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BSA C15
BSA C15
My Bike
Technical
Restoration
Links
Other
My Bikes
BSA
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Restoration Projects |
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Alec Yowell I picked the unregistered bike up in Jersey in 2004 during
an 18 month work secondment to this beautiful and friendly island. I've slowly begun the process of reassembly with reference
to the parts and service sheets that came with the bike. I will also provide you with updates as and when anything
significant happens.
There's been a bit of progress in the last few
weeks .
I'm off next week to Ethiopia, but here's the latest on the bike before I store it for 6 months. My dad had one of these when he was younger so I'm hoping he might sort a few things out whilst I'm away! The engine is now in the frame and the kick-start back together (a technique with a bit of string helped here), it all turns over and I have compression. I've eased some more bodywork in place so it looks nicer. It is still Flintstones impressions until I get the electrics, fuel and oil systems sorted when I return. (Feb 2005)
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Marks C15 Restoration Here are some photos I took the day I took it up to Jim Gunn to be restored.
I'm picking up the C15 possibly next weekend. I'll send you some after pic's as soon as I get it home. (March 2001) Good
news/bad news. Anyway, next morning, I whipped the RH case off to take a look and......the clutch fork was broken !!!! Damn, damn, damn. So, it's into a van, and back up to Jim's for a complete RH strip down to replace it. I have done this job myself in the past, and to be honest I just can face it again. Case on - three forward gears, two neutrals. Case off, case on, two gears. Case off, case on, four gears, but kickstart's slipped out of position, and so on until a spanner goes through the shed wall....The joys of British biking. One thing you find after a restoration is that everything seems to work loose for a while. Maybe a good argument for loctite.
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John Livas Restoration Project Having already owned a BSA C15 many years ago I decided to once again try and have a go at restoring another. This particular model never really came out here (Australia) for mass market and can be difficult to find. However I was lucky to come across a dealer in Adelaide who had one sitting around for what must have been 100years.
Looking at photos I could tell that my job was cut out for me. After negotiating a very reasonable price I bought it anyway. A couple of days latter I received the bike, my wife tells me that when the delivery guy dropped it off his comment was "who ordered this pile of junk". It was pretty sad. At some point in its life it had been dropped down the side of a cliff and the handle bars and practically everything on the right side of the bike was broken or bent, (cases, foot pegs, oil tank). But everything was there, and nothing other than the chain guard was missing. I just couldn't look at it any more so I quickly began to strip it down. The motor first. This thing was seized solid. The only faint hope I had was that the piston stopped at top dead centre, hopefully protecting the rest of the barrel. I sent that off to a friend who is mechanically minded and he decided to have a go at reconditioning it. Finally got down to
the frame and it started to look better already. Cleaned all the muck off
and decided to spray the bike a flat black colour. Got started on the
wheels. They looked terrible, rust and muck everywhere. Out comes the
steelo. I started on a small section of the rim and low and behold under
all the filth there was shiny chrome just begging to be released. Excited I quickly got stuck into the rims to find that they were protected "thank god" by the grease and oil that must have leaked over the years. New tyres (very hard to get 17") and they looked great. After releasing the brakes that were seized they where ready. Next the forks. One was sliding the other was seized. I tried everything from diesel to eucalyptus oil nothing worked. I sent them off to a local bike mechanic who works with old British bikes and with new seals and one leg replaced completely at great expense, they were ready. With the frame, wheels and forks ready I was getting close to getting this to a rolling frame. After much messing around I fixed the headlight nacelle, which had just deteriorated, sprayed the guards, found a replacement shock, as one had collapsed, I finally got the bike rolling. Now the hunt for parts. Parts in this country (Australia) for the most part are not that difficult to get. Although in Sydney there are not many dealers, usually parts are sourced from Melbourne or Queensland or overseas. Tinware is difficult to find though. The motor was coming along, after many gallons of diesel and many weeks of soaking the piston was finally free. Split the crankcases to have a look. Everything was mostly OK. New seals added together with a missing layshaft top hat plug (thanks Cedric for your help on this).
