[ducatiman]

model R35. i am charged with getting it running, belt driven generator disassembled. Owner has provided replacement wiring harness.

Hasn't been run in many years. The fuel system (carb and tank) will need major attention. I'll be chipping away at it over the summer.

Cool details....14 HP 350cc single cylinder, 4 speed trans, 340 lbs, 19 inch rims, drum brakes, 62MPH top speed!

First an overall evaluation, guesstimation as to $$$ owner needs to invest. If we agree, i go forward.

*******************************************************************************************
Fast forward to 31 August, 2012...work completed, start video, some completed pics ..........(save future lurkers from reading through this very long thread)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Y8JSrpUpNig



1st pic as it was stored/left dormant for many years

 

[Furtz]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

That is such a cool bike.
Check out this '38 350 for sale in Ontario. Actually, it might be a 250.
http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-motorcycles-other-BMW-R-1938-W0QQAdIdZ376624727

 

[moped]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Really, really cool - pleazzzzz post more pictures.

I would imagine this is valuable just from the perspective of WWII memorabilia not to mention it is an old BMW. Any signs of battle damage or bullet holes? Kinda surprised it lasted from 1937 all the way through to the end of the ware in 1945, I don't imagine much did. This may make it even more valuable as I would expect most captured stuff like this would have been manufactured late in the war.

 

[bmetz99]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Check out the awesome upside-down forks on that thing.

My pal Alan has a Harley XA, basically a copy of the wehrmacht BMW boxer twin. Seems the U.S. Army spec Harleys would overheat their rear cylinder in the North African heat while the beemers kept running. So they sent a few captured bikes home to Milwaukee and made an SAE version. Only 100 were built, only 10 of those had disc wheels (instead of typical spoked wheels). Alan's got a disc wheeled bike.

 

[Furtz]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Here's a pic of Britain's answer to the BMW. I had one of these and rode it for two seasons in the 60s. Mine was a '53 S8.

 

[00ninja]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Furtz - Very cool. I like how the passenger seat is mounted.

 

[House_of_Dexter]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

ok...this is just a damn cool project...Please keep us updated...I love old vintage bikes and when I retire I would love restoring them...

 

[00ninja]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

ok...this is just a damn cool project...Please keep us updated...I love old vintage bikes and when I retire I would love restoring them...

+1

 

[K-woppa]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

I hope you get to do this, because I want to follow along. My guess is you'll find some interesting examples of engineering. Speaking of which, on that carburetor picture, is that a banjo bolt I see at the fuel inlet? The remote float bowl is different, too. Wonder what the reason for that is.

 

[ducatiman]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Remote float bowl was the tech of the time....thin-walled brass float was attached to a long rod (the needle tip machined at the top of the rod) float raises shutting fuel flow.

There will be a "tickler", depressing it pushes the float down, lowers needle, floods carb. In its day this was "choke" to aid starting.

The lever on the left handlebar (in bike picture) is a "spark advance lever". You retarded spark to combat pinging, aid starting or advanced it for power.

Single plate dry clutch, exposed revolving driveshaft. Belt driven generator.

This bike designed in a different age and is very different from what we know today....therefore the word "challenge" in my topic.


Another guy was "fixing" it for owner.....procrastinating....progressed nowhere in 3 years now. Owner becoming understandably impatient at this point. I'm fairly confident i'll get the job, however I want to acess owners intent....leave "original condition" or restore? His intent will dictate the context of my repair procedures and my fee.

IF this progresses, i'll be documenting and getting detailed pics for breakdown and reassembly though its rough, partially disassembled.....this bike requires a LOT of work to return to running/riding condition, let alone a full bang restoration. Either way, a cool project.

 

[PHILM68]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Definitely going in my spank bank

 

[floridaex500]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Two brothers. So much alike yet so different. I wouldn't touch that project with a 10 foot pole. I appreciate all the efforts involved and the craft of it but that project is not for me. I get sleepy when I have to work on old things. Especially old buildings. God bless you, good luck but not my cup of tea.

 

[Rayycc1]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Looks like a decent starting point. going to be a ***** to get parts...May have to machine some if not available. going to be a ***** to take apart without breaking bolts also. I restored a 46 Knuckle head that sat for 32 years and I cant even begin to tell you the problems I encountered. Cant wait to see this finished...A very cool project...And IMO...you are the guy to get er done.

 

[ducatiman]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Thanks for kind words, Ray. Once contracted, be assured i will see this through.

Speaking with owner Monday, he's now motivated to get it out from where its been (no progress) for 3 years.

Need assurance from him i'll be amply "taken care of" with the understanding i can't get real nitty gritty till his intentions are made clear and pending an initial inspection. I'll establish a flat fee based on what he wants done beyond prep/start up and the degree of complexity and intensity of work involved. I'll also make clear he lays out $$$ for ALL parts.

My first thought is..... will the tank be a leaker or rusted? Beyond repair....will he want a POR15 treatment done? Good part of 1 day labor right there.

I'll likely have it by next weekend, questions to be answered.

 

[Twowheels]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Great thread! Thanks for posting.

 

[ducatiman]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

So far all talk, blah blah blah. The real action should start after next weekend.

Disassembly and inspection should be extremely interesting.

I'll post some pics. I'll NEED to take many for documentation and reassembly. And keep a notebook as well.

Parts and hardware will be tagged, bagged, marked according to component and location. Slow going. This will be done RIGHT, not fast.

Thinking well ahead, the oil pan will be dropped ,cleaned (no sludge allowed) and resealed prior to startup. Valve clearances will be checked as well. I'll be shooting for the classic BMW "starts on one kick".

Dedicated storage space....devoting one half of my 2 car garage to this.....till its done.

 

[ducatiman]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

We forge forward. I have been contracted to "get it running". I will fulfill....no more, no less.

Pics when in my possession.

EDIT....weddings, wakes and funerals (on both owners part and mine) causing delay.

 

[operaflute]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Wow - won't that be a reward when it runs again! I love imagining all the secrets it must have by now - all the riders, roads and adventures. If only it could tell us.
Posting in the thread, so I get my email notifications as the project progresses!

 

[Tinker1980]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

It's a great thing to get an old motorcycle running again. It can be frustrating finding parts, but it's worth it all to hear an engine run that nobody has heard for 30, or in your case, 75 years. And the technology that you get to see while tearing something down and making it work can be interesting. In my case I dealt with such odd things as dual shocks (On a dirt bike) a round slide Bing carburetor, and sandblasting/repainting some of the biggest fins I've ever seen on an air cooled engine.

Hope you get it going without too much grief. Also hope you upload a video of it running!

 

[00ninja]

Re: 1937 BMW challenge

Ducatiman - Well? What's the status? Did you get the go ahead to fix it?