Forum

[Adrian]

The more I think about it, the more I'd love to see that it COULD be done without any frame butchery, ie everything left fully and easily restorable. But that's just the view of someone who has built specials from bare frames! A.

[Chris Tindal]

Adrian that red 'helectra' special of yours is very nice. Nothing wrong with a bitsa built from 'bits', (you should see mine) but I'd agree with most here and not alter an original. Mind you the ops question was wether it could be done. If it's a 52 frame then it should be like mine and have the welded on tube.

[Scalyback]

[center]




That poor Redditch bullet,

in fear for it’s life,

as out came the hacksaw,

the welder, the knife,



The frame and the engine

with crowbar did part,

replaced by an Indian

with electric start.



If you need electric,

it has to be that,

but please make reversible,

to put the parts back!

[jaffa90]

Who`s talking to Who?

[richy]

Hi and thank you everybody who has replied to my post. I should explain that the reason I posed this question is as follows. Some of you may know that I am the new oner of the Dreamliner Fairing and Bullet motorcycle designed by Lawrie Watts back in 1956. I have been reading some of the articles written by Lawrie back in the 80's and 90's about how the Dreamliner could have been improved. One of the main problems with the fairing was the poor access to the kiickstart and he commented that an electric foot which of course wasn't available at that time would have been a great help. Hence the question. Fitting the fairing to a modern Bullet would probably be quite straightforward but I now realise that the original Bullet including its engine have been inseparable from the Dreamliner for nearly sixty years and that's how they should stay. Thanks again to everybody who posted reply's.

[simon]

That sounds like a machine with quite a lot of provenance. It would be a huge shame in my opinion to chop it around after its managed over fifty years in original fettle. Also its value as a collectors item will drop like a stone if it's a bitsa. My tuppence worth anyhoo.

[Norm]

Adrian, no frame butchery would be required, it would fit straight in

[Adrian]

With a bike that has that kind of history, no, keep it as is. HOWEVER, a replica Dreamliner fairing could be fitted to an E/S Indain bullet to test Lawrie Watts' theory.



Norm, from the similarity of my Electra-X and Connie frame front engine mounts I'm not surprised. This also means that when I get around to restoring my '59 Bullet, I don't need to bother rebuilding the Redditch engine and box, just throw in an Indian home market 350 Electra 5s complete with starter...



A.

[Norm]

Yes Adrian it will fit straight in no problems, I fitted an Indian motor and box in a 53 twin frame a couple of years ago, how did I find out it was a twin frame, long story but I found out when I couldn't lift one of the rocker boxes off because it hit the head steady mount on the frame used for the twins. Another interesting exercise getting in there with a grinder to cut the mount off

[PeteF]

I can see that kickstart clearance could be a problem.
Would one of Mr h's bottom folding levers help?
Or a special could be perhaps fabricated with a wide "pedal" that could be used sideways on?