I was always thinking of how to make some of my broken rides (repower) go again and this is a true story of the dumbest thing I ever did.

I had a BSA 125 bike that had a blown engine. So I took a Craftsman side shft engine, 5 or 6 HP and bolted it too the luggage rack at the rear of the little BSA.

I needed Prop. and had found (2) of then in a scrapped drag line.. used for cooling. I had a bushing made by my uncle to mount the prop. on the side shaft motor. Now, at 15/16 I was not that brillant and did not know which way the prop. should face and left the holding bolt a little loose .. so if I had to change things.. I would not have a tough time getting the prop. off the shaft. So, I started it up and had the bike leaning against a light pole with a couple ropes holding it against. It started Ok and vibrated some and it seems to run ok. So, I advance the gas and it came up to speed and vibrated a little more. I was trying to determine.. if it was installed in the right direction. Well it was Not... it flew off and went (in a Big Woosh) through the air like a bullet. I was on a little hill and it took off & slambed into our barn door.. about a 100 feet away. I stuck in the wood door and wrecked the prop. as well.

Now, guess who was cleaning his boots outside the door as the prop. smacked it > it was the local cow breeder man that had just completed his service for one of our cows (inside the barn). He looked at me and I looked back and it was not the look of happiness... I'd say Kill was the right look that I saw. Later, he told my Dad that he thought that I had a major malfuntion.. and needed a good wipping.

I have to run now, & will talk about 2nd prop. I installed (no one was hurt).

Will post the 2nd prop. deal later today.

 

That's quite the story Avery! ;-)

 

define swift - there's other words for stuff like that eg. nuggin futz......lol

 

Here's the 2nd part of the Prop. that was installed on the BSA 125. I had one prop. left and called my buddy to come down to try the 2nd prop. out. We both knew that if... the bike went over and the prop. hit the ground.. we'd be.. chopped up meat. We were going to make up prop. guards later on (if it worked Ok).

This time, I tighted the set screws and the shaft bolt as tight as I could without pulling the threads. My friend (Roy) was in the seat and I was the safety guy along side the bike. We were on a dirt road with a slight down grade. We started off ok and Roy was walking the bike along. I was running the gas and it was really scary (noise & buzz saw prop.). Well.. Roy allowed his right leg go back a little too far and the prop, hit the heel of his boot. His boots were the big heeled engineer boats that we wore in those days. The prop just nicked the boot heel and it stung the bottom of his foot and lossened the boot heel (nailed) on his boot.

Well this wised us up, I killed the engine and took it all apart, This was the end of that Prop Drive BSA bike by 2 Dim Witted (deadly) Farm Kids.

Avery

 

You sound like you were one of those kids with dumb ideas that end up inventing things that make them rich and the world a better place.

Props to you. (pun intended)

 

We'll, I did suggest -- auto. elec. shut off control for head lights to Ford in 1970 but that said that they all ready had that idea. Funny, I did not see it until after later on in the 70's.

My claim to fame is the 1st UH-60 Special Operations Blackhawk helicopter. I worked on this project as the one & only Maint. Test Pilot. This 1st UH 60 Special Ops. Hel. with .. many mods. since .. beacme an advanced aircraft. I was really thrilled to see the continued advancement of the UH-60; and we got the No# 1 bad (B.L.) a year ago.

Avery