Finally mounted it back in the bike, got a new battery, cleaned the tank, found a replacement oil tank, re-sleeved the carby and put new seals throughout. Just about ready to try and start it. Decided to give it a go. Well after 2 hours of trying to kick start it I just gave up. Everything was there spark, fuel, compression, but not a whimper. I decided to give it to the local British bike mechanic. He immediately checked the timing and realised that we had not put this motor together properly. After pulling the motor down and fixing the timing, which was out by "about a week" (his words) the motor kicked over. I first heard it start when he bought it over to my place. Sounded great. That same night I just wanted to try and start it myself and listen to it one more time. This time however the bike would not start. Again all the ingredients were there, but nothing. Now this was extremely difficult to understand. It started 1 hour earlier but now would not start. Called the mechanic he came around, had a look and couldn't believe that in a short space of time something had triggered a fault. Remember everything
was there, spark, compression, fuel. The only way to really eliminate what
the fault could be was to progressively go through each ingredient needed
to fire it up. Bloody depressing, then I had a moment of brilliance I remembered reading somewhere that a similar biker had a problem with the plug not firing once screwed in the head but firing when tested. Could it be that
simple? It was worth a try. Changed the new plug for a crappy old one and
bingo we have lift off. The bike was running again. Never once did we
imagine the new plug would be the problem. Never trust any new parts.
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David Wilson's C15 Renovation In August 2001 my wife and myself planned a trip from our home in Fleetwood (near Blackpool) to Dolton In Furness in Cumbria. The purpose of which was to visit Phil Cotton Motorcycles. I had been tipped off by a work colleague that his shop was like a throw back to the 50’s and was well worth a visit, this was right up my street. Following a 2-hour drive through torrential rain we eventually caught site of the gold mine. Like a schoolboy (as my wife described me) I trotted from the car to the shop. It was just as I expected plus extras, lawnmowers. There was a vast range of machines of many makes and ages. So many that a decision on what to purchase would have taken a second visit. We begged our thanks to Phil for his enthusiastic tour and first class information and departed. During the journey home my wife Denise asked what the BSA C15 that was advertised on a poster in the window would be like? As I had been in a world of my own I had overlooked what was in the window, a further investigation would be needed. A telephone call during the following week revealed that it was in pieces a classic basket case! Denise and myself had a management meeting and came to the decision that we would purchase the machine if it looked okay, the price was right and the major hurdle if my boss at work would allow me to use the workshop at work to carry out the renovation. The reason we decided to consider purchasing a machine which was under the weather was due to our three children who are of an age to begin the enjoyable pursuit of motorcycling (even if it is on private property), one of them being a girl it should be enlightening. With a little bit of luck they may help to get it ship shape and bristle fashion. I asked my boss John Kelly if I could do the business in the rather large workshop in my own time of course. And without hesitation he granted permission. I eagerly waited the weekend to arrive to fulfil the outstanding hurdles of visual condition and of course how much money we would have to part with.Elizabeth with the bits
Frame On Completion Of Painting 
A lot of contemplation followed in the forthcoming week regarding the frame. Did I clean it down and paint
it myself or do I send it off for someone else to carry the responsibility? My good wife gave me her point of view and suggested that I allow
another to do the honours of restoring the frame to its former glory. I got out all the relevant information from the
advertisements in the classic motorcycle magazines to using the Internet. This process turned up some interesting information and some varied
quotations, I also made Denise, Elizabeth and myself members of The BSA Owners Club to help in getting to the right company to start the ball
rolling. Then Denise knowing me so well and possibly better than I do fired a valid point across my bows “If you are restoring the motor bike
then perhaps you should clean the frame and paint it yourself. If someone else does the work then you haven’t restored it you have just
managed the restoration. If you think that the work is beyond your capability then let someone else do the old girl, it’s up to you.” The
gauntlet had been thrown down and I accepted the challenge, I decided I would do as much as I could. In the workshop at work there was a supply
of compressed air on tap all I had to purchase was a grit blaster and a spray gun, and some literature on how to spray paint. One visit to the
local Machine Mart store in Preston took care of the grit blaster and spray gun deficiency. Now for the paint. A local automotive paint supplier
was interrogated regarding the whys and wherefores of the great art of spraying. With his vast knowledge of the subject he suggested for the
frame a good few coats of Hammerite Smooth Gloss as you keep the preparation down and the finish is excellent. As the grit blasting would
generate a lot of noise I decided to try it for the first time after work one Friday night. The town where I live is about seven miles north of
Blackpool and like Blackpool, has a long sandy beach, which is a great playground for children and adults during the summer months or month
depending how Mother Nature is feeling. During the months of November to March these long stretches of the golden soft stuff are hammered by the
gale force winds that whip up in the Irish Sea, anyone walking a dog in this weather will vouch that the sand will rip your skin off in a matter
of moments and fill every unprotected orifice with sand. With this knowledge under my belt I ensured that the maximum protection was in place
before I began the blasting. Looking like an extra in Dr Who I set about my task. As the goggles steamed up I was correct to assume the beach
sand scenario. I had sand in the expected parts and there was even some in some unexpected parts. The frame and all the other small component
parts were clean as new so the whole job was a success. I had consumed very little sand as I had sifted it back into the bucket and reused it.
