Bleedin' Bloody Amals

[montmil]

[skippyc]

I own a BSA B50 with an amal it's not fantastic but it is easy to work with.

[Tony Smith]

I own a BSA B50 with an amal it's not fantastic but it is easy to work with.

I have been at peace with Amal carbs ever since I handled the 1st brand new one I have ever touched a few years back.

I had tried to help a friend get rid of some rough patches and couldn't so i suggested he get a new carb, thinking he would pop down to the local wrecker and buy a Mikuni of about the right size.

But no, he bought a brand new Amal complete with both the same jets, needles and slide as standard. I put it on the bike for him, following the instructions to the letter. It ran well out of the box and even idled (something it had never ever previously done). A minor adjustment to the slide cut-away and it was perfect.

I have stopped bagging Amals since then.



p.S. To be pedantically correct i have "handled" new Amals previously, as fitted to various Bultacos. In my defence, Spanish Amals left the factory on the outer ragged edge of tolerance and were usually rooted after very few hours. Mikuni carbs were and remain the best option to relpace them, but the availability of new amals from England at least gives an alternative.

[montmil]

Forget the reference to Amal carbs, lads. This is a cool shot of Triumph-mounted Steve McQueen, member of the 1966 ISDT team.

McQueen trivia question:
Who made the classic wire fence jump in the movie, The Great Escape?

[Barry]

Well it wasn't Steve McQueen although I think he wanted to do it. The bike of course was a Triumph.


Trouble with Amals is they wore out and by the time we got our hands on them as teenagers they were well past their best.

[montmil]

Well it wasn't Steve McQueen although I think he wanted to do it.

You are correct about that. Too valuable an asset to risk damage.

[marcmax]

Bud Ekins

From a member of the production company from the movie:

Bud Ekins was the first to make the jump in rehearsals. Despite insurance restrictions prohibiting McQueen from attempting dangerous stunts, Steve jumped it next - just to show everyone he could.

An Australian rider who McQueen and Elkins knew from the European motocross circuit also performed the jump. The guy just happened to be in Germany and was visiting Steve and Bud on location. In the spirit of everyone pitching in, he was put in costume and jumped the fence. So three riders - McQueen, Ekins and the Australian - were captured on film making the jump. Best bet would be that Ekins' jump is in the final film - but, in truth, it could be an anonymous rider from Australia

[Tony Smith]

McQueen trivia question:
Who made the classic wire fence jump in the movie, The Great Escape?

And on what Bike?

[montmil]

McQueen trivia question:
Who made the classic wire fence jump in the movie, The Great Escape?

And on what Bike?

A Triumph painted matte green attempting to have the audience believe is was a German marque. Movie goers with even a passing knowledge of motorcycles were not fooled.

Couple years ago, Hinkley released to the USA market a Steve McQueen tribute bike. Bonneville painted matte green with the King of Cool's autograph on it. Wasn't a big seller.  [smiley=whistling.gif]

[Motu]

Trouble with Amals is they wore out and by the time we got our hands on them as teenagers they were well past their best.

Yeah, our Type 6's and Monoblocks were worn out and we put those brand new concentrics on, and all was good....for a while, and then they wore out real fast.  Mid '70's I was in a car performance shop and found some Speedwell Amal conversion for a Ford...4 carbs. I paid $30 for 2 of them, and fitted them to my Rickman which had a T100C engine.  Brand new Monoblocks were so, so much better than new Concentrics, a superior carb in all ways.  The Concentric was just cheap and nasty.

I think Steve is working on a Tribsa, that looks like a BSA oil tank, not Triumph.