Ooch Aye ! The mission. Part1

Ooch Aye ! 
2 x Great Nations - 1 x Seemingly Impossible Goal - 1500 x Ardous Miles - Many x Strange Beers

Only now the 'Oilyracer' special operation commando team are back at base can I reveil that the top secret mission, code named 'Ooch Aye' has been a success.
 Gather round once more all you internet blog surfers for I shall enlighten you with the written word....the truth shall flow from my keyboard and forever cross polinate the universe (and beyond) as virtual cybertype.
 A tale of the sea and shipwrecks...........of mountains and bothys................of boiling oats....... of powerful motorcycles................and of 2 x MacOilyracers attempting to drink the Old Coaching Inns of the Kiltlands dry....

 07.30 hours. Saturday 19th May 2012....
 2 x brave men........2 x mechanically perfectly tuned motorcycles.......1 x extremely large trailer......an assortment of tools, ropes, map, cooking utensils, stoves, paraffin, food were loaded onto/into the transporter.
Destination - Gareloch, Skirtland.
Mission - To retrieve a part of Englands mechanical heritage.

Many moons ago it came to the attention of Oilyracer (Belgium Chapter) that a rare Commer TS3 engine and gearbox had been offered for sale over the English border in the wilderness of Argyll. Negotiations (by Oilyracer UK Chapter) were entered into with the trader of huge horsepower (known locally by the name of James) and a ransom was agreed. A date was set for it's release. We would meet James in his homeland and exchange coinage of the realm.

 The Coventry made diesel was rumoured to have spent many years in the bowels of a 32ft launch that dredged Gareloch for mussels. James had inherited the launch from his uncle and had intended converting it into a fast persuit boat to chase giant deep sea mussels. However all did not go to plan. Unfortunately too long in dry dock rendered the ships timbers dry and useless........Only the massive engine remained. Palletised and stored in a coal merchants storage shed for 10 years....

James led us to a secret location to view the marinised Commer TS3.
(Complete with 1 x forward and 1 x reverse gear)

What a beastie ! It was gonna need a machine to lift it onto our transporter.

Nah problem...............James had a tractor......

 The TS3 was dragged out into the sunlight for the first time in a decade.....

 Lifted then lowered into position for its journey to pastures new.....

 Strapped securely with string and sticky tape the treasure was now in the hands of the Oilyracers

Let's go............for there is much to do before we can leave Argyll.


Stay tuned for Part 2 of - Ooch Aye ! The Mission
Albert signing off..........

Jelly Roll

 Albert here....Just thought I'd let all you 'Oilyracers' know -

The ex Presley CB is still fitted with this delightfully worn and weathered saddle. 

 

Only trouble is it's not worn and weathered to fit my 'small, firm and perfectly formed bum' !

No Sir ! 

All I can say is Elvis must have had a BIG FAT ARSE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Luckily the part where Barbara Stanwyck sat seems to have faired a lot better)

So for now - It's a bit less Rock 'n' Roll and a bit more 'Jelly Roll'

Stay tuned.....

Ready to Rock

Albert here. Bringing to you Oilyracer blog fans an important news update from Blighty.
The ex Elvis Presley 'CB' is now alive ! Many hours of painstaking restoration work by a specialist team of 'Old Sidevalvers' has finally resulted in this valuable machine being granted permission not only to once more ride the highways and byways of Old Blighty but also be part of a rescue mission. At this point the destination is TOP SECRET........But.....I can tell you it is over a border and into a land where many men apparantly do not wear undergarments.....(under their dresses.).!!!!! .......Pheeewwww weeeeee!
Holy Moly........Don't look down....up.....or sideways.........keep looking straight ahead !!!!
Back to the 'CB' anyway.....
Road legal after 34 years of waiting.....

Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks for news on final rescue preparations.
Albert signing off...........

A connection with the past No2

24/7 fettling ! Well it feels like it ! It's me again - Albert.
I've been busy...and connecting with 1978 again...
I'd previously had the ex Presley sickle running but only on floatbowls full of fuel. Now it was time to flush/clean the full fuel system......The tap was certainly in need of attention. Stripped off the tank it was evident the years of  storage had taken its toll on the little fellow.

Also evident was the home engineered modification to get round either a missing or stripped sediment bowl..
Skids being here again ! Neat job !

Half an hour with various solvents and wire brush and the tap was looking like it was ready for the next 40 years...

The tar like substance ousing out of the tank was in fact due to me..........years ago I dumped a load of old sump oil in the tank to stop it rusting......

Feast your eyes down the fuel 'ole..     Seems to have worked......It's black...but like new...
Just going to take some swilling out.....

So, here's the old, the modified and the restored all together again.....
Another neat job me thinks..
Time for my nightly flagon.......ta ta for now.

'Not The Greatest Story Ever told but 'The Truest Story Ever Told'.

