Heinkel Scooter Project: Ariel Leader

Showing posts with label Ariel Leader. Show all posts

Sunday, March 30, 2014

VMCCWA Swap Meet 2014

There was another excellent turn out at the VMCCWA swap meet on Sunday 30th June 2014.

A group from the SIVA club rode down to the show. We had an NSU Super Max, Royal Enfield 500 Bullet and two Ariel Leaders

Although not part of the official display, our bikes did draw a crowd.

Ariel Leader's are pretty rare here, so having two together was pretty special. My Leader is an early 58 without any extras; Richard's is a 63 model with all the fruit, including panniers, original indicators, and Smith's clock.

The swap meet had a wide variety of bits and pieces on sale.

The vintage bike display.

A Douglas and an Indian

Jawa

1938 DKW RT200

An immaculate 1931 Ariel Four Square. Probably the best in show.

This year there was an interesting display of American flat tankers. In the foreground is a Yale.

Two Popes

A veteran Pope with all its patina

A veteran BSA and an unusual veteran Emblem

The Emblem was another early veteran I've never heard of before.

Richard and I enjoyed a great ride on the Ariels. They both ran really well - of course!!

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

DKW Panel Beating 2013

The DKW

Oh dear!!

They put the warning "do not drive or operate heavy machinery" on drugs for a reason. For a couple of weeks in August was laid low with a dose of the flu. In fact, this winter the flu has taken me down three times. On one of my days, wallowing around in man-flu misery, I had to move the DKW out of the driveway and, in my stupor backed straight into the fence. Great!!! Actually I said something quite else. So, the baby had to go for some medical attention.

I took the car to Karson at K-Paz Spray Painting, who did a great job repairing the damage. The panel looks fantastic and he was able to match the paint perfectly.

While the car was in the shop I asked Karson to look at the front wing. When I bought the car there were two small bubbles in the paintwork, both about the size of a ten cent piece. The front bubble cracked open shortly after the car arrived allowing moisture to get in, causing the bubbles to run. By this time the two bubbles had become one long cracked bubble, almost a foot long. The panel was removed, stripped back and repainted. Fortunately there wasn't really any rust under the bubble.

The bubble as it originally was. It got much worse!

And is now gone!

I am very happy to recommend his work. He can be contacted here - https://www.facebook.com/pages/K-Paz-Automotive-Spraypainting/128098420553883?fref=ts

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Arthur Grady Ride Out 2012

Saturday 2nd June was another glorious sunny day and officially the second day of winter (!). As part of the Fremantle Heritage Festival a motorcycle ride out and display was held at the Fremantle Town Hall.

Last year a ride out and display was held to commemorate Freo lad Arthur Grady's 1924 circumnavigation of Australia on a Douglas motorcycle. That was a pretty rough and rugged trip in those days through country without roads or facilities. The trip took 5 months.

Here is a link to some details of his trip along with photos from last year's display. http://www.vmccwa.com/clubruns/grady/Arthur%20Grady%20Run.htm The display was organized by the Fremantle City Council and involved several motorcycle clubs.

This isn't Arthur's actual bike of course, but a later model 1925 Douglas with suitable props.

At the Town Hall end was a display of pre-30's motorcycles.

1920s BSA

Matchless

Ariel

Gents from the Vintage Motorcycle Club of WA (photo Jon Whiteman)

The display was very well attended.

I was running very late, arriving just on 11am when the run was setting out. Over the past six weeks I've been all about the car and the bikes and scooters have been neglected. As a result the Leader was running terribly. I'll need to give her some TLC over the next couple of weeks.