Retard ignition

[63pan]

Hi folks I need to know if anyone has pics of how they retard there bikes. Not stock but with a spring on the dist. Thanks Tim

[haggis]

63pan,
The spring breaker setup works relatively ok, take the spring off, retard and start, then once you have warmed up put the spring back on.
BUT............. if you come to a steep hill or start having to lug the motor you will have to reach down while moving and release the spring to retard the motor again.
The original setup with left hand spark advance worked real good as you could adjust on the fly, but with the spring it can be a pain in the ass.
Do yourself a favour and get an auto advance breaker.
they work really well and will retard or advance your ignition automatically depending on engine r.p.m. Haggis

[Jonderson]

The setup that was on my 63 when I got it had what amounted to a choke cable going to the distributor so that you wouldn't have to reach down to make the adjustment. If you are not going to go automatic, I can see where this would be safer to adjust on the fly and it does make the spring unnecessary. I agree with Haggis though, auto is the way to go.

[63pan]

Do I have to get a whole dist. or just a new backing plate? ???

[junker]

i have a clutch cable setup to a thumb lever for my left hand grip.it works good.

[haggis]

63pan
think by the time you buy all the parts you need to convert to auto, you could probaly buy a complete unit for less( after you unload the old one on E bay or sell it that is ) Haggis.

[suicideshovel65]

I have the spring setup on mine and was thinking about converting it back to manual (ie via the bars) as I have to do a heap of riding in traffic, and I think the old style just plain looks good. Could be swayed to auto though - does everyone use the Mallory units?
I've always been interested in trying out a magneto - anyone else use them here? Do they remove the need for a battery altogether (he says eyeing the battery box as tool space...)?
Also, every picture of panhead cases I've seen shows a cast block in front of the circuit breaker for the old manual cable&cam setup to mount to, yet my 49 does not have this - the cases are flush where this block normally sits, and there are two small holes where I envisage it would normally mount. Is this standard, or have my cases been ground down? Palmer's book doesn't really have any photos that show enough.

Cheers,

S.

[Cotten]

SS!
It would be my best guess that your case has been ground down to accept a magneto. (I've done it myselff,... for shame for shame!)

Tedd Cycle actually has castings to TIG on for a repair. That's how common it must have been. Sit down though, as the price is enough to make you chew your own from scratch out of an old scaffolding support.
And I still find it curious that riders will retard their bikes on hills or whatever.
Sidecars would benefit most, I'm sure. And I've been hacking for a quarter century. But I never found retarding the spark to be necessary unless the gasoline was piiss.

Geez, I guess it all is nowadays!
So yeah, a handgrip control makes a lot of sense, even if it is the way the Factory did it.

[suicideshovel65]

Thanks Cotten - reassuring to know that the mount can be restored if I ever want to go that way. Seems like a neat enough job to actually appear standard.
Actually I have been seriously considering a magneto for the bike and I'm glad the cases have already been done as it saves me the quandary of taking a hacksaw or grinder to the cases myself! Will take a closer look at the fins on the front cylinder to see if they've been meddled with which should be a sure sign I guess.
Does installing a magneto remove the need for a battery altogether? I'm thinking that the barebones look of a battery-less bike would be nice (alternatively the battery box would be a nice little storage space for tools) - or is it preferable to have the battery as a fallback when touring etc just in case the magneto goes?
I take it that the magneto also needs to be advanced/retarded as per the circuit breaker?

Once again thanks,

S.

[haggis]

Hi Guys,
You can get the old dome style cover to fit on the flat top auto advance unit........if you are prepared to sit for a while with some emery cloth and '' have at'' the inside of the dome lip. happy sanding , Haggis.

[63pan]

Well I put a choke cable on the risers for now to see how I like it. If I do I would like to mount something on the bars. Any suggestions?

[DuoDave]

If you are going to mount the control on the bars anyway, why not go with the stock left twistgrip? That would be the neatest solution. Failing that, how about the choke lever setup used on old Brit bikes? It's cable operated and the lever clamps on the bars. If you are interested, I can dig up the e-mail address for the place I get my Norton spares from. Not sure if they have a website, but I can find out.

[63pan]

that will work.( choke setup ). I have been looking for some kind of setup like that. Later Tim

[BigMike]

I use the factory left twist grip, it works like a charm. It's also cool to retard it a bunch at a long traffic light and let it idle way down. It sure turns heads when it's idling like that, so slow you can count the firing easily.
thump thump.......thump thump........... the beautiful sound of a Pan!

I forgot, the only problem with that is if you stall it, you feel like a real asshole, having to jump up and kick it back to life! ;D