General Category => Introductions => Topic started by: Dominic DiMarko on March 02, 2012, 10:21:13 AM
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Just found this site. So, after several years I'm finally going to finish trying to find the rest of the parts that I need to complete my '48 Simplex. The story behind this one, is that I bought it about 30 years ago, collected and chromed a bunch of parts and then sold everything, for what reason, I don't know. For years I regretted that decision and finally bought it back a couple of years ago. It's now a little worse for the wear from sitting in a musty old barn and missing some parts. I'm looking forward to exploring this site and meeting other Simplex owners and locating some parts. Just in case anyone is interested, my other two wheeled interests include, prewar balloon tire bicycles of which my main focus is Cleveland Welding, Colson and Schwinn, and yes, there is the obligatory Whizzer or two.
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Welcome to the group. We've got some guys on here that are as knowledgeable as anyone on these crates. Where are you from. A lot of us are in the mid-west, but a few are from both coasts. What is the motor number on your engine. We're trying to get a registry going for the bikes also.
Some of us had these bikes when we were kids, others just think they look cool & had to have one. Right now regarding parts, there are really only 2 sources for parts.....ebay and Wayne Mahafee (I just received an expensive care package from him today!!!).
It seems like there are several 48's showing up. I wonder if this is due to the sellers market for cars back then. So many GI's were coming home with pockets full of money, but it took a long time for the car companies to re-tool for car production (and there were material shortages out the wazoo), so they could command premium prices for what cars that were available. Studebaker & Kaiser were both first out the gate with brand new designs in '47 & made lots of money. I can see that buying a motor bike may have made a lot of sence at that time period.
Mike Sal
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Right now the Simplex is buried behind a bunch of other bikes. I'm going to pull it out and get the serial numbers from the frame and motor. Hopefully the year of the motor will be correct for the year of the frame, as they were purchased separately years ago.
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I don't think that's a 48. Simplex used a bicycle style gooseneck through 1948 and changed to the flat plate style in 1949.
What brand tires are those? When you get it out can you snap a closeup of them please.
Rick
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Good to know! I will get better photos and serial numbers this weekend. Tires are Chinese. I'm already getting reinvigorated. Thanks!!! GOAL: "Git It Runnin' Befo' Ah Dies" Just curious to know if any CABE members are on this sight as well?
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Did you notice that his front fender braces are of the early style? I won't be surprised if he doesn't have a frame number. It looks like a decent start of a bike.....after 30 years it's been patiently waiting for you!!!
If your a bicycle guy, are my nos Schwinn 26x2.25 (or is it 2.125....I'll have to look again) tires worth anything? They're about 10 years old, but have never been out in the sun & have always had air in them.
Mike Sal
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I did Mike. They used the straight type braces through the 1949 Model K, then changed to the curved model for the later 1949 Model L
Rick
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Did you notice that his front fender braces are of the early style? I won't be surprised if he doesn't have a frame number. It looks like a decent start of a bike.....after 30 years it's been patiently waiting for you!!!
If your a bicycle guy, are my nos Schwinn 26x2.25 (or is it 2.125....I'll have to look again) tires worth anything? They're about 10 years old, but have never been out in the sun & have always had air in them.
Mike Sal
Post a photo of the tires when you get a chance. Show tread, markings, and a side view. I'll ask a friend who knows value better than I. Where do I need to look for the serial number on the frame?
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The frame number, if there is one, will be on the bottom of the "neck" that connects the head tube to the frame, just in front of the crash bars. The easy way is to lay the bike on it's side & look under the neck with a flashlight. Sometimes you have to scrape the paint off to see it (I had to do that to see mine). They didn't start adding serial numbers until 51 or 52 I think.
The tires are Schwinn "typhoon cord". I'll take a close up shot of them tomorrow.
Mike Sal
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With this bike having the newer style handler mount and the old style fender braces would that mean it would have to be an early 49 ?
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Cant help with the year but sure is a cool bike! Welcome!
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With this bike having the newer style handler mount and the old style fender braces would that mean it would have to be an early 49 ?
Another thing is 1948 had the kickstand on the frame behind the floorboard and in 1949 they put it back under the front of the floorboard.
I would bet it is a 1949 Model K.
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I agree ,, alloy jug with zinc base 1950 ish earlier was cast iron jug and later had alloy base with zinc rotary valve ( that was good for splitting across the keyway ) good project !! thanks for posting it ! :)
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I agree ,, alloy jug with zinc base 1950 ish earlier was cast iron jug and later had alloy base with zinc rotary valve ( that was good for splitting across the keyway ) good project !! thanks for posting it ! :)
Thanks for your input Larry. I just bumped into your post. Sorry it took so long. I don't quite understand. Are you saying that the alloy jug w/zinc base (mine with '49 K serial number) is preferable to both earlier and later motors?
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The "M" motors did away with the rotary valve altogether, and got heavier cranks as time went on. They are the best in my opinion (on a power vs weight basis).
Mike Sal
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My motor is an M motor and has the internal crankshaft rotary valve .
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Pete, I've never seen an M motor with the rotary valve barrel on the crankshaft. I can't believe there is any room in the crankcase for the valve barrel.