However following a long soak in the hot tub when I got home proved two things to me, one was that I must have lost more sand than I estimated,
and the second that perhaps the story of Jesus and the bread and fishes had more truth the I had previously given credit for. There must have
been about four buckets of sand in the bottom of the bath, which I can tell you was not my idea of comfortable.
The Engine Following Re-Build
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Martin Bromage C15 Restored Here are shots of my 1960 BSA C15.
I had many happy hours collecting the correct tinware from auto-jumbles. The engine was rebuilt and tuned by Dave Hopwood, the East London BSA singles guru. It features 12v electronic ignition, timing side needle roller bearing, lightened valve train, SS80 gear cluster, later clutch assembly and is bored out to 280cc so has a good turn of speed and acceleration. I use this bike nearly every day, it is a real joy to ride and sure beats waiting in queues of traffic.
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Richard Fairbrother This c15 has just been given to me by my Dad, who has owned it since it was 5 or 6 years old he thinks? It hasn't moved for 20 years until now. The engine is seized solid, so I removed the plug and sprayed in a tin of wd40 but to no avail. UK Registration Number 971WMA, Eng No C15-30774, Frame C15-34124, all point to this being a 1962 model. I would like to restore it to keep as my Dad is not very well.
Getting on well with the bike, freed up the engine and it's like new inside well almost, ha, ha. Stripped the frame and took it to North West Enamellers for powder coating.
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Artie's B40 Project I've picked up the B40 (picture attached) and when I opened the engine my worst fears were realized, still the
price allowed for this, I hope! |
I've
never had a motorbike or indeed a motorbike license so this probably
sounds like a daft thing to purchase. The bike has been stripped and
partially restored. I did a deal with the current owner after a brief
inspection of parts that were spread between 3 different garages and
sheds. It looked like all the major bits were their except wheels. It was
packed into the back of a Land Rover for the journey to the UK. The frame
and engine number suggest it is a late 1965 BSA C15. As you can see from
the accompanying pictures, the tank had chrome sides and a maroon centre
section to match the rest of the body work. I am unable to tell whether
this was the original colour or if indeed the tank sides were originally
chrome. Much of the bodywork and frame have been restored. Several new
parts came with the bike including front and rear brake set ups. The
engine is presently seized but looks in reasonable condition externally.
I
am slowly finding the parts that are missing and replacing them as I go.
My current thinking involves rebuilding the wheel hubs and getting wheels
built on them. Following the wheels I will produce a rolling chassis and
then consider the rest. I'm presently considering the front forks and oil
seals. I've found that I tend to be naturally inquisitive and have taken
things apart that were not really necessary. However, I think it's
probably wise to review the condition and work of the previous owner.
I've
added new wheel bearings, new spokes and rims from WheelWise Engineering,
near Horsham, new rear shocks from NJB, reconditoned the front forks
with new seals and springs, rebuilt the brakes with new parts that came
with the bike and added lots of new stainless nuts and bolts on the
bodywork. Next I need to straighten and line everything up and look at the
wiring.
A little history. I bought the bike from the son of a car spares shop owner
in 1980. He had 'restored' it and advertised it in the window of the shop -
where it looked lovely. I subsequently discovered that anything he could do
for free with bits from his dad's shop - wiring, paint, polish, and new nuts
and bolts - he did. The rest was poor. I discovered in a very few miles that
he had put fibre washers under the head nuts. The gasket blew, and I was stuck on the A1 with a long push home. I then did another rebuild, fixing all
the bodges and amateur mistakes I found. 
My dad, an engineer, helped out, so
most of the work we did was done to a high standard. For the next two years the bike was the only transport for my girlfriend and
me. We went to work on it. We went to Tesco's on it with big saddlebags. We
visited the relatives. I used it every day, winter and summer. Then I passed
my car test, and I'm afraid the little BSA became a weekend toy. Eventually
the chain and sprocket wore out and I stopped using it. (Kawasaki's, an A65,
and an AJS were competing for time and money). Last summer I decided to get
it on the road again. I put some new fuel in the tank, put a new battery on,
and it started after a couple of kicks! Then I stripped it intending to do a
quick paint job and put it back together. A year later it was still in bits,
and I knew I was never going to do it, so I decided to call the professionals. 
