Aluminium Barrel's

Aluminium Barrels, I was offered via a very kind donation for eds new shortstroke engine a barrel from Rex Gaunt, its an exact copy of the bantam D7 barrel and I believe uses the original patterns from the ajax bantam alloy barrels produced at the correct period.

How does every one feel about this, can we use this,? "is this ok" ? for me to use this, what are your feelings, please let me know, i had been considering and asked Brian about doing one but this has been offered for Ed, to start his career on and will need a liner like the Brian white copies, so please let me know .

regards Derek

Hi, Derek,

Can`t think that any one could possibly object, good kit from what ever source is to be welcomed .
It would`nt contravene any regulation that curently exists, and as it`s just a direct copy of the D7,
offers no advantage over what`s available now . Carry on mate , who`s to know ...... crikey did i
really say that !

regards Trevor.

HI Derek,
Under the rules"Alloy Todd and BTW copies deemed to be standard" we could call it an Alloy Todd copy!! Anyway the old Ajax barrels are pretty traditional, I actually used to have one on a roadster when I was knee high to a grasshopper....
Not sure if the ports in the Caunt version will help you at all though, I have seen them...eek, bit of modification needed there.
Alan

Personally I would not object, and may be if there are more of these barrels about we should add them to permitted parts list.
We need as many bikes out on track as pos. we are in danger of having more riders than Moto GP if we can get 2 more bantams to the grid, let’s be aiming at more than Moto 2. I know this is a difficult time financially but bantam racing is still one of the least expensive forms of racing. I think you have all read my ranting about getting your bikes out with someone on them, sharing costs may be one way forward. If you have never had someone ride your bike you will not know the pleasure it can give you. Most of the time I work on the, if you bend it you mend it system. The pleasure of seeing your bike out with someone else on is second only to doing it yourself. Well maybe not second only but good.
Smiffy.

That´s it Ted -- you go for it.

The ranks need swelling -- a recruitment drive is necessary.

But it is somewhat daunting for a young starter -- costs and all that. Tim Cornish for instance, appeared to be very keen -- wrote a lot on here -- and was lost...

No point in saying how much it cost me to build my 2 Bantams, they weren´t really competitive but I did have some good Inter races on Icarus-1 -- particularly against my number-one antagonist The Late Wobbleyman Aldridge.
...
Point I´m trying to make is that it does not have to cost a fortune to get a Bantam in good enough order to have fun as a starter.

With both Icarus-1 and 2 ... most of the bits came from Breakers and the
Icarus-1 engine Les (who did our machining free of charge) found in a heap of rubbish in a field that kids were playing with....
---
Whilst still at Simms Motor Units, Finchley I was travelling to Leyland near Preston every week and armed with the Close-Ratio Gear Part-numbers I´d drop into Motor Cycles shops en-route and quite often found CR Gears in an old box at the back of the stores -- just dumped out of the way. Cost absolute minimal! I got 2 sets for Wobbles that way -- which he never paid for -- bless his memory!!

Of course, things have changed ... Just about everyone knows The Bantam is a rare vintage that can make a penny or two for the owner but I wonder whether that is entirely true. I say that because a couple of years back I was with Andy Boyle*** at Chelmsford and we visited a couple of MC shops out in the Essex countryside and in one such place were two Unserviceable Bantams which I think the shop owner would have liked to get rid of...

... So I think that its worth looking around for some bargains instead of paying thro´ the nose at E-Bay and such....

***Andy was silly enough to give me his ABS 250 (Alpha `Works´ Motor) to race for him....

So be it!!

Hi Derek,

So is this a tester to see if it works or not?


Eddie

Many thanks for those positive comments,
Edward is only just 17, and one year older than me when I started racing a bantam, he sadly failed his driving test today, but was very pleased to hear the positive comments, that there have been no objections to him using the Rex Gaunt Barrel , I do wish for Ed to have a reliable motor so he can have fun, speed is not the top priority, although Im sure he would disagree with this last point.

The barrel was a very kind gesture, so it was difficult to turn down without asking the question, as long as others feel the same I will commission a liner for it to get Ed up and running.

I think it needs the same level of work as a Brian barrel, to get it up to a working item, I will be asking Brian, who did a great job on my current barrel for me,

Ed,s Motor came via Karl and Adrian Andrew stable, they started with this motor many years ago, we are not to sure who built it originally, its a 50x56mm bore stroke motor.

We have been building a 175 motor, I think we will finish this in the future for a spare, so as long as there are no more comments or objections we will crack on.

regards Derek

Anything that gets a new person out can only be a good thing.


Eddie

To encourage newcomers there should be a LCF -- Low Cost Formula -- which bans all costly items like water-cooling, reed valves and expensive electronic ignitions -- and of course FAIRINGS!
Much like the Original Bantam Racing Formula -- it would give the young newcomer*** that feeling he is racing in a class special for him where because of the Racing On The Cheap formula he need not feel any shame at finishing near the back ...

That last bit is assuming the LCF formula would attract more newcomers....

***the newcomer could be an Old-Comer, of course!!

Uh! eywhatt? OK! so I´ll shut up...

...and crawl back into my Old Hat!

Hi John/Derek,

in my opinion and experience its more fabrication and time than anything and not always parts and thats with keeping it simple as possible.


Kind Regards


Eddie

Is Rex going to market them? As blanks? He did market them as finish items Nickosealed but suitible for trails engines...

But there is only heads on his web site... I think you should run it!

Derek - doesn't Brian only sleeve port his own cylinders??

rex does make then as blanks, then nicosils them, for the trials brigade they are highly sort after, or so im lead to believe.
three guys in my club the "mosely MX trails club" have them, anyway does that mean its legal to use then. speak no or foever hold your breath - "all agreed" ? we will crack on then.

I can not make lydden, but to be honest the mess inside the one is shocking" blimey ifs been raing here "I'm sure". !!

out of interest Mike ? how did you fair with your new carbs, look very trick, and no complicated power jets, o electronics to turn of this taht and t other, they look realy nice and simple.

regards Derek

More reading for the interested.... from a year ago....

Attitude & opinion should not be allowed to stunt development and technological growth with the Bantam Racer...

That´s why I reckon there should be a LCF (Low Cost Formula) and peope should be trying unacceptable things, in the pukha Bantam Class. like fuel injection and water-injection-boosting just to prove the point that such innovations can -- OR CANNOT -- bring improvement....

I´ll crawl away -- quietly!!

Cheers!