Motor Collection - Old School Horsepower

[dinglem]

I also have a Reedy Sonic '?' to go with my Ultra Sonic 'S'.

Condition is pretty good too. Like new in fact.

[dinglem]

About a year ago i was also offered a TOP Models 'Missile' motor, which was a popular choice of motor bitd over in the UK. TOP Models had a serious race team on the UK circuit and were also the main UK importer of the Pro Radiant.

Having been involved with the TOP Models team (and ex-owner) and having recently acquired his old Pro Radiant shop stock - a lot of it! - i kind of figured a Missile would make for a nice addition to my collection. The motor in question was in dog rough state and i got it for less than a tenner, thrown in with another Race Prep motor. Bargain.

Bit of TLC required.

On my dyno it performed badly, so i decided to give it a once-over. Plan was for a zap and skim, but then all sorts of TOP Models goodies began to appear on my doormat, original stock endbell ornaments and even new, original motor decals.

Next up was to get the armature out for a check and a skim. Quick look confirmed it as a 15 triple, and a few minutes on our Cobra comm lathe and the comm was as good as new

[dinglem]

Next up, the stripped can went off to a guy known in BMX circles as 'SuperbikeDan'..... the guy i use to powdercoat my 80's BMX restorations.

He quickly matched the paint, stripped the can and then heat tested everything before going ahead and recoating the can for me. Proper dayglo pink as it would have originally been.

Once back, the original motor decal was added and it was starting to look the part.

Next up i rebuilt the cleaned endbell with original TOP Models Bling.

Then the whole lot was sent off to a guy who made BRM motors, a friend of Mr.Reedy himself by the name of Glyn Ward. Glyn ran his own race team bitd and had a lot of success. He offered to fettle and rebuild the motor for me, checking the armature, and health-checking the magnets for centre and strength.

He sent me the final rebuild picture earlier today, and the before and after dyno figures show a massive 10,000rpm improvement for virtually identical current draw.

An amazing result from what was a very tired and beaten up motor.

[dinglem]

I just got this message posted back to me on Fb, so i feel i need to shout out 'Igified RC' who has his own Fb page.

He has rebuilt a couple of motors for me now and has full magnet zapping facilities, a motor lathe for skimming and a shed load of spares, brushes and so on.

He has been doing rebuilds for over 10 years.

I gave him an MG 21Triple team motor hoping he could revive it, but the armature had burnt out. I had a lightly used MG 10Single armature available so dropped that around to him a couple of weeks ago. This is what just came in:-

That is my highest revving motor.

By over 10,000rpm(!)

[dinglem]

These just back from the motor builders after a service - strip, clean, magnet re-align, Zapp, skim, then rebuilt with new serrated brushes and new bearings before hitting the dyno

[dinglem]

Testing out the new shelving display

[dldiaz]

Wow! Amazing stuff with rebuilding those motors - and I really like your motor display!

- What are the overall dimensions (LxWxH) of your display case?

[TRX-1-3]

The Missle restoration is top notch for sure! Amazing.

[dinglem]

Wow! Amazing stuff with rebuilding those motors - and I really like your motor display!

- What are the overall dimensions (LxWxH) of your display case?

Thanks - it's an old light Oak set of shelves my father made in his 20's.... so about 50 years ago.... and he has now added the tiered slot-in pieces for me.

It is 56.5cm wide by 18cm deep. No idea on the height, but probably a bit taller than it needs to be.

Rows are 9 motors then 8, with a radial offset between each of 6cm. Seems to have worked out about right. The back rows are double drilled with half spacings so i can line up just armatures if required.

I did a purple Missile recently too, which you can also see on the shelf.

[dinglem]

I was also very humbled to have been offered this selection of very special MG motors a few weeks ago. I was contacted out of the blue asking if i would like them for my collection. The owner was a Team Schumacher driver through the early 90's and used MG motors built for him by Mick Goddard. These range from 11 - 13 turn and were used at National level in the UK, and some were also special builds using 1.32mm gauge wire specifically for 4minute sprint racing in the US, with those motors having been used at the Florida Winter Nationals. The original owner has an amazing racing history and incredibly all he asked for in return for this massive haul was that i made a cash donation to charity. An amazing gesture indeed.

[dinglem]

I expressed an interest in this Reedy Gold Star when chatting to an RC guy over in Australia on an RC Fb page, and he said i could have it for free!!

It arrived recently, and i am totally WOW'd by the condition of it - probably one of the very best i have ever seen i think.

[jcwrks]

I expressed an interest in this Reedy Gold Star when chatting to an RC guy over in Australia on an RC Fb page, and he said i could have it for free!!

It arrived recently, and i am totally WOW'd by the condition of it - probably one of the very best i have ever seen i think.

My elementary school teachers used those same stars back in the 80's IIRC. That's a lovely motor.

[Bakauata]

Wow! Amazing collection and work.

Love those BMXs more though.

[dinglem]

Wow! Amazing collection and work.

Love those BMXs more though.

Hehe... thanks mate. There are more of both; motors and BMX

[dinglem]

In the floro MG collection I posted up further up the page there is a purple can back right which has an armature but the endbell is missing. Turns out the bearings were shot also.

I managed to source the correct EPIC gold low fin endbell from a guy over in Europe, who very kindly sent it over to me. I sent all of the parts off to my motor builder who gave the can a zap and magnet re-align, the comm was skimmed and the bearings and brushes replaced. Turned into a bit of a beast!