Extremely RARE 1940s Auction Find Motorcycle. Will It Ever Run Again?

Comments · 737

• JO

  @John-y2w7e · 10 months ago

  Hi Joe. The Villiers engine you have is not rare in the UK… there are loads of part suppliers in Uk . You find everything you need for rebuilding it…. Cost wise ? Don’t know and I suppose the supplier would sort that…. Also engine and gearbox diagrams available too… good luck with this one , you really have to get this running and riding as it’s going to be very rare in the US…. Greeting from England..👍

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• KE

  @kennyloveday · 10 months ago

  1947–1948 James ML: The frame number L644 can identify a vintage 1947 James 125cc ML motorcycle. Originally designed for airborne forces during World War II, the civilian ML model used a Villiers 9D single-cylinder engine.

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• WI

  @WileyFox01 · 10 months ago

  You can get all the parts you need for the 9D engine from Villiers Services in the UK, 9D piston kit at £80, main bearings, crank seals, cables, they've  most things.

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• PE

  @peterfallert4994 · 7 months ago

  Your float pusher is called a "tickler".

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• TM

  @tmsmith8939 · 10 months ago

  The button you were pushing down on the carb is a "tickler"

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• RO

  @rodneysturdee8158 · 10 months ago

  I always laugh at the rude comments from ppl who probably can't even make bath water run! 🤣Keep up the excellent work Joe!

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• BI

  @billdyke9745 · 10 months ago (edited)

  Handy household hint... Cut the bottom off a plastic bottle and slide it over the connecting rod. Saves the cost of a rebore. (A piston should be easy to locate. Villiers made countless thousands of engines over the years). p.s. don't forget the crank seals while you're down there. They're pretty important in a 2 stroke... 👍

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• BO

  @bobmcalpine89 · 10 months ago

  I am pretty sure my dad drove one of these motorcycles during the war. He was a seafire pilot (spitfires used on aircraft carriers) as well as a trainer for spitfire pilots on land. He picked up my mother on this bike. So basically without this bike I would not have been born!

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• DA

  @davidlangley3061 · 10 months ago

  Villiers merged with AMC in 1966 to become Norton-Villiers,then merged again in 1973 with BSA group to become Norton-Villiers-Triumph.

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• MA

  @martinwade9421 · 7 months ago

  There is NO spark. The plug lead is missing completely. There is a black Bakelite fitting that screws into the coils-plate that brings the end of the HT coil into contact with the ignition coil. That Bakelite part is missing, but available from Villiers Services.

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• JD

  @JDSIMON2 · 10 months ago

  The motorcycle &nbsp;is a James ML 125, also known as the &quot;Military Lightweight&quot;. <br>The James ML 125 was a lightweight motorcycle developed for British airborne forces during World War II. <br>It was designed to be light enough to be dropped by parachute or carried in gliders for reconnaissance and messenger services. <br>The motorcycle was nicknamed the &quot;mechanical mouse&quot; or &quot;clockwork mouse&quot; due to its compact size and light weight, which was about 150 lbs. <br>After the war, the model was produced for the civilian market, and its robust construction made it popular for everyday use and off-road competitions.

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• MA

  @MarkShields-p9r · 10 months ago

  If unable to source parts in the USA, Villiers Services in the UK has engine parts. As the bike was a WW2 bike originally. There should be army service manuals available to download on line. These manuals are very comprehensive….. Mark from Australia

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