The world (in)famous Ariel 3

Today I received a message from Hazel, the editor of the North Staffs BSAOC newsletter asking about the Blog being added to her newsletter blog as a link.

Hazel is also a mate from two of the Forums that I belong to and amongst her stable of bikes she has a nice little TriBSA with a Triumph 350 3TA motor in a BSA B25 frame as well as a........drumroll and smelling salts at the ready.......an Ariel 3!!!

Yes, yes, an Ariel 3. A quirky little machine that BSA, as the parent company of Ariel back in the days of yore, thought was a good idea. It was a nightmare from the sounds of it and the late Bert Hopwood, one of the senior designers at BSA, Triumph, Ariel and Norton during their heydays, made mention of it in his book Whatever Happened To The British Motorcycle Industry?

If you want to know more about the Ariel 3 as well as the British motorcycle industry, get the book. Also there's a link to the worlds only Ariel 3 museum in Bristol. Got the North Staffs blog and then click on the Ariel 3 Museum link. And don't take the Mickey out of Hazels little Ariel as she happens to like it.

It's colder than a witches.........

The weather people forecasted that a cold front would be making an appearance today and did it. The last couple of days it's been coolish in the 40s, but today it got into the 40s and it was windy.

The next two days aren't going to be any better, with the highs somewhere in the 30s and the lows in the teens. Tis gonna be cold here the next couple of days folks so keep bundles up and if you have brass monkeys, don't let them outside :) I unfortunately have to work outside in this for the two days delivering the mail.

But there is good news.....yesterday while at the shops getting dog food for the kids, er, I mean dogs I had a brainstorm and got a small kitchen timer to use in the shed for doing the tank on the Starfire. You know the kind.....small, a timer and used in the kitchen.

Now when I get the stuff from Caswells to do the inside of the tank, I can set the timer for X number minutes per side and rotate the tank so it gets evenly coated on each side. Genius!!! Well OK I got the idea from someone on the BSA Groups forum.

Next posting after the freeze is over.... or sooner if there's something comeup.

A noggin scratcher

I've come across a dilema here.....do I use the money I have stashed away to go on the 2010 British Singles Run (BSR) that I mentioned in an earlier posting oooooooor do I use it to get the rolling chassis for the B44 motor I just acquired AND finish off the last few bits left on the Starfire????

Decisions, decisions!!

If I go the BSR route, the Starfire will still get finished PLUS there will be a further segment to this drivel at a later date.

But if I go the other way, the frame dear, not what you were thinking, I get the frame so no one else does and get that project started as well as finishing off the wee Starfire so it can get on the road for next years BSR.

So any thoughts, suggestions or ideas on a postcard and send to:

Figger it out yerself ya Ol' Wazzick
Third Tree Stump Along
Kings Sutton
Banbury, OXON

Of course donations go along way too....as far as the pub anyway.

Edit: For those who have been reading this blog to date, you may have noticed that I mentioned the blog of The GBC and have recommended it's reading.

Well the Gorgeous One is having a photo competition so go read the blog for details, enter and have fun.

In the meantime, I'll be scratching my noggin on aboves dilema as well as the competition thrown in now! 

Has come and gone...

...the start of the New Year that is. With any luck things will be just as good this year as they were the last one.

With the New Year here that means that resolutions were made (and possibly broken already) as well as plans.

Hopefully those involved getting a classic bike on the road. If so, well done. If not, go on and do it, you know that you want to.

So before the end of the day arrives here, a Happy New Year and for those in the land of my ancestors, Happy Hogmanny  to you all!