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Armstrong Project


mac
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Just bought a 320 Trial Armstrong to hopefully restore, depending on the amount of work thats required.

The forks need replacing or recromed, theres some problem in the gear box and not sure theres a spark and somethings a miss with the back brake plate.Its got what looks like a fantic one on there, but no slot on the swinging arm for the retaining pin, is this the wrong type off brake plate?

So depending what i find in the gear box, the faults should not be two much of a problem hopefully.

Other than that the bikes in not in to bad a condition. Its got a (Sammy Miller) Hiro engine and white frame with a square section .

Just read the frame number but forgotten it by the time I walked into the house ( memory as bad as my riding).

Is there any/much info on these bikes on the web can't seem to find much.

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you must be a brave man '' not in bad condition'' but the gearbox dont work properly, the forks are goosed, it wont start and it wont stop..

good luck with the restoration though, put some before and after pics up when you sort it

Edited by totalshell
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Sounds like it may be too far gone, at least to be worth what its cost when finished. I'd Check availability and cost of gearbox and ignition parts first, that may decide for you whether to go ahead. Iv'e picked up two of these in the past (for the forks etc) and both had 'died' due to ignition failure.

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I had one from new and broke the gearbox by hitting a big rock step hard with the sump. I was told at the time it wasn't too uncommon for this to happen. What broke with the shock of the impact was a pin, or pins, on the selector drum which engaged with the fork so that the gearbox would no longer select. My mate had to tow me back up the valley with his 242 Mont. Nightmare... it had to be the bottom section, never the top one by the carpark.

So it may be worth checking that this isn't the cause of the gearbox problem when you have it apart.

Parts are hard to find for Armstrongs. A possible source of used spares is Ellastone off road as they have broken these in the past. Last time I was there they had a complete bike (310 though, not 320) but the forks were gone on that too. However, forks are common with just about anything else at the time as they all used marzzochis and Grimeca front hubs. Motor on 310 is the same I think, apart from the obvious difference in capacity, maybe the ignition is too but I'n no expert on these. Someone has posted elsewhere that a Kawasaki jet ski piston will fit as Hiro items are like hen's teeth

You've a bit of a task ahead to sort it but you don't see many of them around any more so would be nice if you do get it done. Good luck.

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Thanks for all your replys

I need to fine out the extent of the fault in Gear box first,I will have a look at those pins thanks for the tip Woody, and then decide what to do, Ive not spent any money yet other than the intial cost of buying the bike.

Has anybody got a picture/diagram of the back brake assembly as I am sure this is a fantic one and not the original unless they fitted the same type.

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  • 4 weeks later...

At last got the engine split, and found its 5th and 6th gears that are broke, whats the chance of finding gear box parts!!!!!!!

The lad that had the puller and kindly split the engine for me also had a copy of the hand book for the 320, which will come in useful.

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Mac, If you decide to complete the restoration, may I recommend A M Philpot Ltd of Luton for re-chroming of forks. They did a great job on my 340 Sherpa forks. The price will include collection and return postage so you don't need to mess about posting them etc. their contact is 01582 571234 and a website www.pittedforks.co.uk

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Thanks for that, not sure the 250 engine is the same as the 320, looks different in the picture on ebay, but that might just be the camera angle, will keep an eye on the bidding.

I am assured the electric were OK and the bike would run just before I bought it, so hopefully if I can get some gears I might well try the fork re-chroming.

Would it be possible to just do away with 5th and 6th I know it would effect any sell on price but if they were repalced with blanks would that work?

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