhead valve and a rocker arm. The activity is still push rod, "Sasongko continued. "Only, the overhead valve is bare, like in a racing motorbike in the 1950s, so that the classic remains in default."

"The motorbike must be firmer, the compression will rise, and the valves in each cylinder are 4 pieces now. And the crankshaft that we have made from iron has been made easier.

While we are retiring the transmission, it is replaced with the old Triumph property. We also replace the carburetor with Keihin Rp28. "

"Now that WLA 48 has explored everywhere, we run the KustomFest. And if you go back to Bandung, it's normal. Only the problem is the cylinder head is runny, the oil comes out, not without the head cover, "he said. "So those who use driving must be armed with oil that is placed in an automatic transmission oil bottle, to lubricate the rocker arm which must be lubricated every few times."

According to Sasongko WLA 48, Cawang Eight will be invited to attend the Yokohama Hot Rod Show next year. "

MORE HERE: SOURCE: http://naikmotor.com/43503/harley-davidson-wla-1948-cawang-eight-lampaui-jaman

16 Oct 2018

I HAVE JUST FOUND OUT what the MYSTERY HEADS are on the Harley WLA bottom end that was posted on this site a long while back. Here is a reminder of the mystery engine:

... and here is a picture of the whole bike:

........................................................................................................................................................................................................................NICE IGUANA!

Thanks to: GEARHEAD

The cylinder heads are from a 1960-1961 Toyota "U engine". This was a 698cc air-cooled flat twin that was used to power the Toyota UP10 People's Car.

Here is a page about the car. TOYOTA The People's Car Concept