crankcase front cover (nosepiece) changes

[Ruairidh Dunford]

You have mixture of at least two types there Jon.

Once you post the dog type we can advise on what the best way forward will be.

Also photograph the starting handles you have access to.

[AustinWood]

Jon, the early (1928-1930) shaft is 7/8" diameter. The later ones are smaller, as your picture.
I believe the change happened in mid 1930 when the thinner 'box saloon' radiator, short scuttle appeared.
I believe the Peg, BD118: 2K7411 is the peg the prevents the shaft coming out forwards.
The pictures show some parts.

   
Early Handle. Note the handle has no sleeve and 7/8" shaft.

   
Early Starter dog.

   
Later 'pin type' Starter dog.

[JonE]

thankyou. I can see the sense now of starting at the dog and working outward.
Here is mine on the engine I'm trying to build up (or rather unite with disparate parts lying around). So I can now see the shaft is wrong for the dog and bush... but what about that thread combination from the earlier pics? The nosepiece must be original so is the bush an aberation... or do those threads look like they will work when the female end is cleaned up?    

[AustinWood]

Is your bush for 7/8" shaft? The thread looks a bit coarse to me but difficult to tell from a picture.
At one time John Barlow listed the starting handle bush. I think he still does as '29 type brass nut'.
The tolerances on the assembly are quite tight. The peg in the shaft has to rest on the ledge on the nosecone to hold the shaft horizontal and at the same time the collar on the shaft has to reach the bush to make it oil tight. The nut on my car is not screwed fully home and held with Loctite. This is to ensure the peg engages properly.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Personally - I would change the starter dog for the later claw type (primarily because they work and are very easy to obtain), this will work with starting handle shaft you have. Then find the corresponding nose cone and a suitable starting handle (you were going to post a photo of what you currently have - if you do this we can tell you which shaft it is for).

[JonE]

The other photos are in post 10. I only have the 264 nosecone with the (possibly separate) bush, and don't have a handle yet. So if anything, it seems that the shaft is the odd one out?

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I personally would still do as I suggest above.

[JonE]

ok! thankyou R.
Jim - yes the bush was 0.9 inch so near enough 7/8". It seems to have a brass inner lining in a steel thread outer so perhaps its something which has been gnadgered around with, for a retapped nosecone in some other time.

[Ian Williams]

I have obtained a small quantity of NOS early type starter dogs if anyone is struggling to find one.

[AustinWood]

The original bush is brass.
The early, 7/8", handles are few and far between. As Ruairidh says it might be easiest to find the later nosecone. The later starter dog should be no problem and the spring is readily available.
I'm not sure about the length of the later nosecone. To get the handle in the correct position it needs to be the same length as the early one + the thickness of the nut.
An additional benefit is the later dog works better than the early one. It the faces are worn it tends to get thrown out of mesh as you try to crank. I've just refaced mine.