Basket Cases

[David Lahey]

I'm thinking sure those steel tanks are from the Alpina models that preceded the 212/213

[Bully fanatic]

You are right David. They are a 187 (250), 188 (350) and the 189 which was a 175cc one. We didn`t see those 175s over here I think. I think that middle one in Johns photos could be the 175.

[David Lahey]

I finally got back to rebuilding a front wheel for my model 49 and it's now on the bike and ready to ride.
These are the before photos:

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The newly done front wheel is the one with the machined brake drum, modern brake lining material machined to exactly fit the drum, new wheel bearings, new spokes, vapour blasted rim, vapour blasted and painted hub and a nice new Michelin tyre.
The front end of this bike also recently enjoyed a rebuild of the forks with green SKF seals, Magical springs, correct-looking dust scrapers and a new guard and guard mount.

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[Bully fanatic]

You could of at least put a new nut on the torque arm where it bolts to the backing plate David. Or replated the old one. Looks good though!

[David Lahey]

You could of at least put a new nut on the torque arm where it bolts to the backing plate David. Or replated the old one. Looks good though! :Bultaco: :Bultaco: :Bultaco:

Howzat Graham? That nut was bothering me too. I was procrastinating about using a more modern-looking nyloc nut, which is not as deep as the 1960s nyloc nut. You tipped the balance in the decision.
After that, the mismatched axle clamp bolts really stood out, so they got the flick as well.

[Bully fanatic]

That looks much nicer David. My CDO isn`t playing up now! I don`t have OCD, I have CDO which is in alphabetical order as it should be!

[Greg Harding]

Hi Everyone,

Swing arm doesn’t look like a 182 The shock mounts look like 158/159. I think the 250 swing arms were shorter than the 350’s for these Soler models.
250 air boxes are convex sided instead of concave on the 350, 250 flywheel is the lighter 41-51 ? ,350 has the heavier 41-52 ?
Just noticed the slots in the bash plate which started with 182/183 previously they had round holes

Ross, can you please tell me if the swing arm on my bitza is the shorter or the longer one? Sorry it is not a better photo as the camera angle makes it look like the ruler is not centred over the pivot and the axle is just back from all the way forward, it should read about 395 between centre's with the axle right forward. Here it is in the 182 frame:

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Here is a photo of the 158 frame, it has slotted holes in the bottom:

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In other news, I have been back to the Emporium and we were able to find the missing bits for the anvil bike:

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[brownie]

Hi Greg I measured my 183 swing arm 415mm centre to centre the axle is 10mm back
From some books I’ve looked at the 250 swingarms appear to have stayed with the older/original shock mount but the 350’s from 183 on have the square type mount to accommodate pillion pegs !!! So the swingarm on your 182 could be the one that goes with that frame
The 159 and 158 swingarms have different part numbers probably shorter on the 250’s to make up,with the shorter frame and forks, the 1 inch shorter wheelbase
With over 3 times as many 158’s produced than 159’s which seems odd to me but they were brought out around when those nasty ty175’s arrived and sections turned into mostly tight turns, anyway maybe they changed the bashplate Some where in the middle of production, all the 158-159’s I’ve seen haven’t had the slotted plate
Cheers Ross

[Rod]

My original Bully 183 swingarm measures 405mm (axle fully forward) and 420mm (axle most rearward) with original snail cams and has rectangular bottom shock mount.
But when I eventually put it all back together it will wear this alloy beauty, I can hear the purists gagging already.

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[David Lahey]

Very nice Rod. Is the aluminium swingarm the same dimensions as the original?