Problems finding parts is one that is shared by many bike owners, not only Greeves but other makes as well. Requests for small mechanical parts, like studs and spacers is common amongst today's owners/restorers.
Back in the day when a lot of our industry was engineering based, a job in engineering was a common occupation, toolmaker, instrument maker etc. and if you were not in that occupation yourself you could get a mate in the tool room to make you the bits during lunch hours (or during the day if the forman was not watching, commonly referred to in the trade as a foreigner).
I myself did a tool making apprentice ship and made many parts at work as 'foreigners'
Today mechanical engineering apprenticeships are not common like they were, and today's youngsters are going into white collar or computor based jobs, so have never seen let alone operated a lathe or milling machine, and of course old school engineering shops are a thing of the passed, those that remain are into high tech CNC machines.
So where does this leave the amature bike restorer? Small lathes are available reasonably cheaply, new ones for around £400 and many older used ones for less often being sold by deceased engineers families. So you then need to pick up the skills to use it, local schools and technical colleges used to offer evening classes in practical subjects like woodwork and metal work, but today you may find it difficult to find one offering these courses. The other way to obtain the knowledge is to join a local model engineering society, many of these have an on site workshop with machines that members can use. So even if you don't have your own lathe (or milling machine) you could use the clubs equipment to make parts for your bike.
Motorcycle restoration is as we all know an expensive game, so if by making small parts like spacers, studs, brake linkage etc etc you can save considerable amounts of money.
Back in the day when a lot of our industry was engineering based, a job in engineering was a common occupation, toolmaker, instrument maker etc. and if you were not in that occupation yourself you could get a mate in the tool room to make you the bits during lunch hours (or during the day if the forman was not watching, commonly referred to in the trade as a foreigner).
I myself did a tool making apprentice ship and made many parts at work as 'foreigners'
Today mechanical engineering apprenticeships are not common like they were, and today's youngsters are going into white collar or computor based jobs, so have never seen let alone operated a lathe or milling machine, and of course old school engineering shops are a thing of the passed, those that remain are into high tech CNC machines.
So where does this leave the amature bike restorer? Small lathes are available reasonably cheaply, new ones for around £400 and many older used ones for less often being sold by deceased engineers families. So you then need to pick up the skills to use it, local schools and technical colleges used to offer evening classes in practical subjects like woodwork and metal work, but today you may find it difficult to find one offering these courses. The other way to obtain the knowledge is to join a local model engineering society, many of these have an on site workshop with machines that members can use. So even if you don't have your own lathe (or milling machine) you could use the clubs equipment to make parts for your bike.
Motorcycle restoration is as we all know an expensive game, so if by making small parts like spacers, studs, brake linkage etc etc you can save considerable amounts of money.
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