Model A - sorting out the footrests

 The footrests on the A are a bit of a mess. One is thoroughly non-original and is probably homemade, the other has been shortened radically, to the extent that it is useless. Also in this region - the spacer between the engine plates (that prevents tightening the footrests from squashing the engine plates) is missing, the brake lever return spring is missing and the brake lever spindle has been recut with a BSW thread - it has obviously been stripped at some point.

Ariel footrests don't change much and I have a new set from club spares:

The rod is bent, but worse the threads are worn on one end and recut to 7/16" BSW. I've got a large piece of stainless steel to make a new one. In that package of spares was a brake lever return spring.

The two footrest supports were also bent but a few minutes with the MAPP torch sorted that out:

Next, we need a bit of time on the lathe to make the spacer that goes between the engine plates. We'll use the manky foot rest to provide the material: 

With the power feed on, it doesn't take long to clean up this bit of bar:

It's turned down just enough to fit inside the brake lever spring, bored 11.5 mm to clear 7/16", and parted off at 2" long. It's lightly chamfered at both ends, inside and out:

So that is that for the moment. The bar is a little bit long and one of the nuts is very loose and needs replacing, but we will sort that out when the rear brake pedal shaft is finished and it all comes apart again.