Monday Mystery, Java Steel stick

 

“Steel stick” is what Google Translate calls it. The rest of the text is in the Indonesian-Dutch language. Possibly an adze type thing? 

 

Sidecar Sunday bonus, The Flying Bedstead

Thanks JP!

   But is it a sidecar? Australian Peter Dunscombe was racing a Vincent powered sidecar when he decided he needed to improve it. About that time Owen Greenwood's Mini-based "sidecar" was blowing away the competition in a very un-sidecar-like machine in England and it was that machine that inspired him to build this one.. Once again, a 3 track vehicle rather than 2, based on a Mini front end. When the Vincent started getting long in the tooth, he moved to a Suzuki GT750 Waterbuffalo engine shown here. Lack of space dictated the pipes location. It was far from ideal. The whole story here.

 

Sidecar Sunday

The Gnat, sidecar intended for Vespas. 1955

 

The Aeroplane magazine

 

Moto Major

 The Moto Major was built in 1948. Designed at an aerodynamic research facility, it was a carry over from the 1930s streamline styling trend. There was a single and a twin planned, the single was the only one built. The longitudinally oriented crankshaft facilitated shaft drive.  Unfortunately, it never went into production.  The whole story (lots of detail) here at the Vintagent.

Know your lead acid battery

 Back in the day when batteries were rebuildable. Outside connectors for each cell, this is where this weird cell tester might be used for diagnosis.

 

BSA for 1971

Totally redesigned for 1971. It was not good, maybe the least appealing of any of the BSA twins.

 

Shop Tips

 Hey, that's actually a good idea!

 Hours of reading... one of a million or so "shop tips" from Popular Mechanics- BTW that was uhhh... 60 years ago. 

Better living through radioactivity

 The atomic age is upon us, let's try radioactive piston rings. What could go wrong?

Innovation from Alcoa

 Aluminum beer cans were introduced in 1958, this ad predates Ermal Fraze's invention of the ring pull tab.