They say that we store everything we experience in our memories, but that the access to most of it is often only triggered by key sensations. I believe this is true because as I started cleaning the pressed steel transmission parts my rose tinted spectacles fell off my face and shattered on the floor.
My alter ego as Dr Bodgeit had been hard at work back in the 1980’s - just look at the backs of the studs on the inside of primary chain case:
If you spotted the solder trying to hold those clinch studs in place then give yourself a coconut. If you missed it, then here they are again:
Lovely monstrous carbuncles and as I recall for the first time in what seems like aeons, bloody hard work as at the time I’d lost my Dad's tin of flux .
The drive sprocket cover also came with a torrent of long forgotten emotion. Back in 1979 I had to do a quick fix to a cracked mounting bracket or miss the band playing on the old Pier. Time was short as was my patience (Mr Scarper) …
…yes, that’s a Meccano nut and Screw! I remember riding along thinking “Well, it’s still holding” in answer to my conscience long after the bodge had been committed. Incidentally, the gig was cancelled when I got there because the band said the pier was unsafe that it about to fall down, which, with hindsight, was rather ironic.
Another cringe worthy bodge is the rocker cover. Back in the day, I read somewhere that it’s a good idea to add a breather to the rocker box as this can prevent leaks, so I drilled a hole in the beautifully shaped rocker cover (why there? I can’t remember now). I drilled it too low and it dribbled oil as soon as the engine was started, so I plugged it with any old nut and screw and did it again…
…real class, but I’ve left the best to last.
Andy’s found the rocker box oil feed pipe. See the nut. See the split. Remember the plonker clamping it up with a jubilee clip hoping it would seal. It did for a bit and then my right boot became more waterproof than my left.
There are those in education that say we should take care not to stifle creativity in the young as was done in the bad old days. Looking at these I can’t see that dull lessons, bad food and ritual corporal punishment administered through a twisted system of justice caused me to lack creativity back then. From what I’m starting to find, I could be resourceful and creative in a sort of shootingfromthehipasthemomentdemandsitand nevermindtheconcequences style. A true Brit!
