1925 Chummy Chassis Repair

[Peter Johnson]

Hi all

I removed the radiator on my recently acquired 1925/6 chummy to repair a leaking neck to discover that the nosepiece is also cracked. It has been repaired previously, and I'm not sure that it looks repairable this time. The crack extends all the way though to the holes for the spring shackles.

       

I'm wondering if anyone might have an early nosepiece lurking in the back of their workshop? 

Does anyone know which nosepieces would be compatible? Functionality perhaps more important that originality at this point.

Many thanks

Peter

[Tony Press]

Very dodgy repair in a very dangerous place 

Without checking I would think that nosepieces from 1927 to 1930 at least would be similar.

[David Cochrane]

On the 1924/25 chassis the nosepiece (BR11) had a separate plate (BR22) for mounting the starting handle bracket and that nosepiece is fragile (2 of them have broken on my Chummy). The first break (in the late 1950s) was solved by fitting a later nosepiece (BR47) which has provision for mounting the starting handle bracket and is much stronger. In c.1980 I replaced the later nosepiece with an original one, and this broke a few years later. It was repaired by welding and then the BR22 plate was welded to the nosepiece. This repair has lasted for over 35 years.

[Peter Johnson]

Hi David

This nosepiece appears to have had the same modification as yours - the plate for mounting the shock absorbers has been welded to the nose piece.

Do you know what date BR47 was fitted? Is it likely to be as rare as the original?

Peter

[Hugh Barnes]

All (well, many) of the Parts Lists are on line on the Archive web site. EG Parts List 353H described as 'Late' 1925 shows both nose pieces (BR47, BR11) on page 58 (page 33 of the PDF)

https://archive.a7ca.org/wp-content/uploads/PL_353H.pdf

hth...

[Peter Johnson]

Thanks Hugh

Interestingly, BR47 is listed from 1924 alongside BR11. It looks like BR47 is listed all the way up into the thirties, but the earlier BR47 misses the mounting holes for the front shocks. In 1929, BR47 is shown on the short chassis with mounting holes for the shocks. I presume that a vintage nosepiece would be compatible in this case.

Peter

[David Cochrane]

BR47 should fit, but bear in mind that the depth of the chassis rails was increased from Chassis No. 23501. I don't know if the nosepiece changed at that point as well.