Why this was missing
I will never know! The clutch looked OK although something was missing and
the plates where loose…New rings where added, the head looked OK and was
reseated and cleaned, the barrel was honed, new gear change lever as the
old one had no teeth, the piston was OK, new alternator, as the old one
was virtually non existent, reassembled the motor and said a prayer.
At last Saturday. I was up bright and early, got us all fed and watered and we were ready to go, or at least
my daughter and I was. Denise said that the last time I was this excited was when we went to see the best rock-n-roll band in the world, Status
Quo. Eventually we all boarded the zeppelin and we were off like the wind. The weather was not quite what the doctor had ordered but this
didn’t matter a jot as we had our travelling previsions, which consisted of
humbugs, crisps and pop. We had also gained an extra
child, a friend of my daughter Elizabeth. We made good time and were well on the way when I heard that dreaded line “I think I want to be
sick”. I pulled of the road; rather mounted the curb and Denise left the car before it had stopped in anticipation of the inevitable. We most
defiantly met old Hughie most of which hit Denise’s well-polished boots. We cleaned the poor child up and off we went with windows well ajar.
We met Phil at his storage facility, which was like Pandora’s box. There it was in the corner feeling sorry for it’s self, the C15.
Denise’s face said it all. She was not impressed. I put my best puppy dogface on and my darling wife gave me the nod to do a deal. Phil and
myself agreed a price, shook hands and loaded the boxes and bits into the car. It was mine, I mean ours. On the journey home I was hitting
speeds that the BSA mustn’t have done for many years if ever. On arrival home we took the bits to its new home and
laid them out in a tidy
manor. My children and I bid the old girl goodnight and Denise shook her head. The very next day we were up and away to begin the
task of stripping down every last nut and bolt in preparation of re-building. The children started to rub down the tin wear with wet and dry. I
delved into the engine to see exactly how ill the veteran was. Surprisingly I found it to be in reasonably good order. It just needed a good
clean as the wear on the component parts was within tolerance. Elizabeth was eager to begin ripping down the frame, which was full of road grime
from the last 30 years. As we removed the swinging arm from the main frame she insisted on using the small persuasion tool (4lb hammer). She
could swing it with all the grace of a 10-year-old girl (nothing against girls). She got the
action just right when I said, “just a tap now love” she swung the hammer with all the force of Muhammad Ali delivering a knockout
left hook. I jumped about 10 feet in the air as the blow had knocked the pin out and flattened my finger. A small Irish jig sufficed to relieve
the pain and some French. Now to remove the seat frame pin. Denise, after hearing the story of the swinging arm pin decided it was here turn
to use the 4lb implement to knock out the top pin. I held a drift and she carefully and
skillfully without practice did exactly the same, weather
she wanted to witness the Celtic dance or even the foreign language I had just learnt, I would never know but she got a good action replay.
During this home made version of Faulty Towers my two sons David and Jonathan washed out the oil tank with some degreasing agent. They removed
all the old black oil and made the inside look like brand new, however they both ended up looking like they were ready to go to an Al’
Jolson
convention. We decided that a great days work had been done by all and we retuned home for a good hot shower and to enable me to lick my wounds.
As the engine required putting back together I got quotes for the gaskets. Eventually I ordered these from
Lightning Spares. When they arrived I was given a heavy interrogation by my daughter “How did you know what the part numbers were and when did
you order them. I thought we were doing the BSA together. I should have been there when you ordered everything so I will be able to do it in the
future.” Elizabeth said. I replied “I am sorry and in future we will do everything together. It will be 50/50 from now on.” Elizabeth
replied “That’s okay.” I then told her the cost of the parts and reminded her of the 50/50 deal and that she now owed me half. Like most
children of today Elizabeth is up to speed where the cold hard cash is involved and said she would pay half but as I had bought the parts before
our agreement was final then I have no claim to any contribution from her. 
My
first reaction is consider searching for another engine, probably the best option. Lets hope and trust that it all works out. Your pictures of
your bike are good quality and I was able to download some close ups for reference purposes without loss of resolution. Before splitting the
crankcase I've made a jig for holding the engine during the rebuild, if I ever get to that stage, it's intended to be a long term project, other
things keep getting in the way.