From:Steve Marks e-mail:steve@themagnetoguys.co.uk
Subject:OOPS! (or words to that effect)..... Date:Mon Jun 16 18:47:29 2014
Hi Guys
Good to see so many new engines and bikes coming back to life. Here's one which shows a backward step.....
I've been out of the loop a little recently with a heavy workload and the fact that I waited forever to get the rear wheel on my 1920 Henderson Model K sorted. One phone call to the wheelbuilder brought the response 'Oh hello - I thought you'd waited so long you would have gone somewhere else by now!' So I did.....
So, all back together in time for a rally in Warwickshire (UK) with time to spare so I decided to do something about the slightly rich carburation. Decided it was fuel level so made up a new needle with threaded 'cotton reel' and lock nut so that I could fine tune the float height. The mod worked well so I was trying it out up and down our road, making an adjustment and trying again. I was going round a left hand bend very slowly - poor view - when a car coming the other way crossed to the wrong side of the road. Saw it coming and moved into the gutter and was pretty well stationary when it hit me. The car hit the back half of the front wheel and scraped along the right hand side of the bike before flipping it over and dragging it along the road on the left hand side. The engine seems OK, and the rear number (license) plate was untouched. As for the rest, there is some work to do..... Frame, forks, front wheel and mudguard and handlebars badly damaged with lots of minor problems to just about everything along both sides of the bike.
I was lucky to get away with 'severe lacerations' to the right knee - 25 stitches. Hey ho....
Now, a few questions please guys. The frame (fractured in two places and severely bent at the headstock) can be repaired and straightened but where should it be? I have some good side view photos so could probably do some scaling if necessary but has anyone got any idea on frame dimensions? Fork angle? trail? wheelbase? Amazing how we don't think of these things till we need them.
I'm also looking for a source for the rubber handlebar grips. I know it should have the 'X' patterned grips from Chicago but I had the earlier 'HENDERSON' ones from Detroit which I preferred (sorry to all you 100 pointers but mine is too far off the mark anyway). The good news is that I've done it once so I can do it again - this is all repairable and I won't be taking 14 years to do it this time!
Bye for now - Steve