WINTER PROJECTS

[John H]

Is your Beta Xtrainer 300cc? Piston appears quite large.

[Lotus54]

Is your Beta Xtrainer 300cc? Piston appears quite large.

Yes, 300 cc. 72mm bore.

[Lotus54]

This is from last year, but I have a bunch of winter project this year too.

1. Finish the Benelli Dynamo Compact (see other thread).
2. Get 66 Lotus Elan all ‘up to snuff’. I already replaced all the dampers, springs, rear adjustable spring perches & top mount. Also new bushigns and trunion rebuild. Next new exhaust. I have a ‘no distributor’ ignition to install and electric water pump. I don’t need to do those, but I think will make excellent reliabilty.
3. electronic lead screw- finished on lathe. It is fantastic!
4. Work on buddies Benelli 250 2C (2-stroke twin street) identical to mine. It is in really good shape, but will fit Vape electronic 12Vdc ignition setup.
5. 74 OSSA Explorer I got in trade for a frame. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it, but now want to make it so I can do a couple vintage trials. I do NOT plan on a full resto by any means, I won’t even paint it. But of course it needs to run really well and I will lower and move back the pegs. Back then they were way too high.

Probably more stuff, but I won’t get all that done anyway. Haha

[John H]

If you aren't over a hear behind that's a good sign I have stopped counting projects, now just counting years...left.

[Lotus54]

I forgot about my Benelli Dynamo Woods bike (first bike I ever rode and still have it).
Maybe next winter, but certainly not this one.


I did some metric threading on a 8mm rod. I could have done if faster with a die, but just wanted the practice. Of course, I first thought it was a 8x1.0 - so I set the ELS for that. But before I started I checked and it was 8x1.25. Of course, I forgot to changd it! Ha.. oh well, good practice anyway.

[John H]

There's a bit of art in turning perfect threads on a lathe. I still enjoy reading old machine shop books that tell how to grind the tool, set the point and compound and so on. I'm at a disadvantage cutting metric threads on the big lathe as it is missing those gears. If I wasn't electronically challenged I would add one of those digital controllers like you did.

[Lotus54]

The electronics portion of the ELS is easy- making toothed pullies, getting correct belts and other adpaters takes more time. Well…wiring it all up takes time too.