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  • new member / griffon 380 / scrambles

    Hello all. I don't believe in new years resolutions but.....I've just cleared out my workshop that is full of chainsaws and other machinery I use for work, and there at the back giving me the beady eye, is a Griffon 380. Its always been on the list of jobs to do, but you know how it is ; work, kids, other projects etc get in the way.

    But after resting for a while, 17 years to be exact, its time the Griffon roared again. So this is the plan. Get the beast running and entered in this seasons pre 65 Greeves scrambles. This gives me a target and a timescale to achieve it - what could go wrong!! Unlike 17years ago, I'm going to be realistic this time. I stripped and rebuilt the engine back then but after standing for so long, I think this counts for nothing. I don't have much spare time for spanner work now, so I'm taking the motor to Steve at Villiers Services for a rebuild next week. Hopefully I can find a few general items I need for the rebuild too. ( one big problem is front forks. the ones fitted are not original - Maico possibly- and I think are beyond salvaging anyway. Anyone have experience of none standard forks that are suitable and pre 65 appropriate?)

    I will no doubt be bombarding you experts with moronic questions over the coming months (this is a public service I offer to make you all feel intelligent and knowledgeable ) so I will start with an easy one to ease you all in.

    Where do I find frame and engine numbers on the griffon? It was bought as a 1969 model but I'm not so sure and can find no number on the engine. I painted the frame before its long storage and don't recall any numbers on it, so where should the number be?

    As a general point, I'm really impressed at the depth of information contained within the forum - you guys really know your stuff - so apologies in advance if I ask a question that has been answered previously. As a newbie in all things Greeves, be gentle with me

    Paul

  • #2
    Hi Paul, and welcome to the Forum. If you take out full membership of the GRA and get your forum status upgraded to full member, you'll likely find that many (if not all?) of your queries have an answer in the files.
    Good luck with your restoration, and welcome too to the Greeves Championship series.
    John R

    Comment


    • #3
      Welcome aboard Paul, the frame number would have been on an aluminium plate riveted or screwed to the head-stock, it was not stamped onto the frame itself. Presumably on your bike this has been removed as it would be obvious.

      Comment


      • #4
        Thanks both Johns, there are 2 rivets on the headstock but no id plate. Are there any differences to the frame over the years which could at least give me a rough date?
        I've double checked the motor and the only mark I can find is a small 'OS' or it could be 'US' at the base of the crank case. Surely there should there be a serial number ?

        I have joined the GRA, I guess I need to upgrade.

        Paul

        Comment


        • #5
          Welcome!

          Hi Paul,

          May I also extend a warm welcome, both to the forum and to the GRA.

          You are certainly in the right place for help and info, and there are lots of very knowlegable people on here that I'm sure will be happy to offer help and advice with your Griffon. Great to hear that you'll be using the bike 'as intended', and many of the lads in the Pre65 Club 'Greeves Section' are on here, and a nicer and more helpful bunch you couldn't wish to meet.

          Thanks for your kind words about the forum too Paul. It's really good to know that everyone's efforts are appreciated and it was nice of you to offer those positive comments.

          To get you started, here's a link to a bunch of Griffon related stuff that I'm sure you'll enjoy and hopefully find helpful as reference material, along with a good dose of what passes for 'humour' on here.....





          In order to view them you'll need to be upgraded to 'GRA Member', but hopefully that shouldn't take long to get sorted and you can refer back to these links then. Once you've been upgraded, just holla if you need pointing in the right direction with anything.

          Good luck with the Griff, and hope you'll enjoy your membership of the GRA and the forum.

          Brian.
          Last edited by Brian Thompson; 05/02/2017, 07:14 PM. Reason: Links added.

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi Paul

            Welcome to the forum.


            Mk1 Griffons basically fall into two catagories. qub type and the twinport earlier type.. Qub frame was black.. The other silver.. The qub has only one front pipe.. The twinport has two..

            The other difference was in the use of different yolks.. The earlier ones had a swan neck upper arces yolk and many regard these as having superior handling characteristics... Kim Morley will no doubt tell you if that's right or not as I'm not a Griffon rider myself..

            Engine numbers should be on the crankcases where the crankcase joins the barrel.. My 360 has no engine number as I used NOS crankcases...

            If you upload some pictures it would help us look at what you have..

