Hitchcocks Forum

Has anyone come across a box with a dipstick for leveling, and has anyone got a box where the level plug is at the front as per the photo in the Pitmans handbook?

Hi Vince, my '59 Connie has a 4-speed box with a dipstick built into the filler plug on top, but doesn't have a front level plug. Not sure the origins of this 'box as the bike doesn't have the scissors clutch as standard for a 59-er, someone in the dim & distant swapped it for the pushrod type presumable when the original engine was replaced. From memory it has some hieroglyphics stamped into the top of the casing - let me know if you need to know what they say!

Stephen

Hi PO51UHD, I got one of these outercases, the dipstick hole is in a different position to the standard one, perhaps they were intended for the Berkeley car application. Sorry for the possible confusion, the front level plug relates to another type of box, I think you will find that your box has no level plug like mine.

Vince

Very interesting, your reference to Berkeley cars, as the engine in Connie was originally in one of those cars, so maybe the gearbox came with it...? The dipstick certainly gets in the way of the RH toolbox lid...

By the way, do you have any more information about the RE engines & gearboxes fitted to Berkeleys? I've tried to find specs etc but been unsuccessful...

Thanks

Stephen

Hi again, From what info I have there were 2 models the b95 and b105 which fitted super meteor spec and constellation engines respectively. The numbers denoted the top speed. My reference says 3f 1r gears, front wheel drive via chain and an outrigger dynamo. single carb. engine spec the same as the bikes. The motor was also fitted into the Frisky Sprint. Hope that is of help. The cars were very fast but were prone to shearing drive shafts. Having said that I want one! Interestingly if a connie fits, would a 612 bullet? I think a single engined car would sound very odd!

oh forgot to say, the B105 had a single GP2 carb, no mention of twin carbs fitted.

Thanks for the info Vince. I must admit my 'box has all forward gears and no reverse that I've found yet so if it was originally in a Berkeley the gear clusters must have been changed..!

I think you're right about fitting a 612 single - it should fit all right but I assume torque would be an issue (my Connie is VERY torquey). How about a Tollgate Classics 750 single conversion instead of the 612...???

Good luck

Stephen

I think those dipstick type boxes are actually very early, about 1954/5. The level plug also moved about from front of box to back at about the same time. I have seen a 3 speed and reverse box recently and the main gearbox case is a different shape with a big bulge on the back face (would be just in front of the rear wheel on a bike,) which contains the reverse gear (?) on a separate shaft. The operating mechanism was missing so I'm not sure how it worked. I know an ex-Factory employee who told me they had several Berkeley cars at the Factory for development, one of which was fitted with an early 736cc Interceptor engine and was very fast indeed, being named the Yellow Peril! And yes, I'd like one too!

REgards, Mark

The first of the 'new' gear-box end-covers, in 54, had a filler plug that incorporated the dip stick and the filler/dipstick hole was located further back than it is now-a-days.


Early 55 had a separate dip stick in the tool box.


Late 55 with the introduction of the new frame and tool box/airfilter assy, saw the filler plug moved forward an inch or so, and no dip stick. This was done so that the new model tool-box lid was not obscuring the filler hole. Level plug to the front, but was hard to access.


Late 56 saw the level plug to the rear.


For your 59 Connie to have a std push rod clutch means the internals and the end cover have all been replaced.