Thursday, May 25, 2017

Tach & Speedo Cables

One of the enjoyable things about antique motorcycle restoration's is working with people sharing my passion for bringing old bikes back to life. I have run into many great companies and people in my mission of  "Keeping the Rockers Rolling". My latest quest for authentic SMITHS cables led me to yet another purveyor of fine spares, Vintage British Cables.

Vintage British Cables is a company located in Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada, our friendly neighbor to the North. In addition to making some of the world's best beer and bacon, Canada is a home to many people passionate about keeping British bikes running. I have purchased parts from several Canadian suppliers which are listed on my supplier page. Vintage British Cables specializes in SMITHS instrument repair and cables. They have a variety of product and service offerings.

Rev counter cables for comparison. 

The cables on my Interceptor, although serviceable, were nicked up and rusty. Being very visible components I wanted to replace them with exact, high quality replicas which I was pleased to find in Medicine Hat. Vintage British Cables' site provides an overview of their product and process "Using NOS Fittings & Original SMITHS Presses and Dies". Their products are also presented well on their site making purchases simple. I had a few questions about my application and sent them an inquiry. The response was quick and thorough and my order was filled promptly. As advertised the cables were authentic replicas, but don't take my word for it, check out the comparison pictures above and below.
Old Vs New
Authentic knurls and crimps. 
Another modelling job well done Marvin!

While cables won't make or break a rebuild they are one of the details that can make a restoration stand out from others. I am glad there are companies like Vintage British Cables keeping us "fanatics for detail" in high quality parts. Thanks!


So where are "Keeping the Rockers Rolling" readers from? The order by most views; USA, France, UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Germany. I started a journal to document my BSA Hornet restoration process and to guide my future projects. After keeping notes for a while it came to me that others may benefit from my "learning experiences".  I have been surprised at the amount of interest in my foibles. Thanks for checking out my blog and especially for sharing your comments with me.