Albert here (again)

The Presley CB72 has secrets. It is now the time for exposure. No longer can the truth be hidden.
'I' Alberticus Chipbutticus am about to tell the world about a rather unfortunate incident that will shock all of Graceland and beyond. Let the Rockabilly jukeboxes remain silent whilst I recall this shocking incident.
The damage on my poor innocent CB72 was caused by 'The King' getting his guitar tangled in the spokes !
Yes, Elvis the Pelvis came to grieve and bit the dust big time.
Hu, Hu he was all shook up...Hu Hu

His pillion passenger known as 'Sexy Babs' (Stanwyck) was luck to be alive and wasn't best pleased telling him to stick the rock 'n' roll lifestyle.....she'd had enough of travelling with the 'Wall of Death' rodeo and was returning to 'The Big Valley' where cowboys where cowboys....

Sadly in one huge skid, it was all over for 'The King' ----his motorsickle was busted, his chick had ditched him and his gyrating pelvis was badly bruised......(At least his mobile phone was still working....)

"It's me.... Elvis......send the tow truck will ya.....mi wheels buckled....hu...........hu...

So, that's why the footrests are bent ! Why the back brake cable is guitar shaped......and why without a shadow of a doubt I have in my garage the very CB72 that once spat Elvis up the highway....

THE TRUEST STORY I'VE EVER TOLD ! - Albert over and out.

It's me...Albert.
Pull a seat up Oilyracer fans 'cos I've been down The Old Sidevalve Bar and I have news..

In fact I've a couple of balls in the air ! Yes, it's not something that can be done for a long length of time but as the sun was shining I thought 'why not'. Let's get a bit of movement going.....

So. ignition going through resto' on one bench and on the other rear brake. (Multi tasking - a skill only us men folk can do)
Now, there's such things as neglected and some things that's are pretty damn dangerous....
Fitting into the second catagory is the Presley rear stopper.......Held together with insulation tape. It's an accident waiting to happen.

Not only is the cable suspect but the foot rests are all bent too.
Oh what joy.....another opportunity to fire up Big Bertha. Flame on.....I'm going in....


Apply heat - lever with big pipe.....precision stuff. Passenger foot rest now straight and as good as new.

But what have we here ? This front foot rest has had a repair ! Crash damage ?
Neatly welded.....yes....

But certainly not as it left Japan. What's going on ?

Well, I'm gonna tell you, but not tonight cos it's getting near flagon time....I've a thirst on.
Stay tuned though because the second part of this story is the most important true story ever told....
Night night - Albert

So ! While Belgium enjoys the never ending bar of beer pumps Blighty is hard at work. Deep down in the cellars under the town hall of Picklington town restoration has continued on the Presley CB72.
Let not anyone come forward and say this bike is a fake. Ney, and trice nay for this priceless velocepede has carried 'the' rock n roller. Known to many karaoke wannabees as 'The King' ! Hu Hu ! I'm all shuck up ! Hu Hu Hu!

A breakdown on the maiden run after over 30 years hibenation is unthinkable. But - the chances of the ignition fading whilst on the upper slopes of Pen-y-ghent are a reality if restoration work is not carried out.


Last sparked - 1978 - Urgent fettling required !


Deep down in the H.T. coil workings lurks terminal corrosion....The lead was flapping....unattached.......incapable of firing high voltage pulses to ignite petrol.
Surely this is not the end of the road for our hero ? Fear not !
For Albert has a stash, a pile of what the unknowledgeable may call junk, to the enlightened it is TREASURE ! Hidden from the view of gypsies and rag and bone men that frequent this area are the very parts that will enable sparks to travel from points to plug.

A momentous occasion - For I will lift the Barbour jacket (that incidently was worn by Steve McQueen when he competed in the 1964 International 6 day Trail) and reveal to the world for one night only CB72 heaven............

Tune in tomorrow for full spares exposure !

Below - The very same McQueen Barbour suit - Now used as a tarpolin in 'The Old Sidevalve Bar'

Rocking Barn Find !

Greetings ! It is 'I' Albert Crackleport. My winter hibenation is over, the shutters are up and 'The Old Sidevalve Bar' is once more open for business.
What's planned Alb ?
Crikey ! What a ridiculous question. 2012 hopefully will have the same agenda as 2011.....
Bikes will be built, beer will be brewed and drunk, buckets will be lit and poor unsuspecting onions will be peeled and pickled before being sacrificially balanced on a Jacobs with a goodly wedge of local cheese....
Life in the fast lane ! or what ?

It is also rumoured that there will be a Belgium inter-connection too. A joining of 2 of the worlds most powerful nations in a melding of Vintafaking intelligence, to further the mission to ease the suffering of the lost souls of Viragoland.
Transport will be needed.....a machine befitting the occasion. 'The Old Sidevalve Bar' houses many historic devices. After much deliberation I made my choice.
I will ride the ex Elvis Presley Honda Super Dream.

This rare piece of Rock 'n' Roll memorabilia has suffered very little over the years and should be rebuildable in time.

The chance to ride on the very pillion which a denim clad Barbara Stanwyck shared with the 'King' in the film Roustabout is still up for grabs.....I'm open to offers.....

Last on the road in the late 70's just after Elvis's death.
The little Honda's 33 year sleep is over, it's soon gonna be 'all shuck up !'




Thats all for now Oilyracers. Stay tuned for further updates. Albert over and out...