The Siegfried follies

Work on Siegfried the Simson has been stalled for weeks due to cylinder head parts compatibility. The lesson learned is to measure everything. The mistake I made was in ordering 9mm valve guides to match the 9mm valves that came out. Trouble is that the correct diameter valves are 8mm which we discovered when the new valves arrived. In exasperation Stu Rogers is making valve guides from scratch. Another thing is that the pattern carburettor will create problems in lining up the fuel lines. Reading magazines like Classic Bike and Classic Racer shows that alternatives were out there, perhaps I should have gone for an Amal but too late now. On balance the demands of the refurb have not been too onerous, but with the snags that have cropped up I would now be very cautious about taking on anything more demanding and would certainly in future pick up a matching donor bike if one were available.