From Kit Car Shed To Motorbike
From shell to Alex to Matchless G2 1960
Not really model engineering but perhaps a little engineering for big boys' toys.
It started about 13 years ago; a friend of mine who owned a motor body shop decided he was no longer going into producing a kit car based on a Mercedes Roadster. The project was shelved before the first one produced.
Despite my saying no I did not want another kit car the prototype shed was deposited on my drive whilst I was at work with all the moulds for the doors, bonnet, boot lid and wheels to follow on. A Ford Escort beefed up engine and box was already in situ. My wife was far from happy at looking at the monstrosity that was going to take root at one end of our garage. I think the owner was glad to get rid even with no monies changing hands. He also offered to paint it if I ever got her built.
Anyway I decided to build it as cheaply as possible and then try to get rid. I salvaged the original fibre glass headlamps from my Marlin kit, converted 6 volt side lamps costing a pound each to 12 volt, found a sheet of aluminium for a dash board, Triumph Dolomite instruments purchased from a scrap yard along with a petrol tank and Ford Transit door hinges, with box channelling we use at work for partitioning as bumper bars. The exhaust was a long piece of mild steel pipe running from the manifold, no exhaust box. The costly item was a wiring loom around £70 and the windscreen glass.
The biggest task was trying to get all the fibre glass panels to fit; eventually it was ready for the body work to be sorted out. After stripping everything down again it was collected. I don’t think my friend realised how much work was required before it could be painted. Thankfully for me work was a bit slack and two men spent a week re-fibre glassing and one man the following week rubbing it down.
The end result was brilliant, chocolate and cream. This led me to buying chrome headlights, sidelights and anything else that would make it look the part.
The next step was to have it registered after which I would insure it and take it for MOT. A ministry man came to look at it, arranged for the chassis to be stamped and then asked what sort of car it was for registration purposes. As the vehicle had no name I called it Alex. The only one in the country.
MOT day came and also the first time for driving it. What a performance; from Marple to Guide Bridge is around 9 miles, the steering reminded me of the Land Rover we had at the farm when I was a lad. You had to hold the wheel firmly otherwise you were off in all directions. The suspension was bouncing up and down on all four corners and with a crash bar at the back of your head this was a hazard rather than a safety feature. You needed long legs to reach the pedal box and short arms to steer. Not many people around with this sort of profile. Anyway it passed the MOT first time which was farcical; but I was happy.
Back home I dropped the suspension to make it look better, tracked it properly; put bags of sand in the boot and it could be then be driven in a more relaxed way. By this time I had had enough; it wasn’t a patch on my Marlin Roadster and the car then hibernated in the garage for about 6 years without being used.
So much for selling it. Eventually someone doing some work on the house took a shine to it and we did a swop. He was an enthusiast, had at least 20 motor bikes in storage in numerous garages and we did a straight swop, mine for a Matchless 250cc 1960 bike. He had restored most of the bike and done a good job but there were still a few bits that needed doing (like finding a seat to start with). At last I had room in the garage with the bike spending the next 6 years at the top end with all sorts of rubbish piled on top.
By this time I had become a member of the society, purchased a small lathe along with many other bits and bobs and made my shed into a workable workshop. Before I try to fathom out how to machine I thought I had better get the bike sorted out. I have never ridden a motor bike but do have a licence from my Vespa days in the 60s. Looking at the web you can easily get Amal carburettor spares and their site is fantastic. You put the carburettor number in the box, it tells you the exact model along with a diagram so you can order the correct parts needed. The local motor spares shop was able to locate an inner tube (internet failed to do so) and a 6 volt battery.
After phoning an AJS/Matchless enthusiast he was able to tell me the other spares numbers and two days later I had everything to complete the restoration. I have not used the lathe at all but am getting to grips with using taps and dyes.
Anyway after assembling the bike, adding oil and petrol and cleaning it to the nth degree it was ready for starting. The water hose was duly connected up with two fire extinguishers at the ready, just in case. I followed the instructions as per the manual, kicking it over three times before turning the ignition on. This was followed by a long kick with the engine immediately starting up much to my amazement. I had to wait a few days until my wife went shopping when I gave the bike a spin up and down the road to see if the gears and brakes worked. The only adjustment I had to make was to increase the idle speed.
It would be nice to ride it but is not worth the aggravation from Sue should I attempt to have it MOT tested and to start riding. What do I do with it now?
Alex Whalley