The Knowledge - Velocette Owners Club

seat shell and this will help if I need to re-do it soon. I do not think it will move. It looks good. Perhaps
next time I will get it done professionally.
#1714 To sculpt foam when upholstering seats etc. use an electric carving knife. Borrow one from wife
or available at car boot sale near you for around £2.00 PS. Buy two if you can cos they tend to fall off
the workbench and smash or be stood upon when wrestling with seat covers!
L #2019 When refitting the petrol tank today I sheared one of the studs which are used to fasten
the stiffening bar across the front of the tank. In my defense, when I look at it, it has been sheared
sometime in the past and a new stud brazed onto the part still in the tank. It’s the brazing which has
failed today. Is the stud brazed into the tank or is it screwed into a threaded boss which is brazed into
the tank? In other words can I screw out what's left of the stud, make another and screw it in? If the
stud itself is brazed in the tank my current thoughts are to (very carefully) drill into it and tap it say 3mm
(it’s a 1/4 BSF stud) then make a stepped stud, threaded 3mm at one end and 6mm at the other and
screw it into the 3mm tapped hole with Loctite. The stiffening bar could then be fitted as normal. I want
to avoid brazing if possible.
#2023 Firstly, I assume you are talking about the 3½ gal tank with round badges and knee grips. The
stud for the strap is threaded ¼" BSF, but has a 3/8" dia boss to locate the strap, and a larger flange
above that. It is (or was originally) welded (not brazed) to the tank. It is not a separate, plain stud
screwed into anything! I'd recommend cutting the old stub off completely, and turning up a new piece to
be welded in its place. Welding is better than brazing, as brazing can cause local hardening and
subsequent cracking of the sheet metal.
#2024. The Velo tank is the one with badges and the studs look exactly as described, so it looks like
welding a new one on is the answer. Tomorrow or Thursday will be the first chance I get so if anyone
has any other suggestions before then, I'd be grateful.
#2025 Easier than welding, but not as permanent, if you make the new stud with a large area base
(tank end), maybe you could solder it in position, or even 'glue' it with Araldite.
L #2113 So I have partially dismantled the Venom that's been in hibernation for 25 years, and its
going quite well everything looks good, except for minor scratching to the piston (bore is ok). 25 year
old engine oil actually looked pretty good, which is more than can be said for the chaincase oil which I'd
rather not talk about. The questions I have are related to how to finish the bits and pieces I note in
many books there are references to "matt chrome plating" to be used instead of the original cadmium
plating on part such as kick start. What exactly is "matt chrome" and how does the plating process
differ from the regular polished chrome finish. The other question is painting cycle parts like primary
covers, oil tank and headlight cowl. I was thinking of powder coat, but now I am having second
thoughts. Which parts should be enameled/cellulose and which pieces powder coated? Any
recommendations? Anybody know of a good powder coat shop in the Bay area?
#2114 Many items were dull/matt/satin chrome in the first place and not cad plated. eg Kick start, steel
gear levers, brake levers, rear brake spindle steady plate, steel rearset brake pedal etc. etc. The
difference lies in preparation of the material. After polishing or other prep and before plating the part is
gently sand blasted. The chrome is not polished after plating. The details will doubtless vary depending
on your plater, but that's how it was explained, and done, for me. Painting should be just that. Veloce
dipped their bits in a production facility paint machine. That’s why the original finish is so smooth and
thin. Stove enamel can be applied to give the same (ish) finish. Often its too thickly applied. Same with
powder coat which is after all a plastic skin spread over the part. My opinion is that it all depends on
your requirements. Powder coat for a well used machine eg trials Stove for a tough good finish. Do it
your self for the right effect. This can be sprayed acrylic even brushed if you're really good at it. We
have a paint shop near me that sprays; not stove. The finish is excellent. This will not be as tough as
stove though. I would avoid powder coating as the parts look as if they are dipped in or made from
treacle - that's just my personal preference !
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