According to the article written by Hilliker & Knapp (in '92) the crankcase was changed for the M series by making more room for the counterweight, changing the shape where the crank bearings ride, and making the case I.D. match the port hole in the crankshaft.
Any chance you've got some pictures of it while it was apart?
Mike Sal
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Maybe I can be a bit more clear .
My crank shaft is bored and ported . The counter weight has a hole in it's 'center' about 5/8 - 3/4" . The shaft is bored as far as the carb inlet tunnel and there is a port bored in the side of the shaft ( 90° ) to accept the incoming fuel / air . That port is a bit smaller than the inlet tunnel , if I recall correctly .
My crank shaft is very similar to the one pictured , but some of the dimensions seem a little different , probably due to the picture being an artists rendition .
(http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa28/pdcomm/Simplex/SimplexMCrankshaft_zps48555ed0.jpg)
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Pete, yes, this is what it should look like. The earlier motors had an additional "collar" that fit onto the crank & acted as the valve.
Mike Sal
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That's interesting , Mike . I'd like to see that setup .
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Pete, go to page 3 of the "manuals & such" section & open the "1947 manual" that Rick posted. There is a good factory photo type exploded view of the motor, showing the rotary valve.
(this is another shameless example of how easy it is to find Simplex info when it's put in the right categories.....) :)
Mike Sal
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Pete, go to page 3 of the "manuals & such" section & open the "1947 manual" that Rick posted. There is a good factory photo type exploded view of the motor, showing the rotary valve.
(this is another shameless example of how easy it is to find Simplex info when it's put in the right categories.....) :)
Mike Sal
Mike, I am going to attempt to organize some of this info when I get some free time.
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"when I get some free time."
How many years before you retire Rick . ;)
Mike , I see they used tapered roller bearings . I wonder why they went away from that . Maybe a $ saving move ?
Anyway , that is an interesting design for the rotary valve . Thanks for pointing that out . :)
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"when I get some free time."
How many years before you retire Rick . ;)
Well, I'm thinking 7 more years, but the FAA will kick me out the door in 2022 if I don't leave before then!!
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My original plan was to kick back in 5 years (at 62), but since the whole job change thing happened, it spooked me a little & we'll just have to see (although other than loosing a week's vacation, the job change has been good financially). Maybe Sonya will finally hit the lucky lottery.....
Mike Sal
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I 'officially' retired last year at 62 . Unofficially about 10 years before .
Both you guys are getting kinda 'short' . ::)
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I 'officially' retired last year at 62 . Unofficially about 10 years before .
Both you guys are getting kinda 'short' . ::)
That's what they women tell me!! LOL
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:-X ;D
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Talked to Wayne this week. Nice guy! Gave him the list of everything that I need. I'm hoping that he'll be able to locate that one last item. I don't know what the total is yet, but I'm sure it's not going to be cheap. I've waited a long time to get to this project and I'm giving myself the rest of the year to complete it. It would be nice if there was someone nearby to walk me through it, but there isn't, so that's why I'm giving myself a year. I do have a '48 manual though, and that should help a lot. Just one question, Which of the following three would be correct for my '49? Just a one piece muffler can with a short exhaust pipe or a long double exhaust pipe, or a long single exhaust pipe? Again, this is a '49 "K" motor.
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That's a good question. My guess is both short and long pipes were available (I think there's a brochure picture showing a bike with short pipe).
Mike Sal
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The 2 long tailpipe model was not introduced until the automatic era started. I've read that the 1949 Model K came with either the front stubby canister or one like the earlier style, curved head pipe with muffler attached to left side of bike.
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This may be a dumb question, but since it's a either/or proposition, would there be any engine performance difference between the longer pipe and the stubby one?
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I doubt that there would be much difference in performance , if any , as the mufflers are likely the same .
If there was an expansion chamber employed , that would definitely add a level of performance .
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Thats a good question. I know that back in my dirt bike days, having a tuned exhaust system made a big difference in the way a 2 stroke ran. With our older long stroke 2 cycle motors, I don't know if the rules are the same.
In wollards book, he talks about how the bikes with 2 long pipes ran better when when pipe was plugged and the other had a restricter in it. (although my pipes are open on the ends).
Many years ago I worked for AMF wheeled goods (the little red tricycles you had when you were a kid) & we made mopeds in the 70's. We had 2 different horsepower models. The only difference between the 2 were the size of the intake manifold and the muffler.
Mike Sal
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Wayne tried closing off one of the pipes and he said there was no discernible difference. I meant to cap one of my pipes last summer as a test, but, alas, I forgot.
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Achtung alles Simplex Bastler und Sammler!!!
We've been getting a lot of new people signed up on the site lately!!!! WELCOME to each of you. Please send us a little note about yourselves & your bikes so that we can all get to know you. There is a wealth of information on the site, as well as with several of our members. Some of us haven't tinkered with a Simplex since we were kids.....others have been playing with them for years.
thanks,
Mike Sal
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The cone and chamber have to be in the proper location. Come to think of it.. if I was going to go that far I might just retrofit a comet 125cc go-kart engine as a replacement for the stock engine. I think I need another bike to build as a modified version? :) :)
Ken