Arceyes Stuff.....

[arceye]

Hi Chaps, was glad to see the forum is up and running again, hopefully some old faces may find their way back here, and some new ones would be good too hey. I know forums have become very much yesterdays thing with all the instant gratification of Fbook and the like but forums really are a better resource in my opinion. So heres hoping.

Soooo..... it must be 5 years or more since I was last active on here, a move back to Lancashire from Scotland meant I had to get rid of the Austin and my other bits and pieces largeley due to less space to play. Sadly no garage anymore.

So no real classic cars now, but I do have a '95 Mercedes C250 Diesel as my daily driver, it's surprising how modern it still seems considering its more or less 28 years old, I had a 30 year old Ford Corsair in the '90's and that seemed positively ancient, perhaps its just me getting older.

Anyway, a quick pic of the Mercedes, I bought it 3 years ago for 1300 quid with 89k on the clock and nearly a full Mercedes Dealer service history, now just going onto 105k miles and has only really required servicing, heater plugs and some switchgear replacing so far, touch wood it stays that way.



I also have a couple of 2 wheeled "classics" that Luxobarge says I can post here so I'll introduce you to them as soon as I get the chance

[Dick]

Nice, I like old mercedes... interested in bikes too but still have bruises from my moped when I was 12

[arceye]

Nice, I like old mercedes... interested in bikes too but still have bruises from my moped when I was 12

I feel your pain good to see you are still on here Rich

[Dick]

You too mate,

[arceye]

So besides the Merc I currently have two motorbikes to help keep me occupied, The first is a little 1955 98cc James Comet. It started Life in the South of England but somehow made its way up to the Scottish Highlands in the 60's where it then ended up in a shed for many years, this is how I got it, just a rusty rolling wreck with no engine.





well I do have form for taking on daft projects but this wasn't too bad really as there was practically no chrome to worry about on these, from new only the handlebars, exhaust and headlight rim were chromed so that made things easier.

and a photo of how she is today, not perfect but she is back on the road, at least when I'm brave enough to tackle traffic on a 2 speed handlebar gearchange motorcycle with a top speed of about 32 mph



My other bike should prove a little more useable when its finished, pics of that to come soon.

[Dick]

You have done a nice job on the bike

[Luxobarge]

That bike is amazing - talk about brought back from the brink!

I'd love to see more pics of the resto and hear the full story, where did you get the bits for example? Is that an early Villiers engine? I vaguely remember that James used Villiers, amongst a number of other manufacturers of the time.

[arceye]

That bike is amazing - talk about brought back from the brink!

I'd love to see more pics of the resto and hear the full story, where did you get the bits for example? Is that an early Villiers engine? I vaguely remember that James used Villiers, amongst a number of other manufacturers of the time.

Cheers Luxo, when I get a chance I'll see what other pics I have and give a briefish rundown of the resto I didn't take many photos but sure I have one or two knocking about. The engine is a Villiers 1F (2 speed), Villiers also made a near identical 2F which oddly was a single speed and used in autocycles.

More on that to come then, I'll be back.... soonish

[arceye]

Ok, I've been having a look and don't have many photos from the resto of the James, but do have one or two and can tell its tale also so I'll make a quick start and then come back with more as and when I get a chance.

So, from archive records the bike was originally supplied new in 1955 to Parkhurst, Weymouth. Parkhurst I assume was a dealer at the time as although I can't find out much at all there was another motorcycle sold at auction a few years ago that was also originally supplied to Parkhurst, Weymouth, and during this era an old Road Racing programme lists someone campaigning a "Parkhurst Special, Weymouth"

Records show that in 1967 the bike had not been licensed for 3 years and that the last tax disc had expired in 1964 with the bikes last known address being in Inverness, quite a distance from where it started out. Thats it, she becomes a mystery with no more info until she resurfaced much later.

and.... My story with this little bike actually starts about ten years ago when a friend pulled the engineless rusty remains out of shed in the North of Scotland. How it came to be there and why remains unknown, the current sheds owner new nothing of its history, nor did any of the old locals have any recollection of seeing it about in the distant past, but whatever the tale it had obviously sat there a very long time. The bike then found itself at my house after a small deal and we had intended to do something with it, but another pal supposedly really wanted it and so we let him take it for what it owed.

He promptly sold it on and I thought that would be the last I had to do with it.

Then, just as the Covid pandemic started I got a call from my son saying the bike had surfaced again, this time on Orkney and was available ... so now costing me an extra 50 quid on its original selling price (hey ho ) I arranged for it to start its journey back to me.

As rediscovered on Orkney, it hadn't changed any from when it first crossed my path



A favour sorted with a helpful soul / friend of a friend saw it picked up by a kindly Orcadian and popped on the ferry



Off the ferry and to my sons house near John O Groats



Things stalled at this point due to lockdowns and travel bans but eventually it did get to me in Lancs, more sometime soon.....

[Dick]

Great story, can't wait for the next installment