Double Trouble

[Lotus54]

I certainly always enjoy seeing what others are doing.
I don’t know much about machining parts, although something I’ve always been interested in doing.

I’ve mostly finished the new wiring harness and installing lights on the old OSSA Explorer. As soon as that is done, I hope to start in on the Benelli sei engine. But I want to be able to leave it on the ‘bench’ while working on it, and not have to move it. I’ll likely use one of the lifts as a bench, at least initially. I really like using it that way, since it is quite large and I can adjust height to exactly what I want.
It would also be good to get it together, since right now it is taking up all of one of my work benches.

I did install the homologation (lighting) kit on my new Electric Motion Escape R, and already built a Fixed Regen Button that goes under the bar. Feels really good, but I have not been able to get out and test (got a darn cold).

[John H]

The oil distribution manifold is finished (I think). The oil junction block on engine #2 was rotated 180º and will connect to the side of the manifold. Engine #1 will connect to the top of the manifold. Feed and suction are at the back of the manifold and connect to the oil tank. Two rocker feed oil lines still must be plumbed in the return line at some point or possibly fed by a small reservoir that will hold enough oil for a 60 second run time. The crude way is just to leave off the inspection caps and squirt enough oil in for a single run.

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It's easy to mock up parts only to find something else has to go in the same location.
Mock up requires assembly and tear down often to rectify this.

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[ATinkerer]

As George puts it "sometimes CAD (cardboard aided design) works out well.
Have tried it using paper towel tubes for exhaust stand in. Works if you don't have to bend them.

Gordon

[John H]

The auto advance unit I planned to use for the center of the modified timing gear didn't work out so back to the drawing board. Digging through a box I found a Royal Enfield magneto with a donor sprocket that worked perfect. Yes, some vintage bike magnetos were chain driven.
Timing the magnetos requires loosening the gear just enough to set the timing. Once the new center was welded in the gear a new puller was made. Yes, another oddball thread 5/8-26 tpi.

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[ATinkerer]

Been reading John's log on restoring Double Trouble.
Ran across an article about a couple of other multiengine restorations being done.

https://www.dragbike.com/collins-cooper ... l-2b5sTAyg

RC engineering, Atchison, Topeka, Santa Fe triple, as well as the Sorcerer are in the restoration shop.

Should be interesting when all the restorations are completed.

[John H]

Good eye Gordon, I've been following the restoration on the SOHC forum for quite a while. Those are expensive restorations and Russ Jr has had to rely on lots of donations to get this far. I watched Russ ride the triple in 1976, it was impressive. http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,99452.0.html

[John H]

After a lengthy discussion with Alp, I will give up the idea of running both fuel tanks through the fuel pump. The plan now is to use one tank for methanol and gravity feed fuel to starting nozzles. This will be for starting and warmup only. Once running smooth it will be switched over to nitro from the other tank. It means designing 2 separate fuel systems but safer overall.

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[John H]

Some difficulty here putting 4 fuel lines into the tank. I found a 6an Y fitting that is actually a 'parallel' Y allowing the 2 hoses to be parallel also. It will look nicer too. To run the 3 fuel lines over the frame I had to move fuel filter further back and under the seat. Of course this will require making longer #8an hoses.

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[John H]

The "run" fuel system is finally finished. The main fuel filter will now be under a seat. I originally made up the fuel hoses using PTFE liner but changed to CPE since it is much more flexible and allows ease of routing.
Next will be routing the "starting" fuel system.

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[John H]

I started this last year as a clean and polish only project for show. I should have known better. Eleven months later it's
in final mock up before being completely disassembled then reassembled again with rebuilt engines. Still a lot of minor
things must be done, such as rebuilding the magnetos and getting the fuel system flow tested. Felt pretty cool just sitting
on it today, imagining how it felt to grab a handful and smoke the tire for the quarter mile to around 170 then get it shut
down before running out of track.

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