KSS Lump

Do you still believe in Father Christmas?

When I came home today I was greeted by the parcels that had been promised to me. I bought a nearly complete MkII KSS motor on eBay in November, which I paid on the 1st of December. Due to various reasons (for example the seller ‘had family problems’) the shipment was delayed somewhat. Whatever, I unpacked the parcels when I did get home and found a strange collection of parts, some as I expected and some definitely not!

There is a good head with a very small inlet opening (nice for a trial-bike), a cam (17/10, so a soft, postwar item) Most of the bevel-gear bits (no ‘cambox’ – sorry, bevel gear housing! – or cam-spindle – though there is something that looks like a poor attempt to make one, unfinished and poorly turned) A set of clean cases (the drive-side ‘re-manufactured) an inside and outside timing-cover (also re-manufactured) an assortment of screws, a con-rod and big-end bearing and crankpin, a heavily repaired barrel, a stuffed piston and two flywheels. Here some pics:

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The head on the left is ‘today’s, with the smaller inlet, but same valve-size (miniscule difference in the throat of the valve) The inlet valve that was sent sent doesn’t fit, but with some work on the combustion chamber, could be made to. One rocker spindle, no rockers. Interesting is also the difference in the finning around, or directly below the bevel gear housing:

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Small-port (7/8″), pre ’37 head from ssssh

Later 'large-port' head (1 inch!)

Later ‘large-port’ head (a whole 1 inch!)

Both the top and the bottom of the barrel have been repaired as can be seen, two and three fins deep, none of which was mentioned in the sales description, which would have expected, to be honest (sorry, I meant, of course, ‘if one was honest’)

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Not badly done, I’ll grant you that, however.

Both cranks were heavily annotated with somewhat confusing measurements (+ 0010, + 002, +010.0?? – top) and crosses and things on the back.

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Definitely NOT the cranks shown in the pictures on e-Bay…

KSS Crank etc

ssssh, don’t tell anyone that these aren’t the one’s I’m selling!

 

The e-Bay original photos: no rust, no texter, though I can live with rust. What I can’t live with is downright dishonesty, as none of this was mentioned beforehand and the swap has obviously been done in full knowledge of the consequences for me. The seller is a restorer of vintage bikes himself and not merely a ‘vendor’. It would appear that I have at least on the bottom one, an oval crankpin-hole…still to be measured properly.

The worst is yet to come!! OH YEAH!

The re-manufactured drive-side case is great, apart from one small detail (actually two, but I can fix the incorrect profile of the casing which stops the proper fitting of the chaincase…) The problem is that the case has been rendered all but useless as the hole for the main-bearing has been machined out about 1mm too large!! (just slightly sloppy!!) I am not aware of a bearing that much oversize (or an alternative off the top of my head) and I don’t really want to bush a main-bearing on the drive side if avoidable! AND, the case has not been stamped, of course… So no numbers for the ‘Reggo’.

I still have to check dimensions tomorrow, but I must admit to not being exactly happy with my purchase in general. There are other details, which pale to insignificance, like that the Oldham-couplings don’t fit the shaft (actually either of them) and that the oil-pump has been botched (one of the gears is also missing), and that the sprocket supplied that goes on the end of the oil-pump-shaft and gear is wrong…

Ah, well, these things are sent to try us! I am wondering what recourse to action is open to me and what I will actually do about it. This is the second time that I have been very obviously ‘misled’ and for quite a bit of money…

My ‘friend’ and yours, ssssh had obviously waited so long to send it, so that I was outside of the 45 day limit set by eBay and PayPal to file complaints, perhaps? Or was it just a coincidence that he actually posted 45 days after the sale…???

Also, just out of interest, I wonder what the reason is for the difference in the ‘footprint’ of the timing-covers is?? The one on the right comes from the above seller, which he aquired from Don Chesson, the KTT-man from Perth. Any ideas, anyone??

 

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©peter gouws 2012

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