            I may have a some parts you are looking for. Just pm me..

            Regards

            Scott Chappell

            Comment


            • #7
              Spot on Scotty the 69 250 and 380 griffons have the steeper steering angle with the swan neck top jokes . Apart from the steering head stops early and late Griffon frames are essentially the same ....good luck Paul and looking forward to seeing another Greeves rider out there 2017 is going to be a bumper 12 round season ... Can't wait

              Comment


              • #8
                Hi Paul and welcome to the Griffon Riders Association.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by scott151 View Post
                  Welcome to the forum.


                  Mk1 Griffons basically fall into two catagories. qub type and the twinport earlier type.. Qub frame was black.. The other silver.. The qub has only one front pipe.. The twinport has two..

                  The other difference was in the use of different yolks.. The earlier ones had a swan neck upper arces yolk and many regard these as having superior handling characteristics... Kim Morley will no doubt tell you if that's right or not as I'm not a Griffon rider myself..

                  Engine numbers should be on the crankcases where the crankcase joins the barrel.. My 360 has no engine number as I used NOS crankcases...

                  If you upload some pictures it would help us look at what you have..

                  I may have a some parts you are looking for. Just pm me..

                  Regards

                  Scott Chappell
                  thanks Scott, Kim and Griffon 380. All good info. I will get some pics uploaded asap - Mike says it may take a couple of days to upgrade to full member. I guess you may have cracked it Scott, a replacement crank case would have no number, so my machine has no specific frame or engine number...bugger.

                  However, what I do know is I have a Mk 1 Griffon with twinport so definitely not a QUB. (is there a mk 2 griffon )Checking the 'Identify' page on the website it must be either an M58 of 1969/70 or an M61 of 1971. Excluding the yolk mentioned above,(which on my machine are non standard so doesn't help pin the model down) are the M58 and M61 essentially the same? I have a parts book for an M61n Enduro and the majority of the book diagrams are consistent with my machine, but to be honest the diagrams are not clear enough to be totally sure. I now notice the carb is quite different. My carb is an Amal R2038. Was this fitted to the M58 model or is this a non standard carb?

                  Sorry for banging on about specific model - I suspect many parts are exactly the same - but I want to avoid using the wrong parts numbers when taking my shopping list to Villiers Services.

                  Scott, I will pm you regarding parts.

                  Paul

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Sounds like you are getting on well with the ID process.

                    If you have the number of the gearbox that can help as well as there have been three different gear profiles depending on the year.

                    The smart (old) people on here know about these sorts of things

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I look forward to getting pics of you at our events soon!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Brian Catt View Post
                        I look forward to getting pics of you at our events soon!
                        That sounds a bit creepy Brian. wouldn't you rather have pics of the bike

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hi there Paul on behalf of the GRA Committee may i extend a welcome to you into the club, i can see that already you have made a lot of mates, try if you can to get to Telford Show in a few weeks as this will be a great showing of Scramblers, or come to the Annual GRA get together at Kidlington, where there is a great Autojumble of greeves parts new and old,
                          And this year a great talk with none other than TIM BRITON from Mortons with some good info 13th of May as well.
                          Dick F

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Dick F View Post
                            Hi there Paul on behalf of the GRA Committee may i extend a welcome to you into the club, i can see that already you have made a lot of mates, try if you can to get to Telford Show in a few weeks as this will be a great showing of Scramblers, or come to the Annual GRA get together at Kidlington, where there is a great Autojumble of greeves parts new and old,
                            And this year a great talk with none other than TIM BRITON from Mortons with some good info 13th of May as well.
                            Dick F
                            Cheers Dick, I fancied the Telford show but unfortunately have a family commitment coincidently just down the road from you near Worthing. Hope my passport is up to date for the journey darn sarf. will certainly try and get to Kidlington though.

                            Paul

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Hi Paul

                              There is indeed a mk2 griffon..

                              They had laid down rear shocks and are really rare.. And not eligible for pre74 racing classes and the Greeves championship... ( which is odd but the mk2 is a twinshock era machine )

                              Your mk1 twinport 380 should have a 932 mk1 Amal concentric carburettor.. The 32 denotes its size 32mm. These are widely available new.. Second hand ones are generally like pissing in the wind (Not the best idea)

                              Regards

                              Scott

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