New electronic kit anyone?
Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:55 pm
New electronic kit.
I’ve been working on a high performance ignition for a customer for the last few weeks. This is very close to completion now and I’m wondering what sort of interest there would be from the general scootering fraternity. I have machined several sets over the initial order to trial the market.
The ignition is very unique in that offers way more power and functions than have ever been available off the shelf for Lambretta; nothing comes close to it.
There are some penalties and these are:
1. It is a generator ignition and therefore must operate with a battery.
2. The installation of the pick-up requires a modification to the mag flange, which may not suit some people or restorations.
3. Only GP crank tapers
4. Not compatible with current looms
If those changes are acceptable to you then this is a summary of the performance and benefits:
1. A genuine 180 watt 12VDC system (I mean REAL, not this kissing your sister 120 watts with a following breeze and 12k rpm cr*p. Big power from the “get goâ€, no flickering lights or horns)
2. External pick-up for precision timing not affected by heat, wasted sparks or hampered by sub-standard manufacture.
3. A proven flywheel that does not self-destruct, sheer rivets/keyway etc. not bodged, bolted or welded together.
4. Digital timing with auto advance and retard, integrated in CDI as standard.
5. “Plug and play†power valve control unit if you have one, or could be used for electronic power jet / special fuelling applications).
6. Easily adjustable ignition timing (without even removing the fan cowling)
7. Integrated analogue rev counter
8. Integrated low fuel warning light
9. Integrated digital display lap counter
10. Integrated water temp display (might be able to do cylinder head temp, but I haven’t experimented with that yet).
11. Options for water and air cooled engines
12. Full “off the shelf†package available including loom and brackets or bare essentials for DIY.
13. Full, explanatory build manual and dimensioned drawings
14. Extensive DIY options for self-builders
15. Fits series 1, 2 and 3 Lambretta
These are no idle estimates of what can be achieved or something in 12-18 months, current estimate is delivery in 2 weeks.
Now if you’re thinking, “Oh great it must be cheaper than an Indian flywheel magneto, I’ll bolt it on and away I goâ€, then this isn't for you. To achieve the same level of sophistication and functionality as this solution you’ll be in the 4 figures and a rats nest of wiring, fitting is quite involved and the level of experience required for a DIY-er is a lot higher than the norm.
Currently the kit starts at £68.60 for a DIY water cooled set up (this is supply of essential CNC parts only, the rest is down to you and the manual). Add to this Ebay CDI, rectifier bits etc. and you’d come in finished at about £162 (nearly half the price of a current performance ignition). An air cooled DIY version would come in around the £229.80 mark (including the Ebay donor parts).
If you want to buy a full kit “off the shelf†including all mounting brackets and loom; prices will realistically come in around £350 for an air cooled restoration specification to around £466 for the all singing all dancing every bell and whistle you can put in it. This is based on you buying donor electrics from Ebay between £95 - £140, you may get lucky and pick stuff up for half the price which will substantially reduce your overall budget. For comparison, top specification as a DIY build would come in around £275, this is for ALL the functionality you can get into an air cooled engine.
What is the difference between “Off the shelf†and DIY?
DIY means that the modification to the flywheel taper, mag housing, spacer, loom and mounting brackets is down to you. Only the manual, fan and stator will be supplied as these are complex precision parts and not an easy DIY modification. That said; with “Off the shelf†option all the modified parts are professionally machined, not bodged out with hand tools.
A full price matrix is in the manual however volume plays a very substantial role in production so part of this exercise is to discover how many people would be genuinely interested. What I’m interested to know is:
1. How many people are interested in DIY options?
2. How many people are interested in “Off the shelf�
3. How many people don’t give a toss about Ebay and want to source the lot in one shot, checked and ready to go.
If there is enough interest I’ll publish further details and a short form manual can be down loaded from www.granturismo.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
If you’re genuinely interested send me a PM of what you’re looking for and I’ll make a note.
If there is enough interest I may be able to engineer it into some of the troublesome vintage Vespa DC systems but this might be a bit more problematic, we’ll see how it goes with the Lambretta first. Depending on the response I'll put up pictures this weekend.
I’ve been working on a high performance ignition for a customer for the last few weeks. This is very close to completion now and I’m wondering what sort of interest there would be from the general scootering fraternity. I have machined several sets over the initial order to trial the market.
The ignition is very unique in that offers way more power and functions than have ever been available off the shelf for Lambretta; nothing comes close to it.
There are some penalties and these are:
1. It is a generator ignition and therefore must operate with a battery.
2. The installation of the pick-up requires a modification to the mag flange, which may not suit some people or restorations.
3. Only GP crank tapers
4. Not compatible with current looms
If those changes are acceptable to you then this is a summary of the performance and benefits:
1. A genuine 180 watt 12VDC system (I mean REAL, not this kissing your sister 120 watts with a following breeze and 12k rpm cr*p. Big power from the “get goâ€, no flickering lights or horns)
2. External pick-up for precision timing not affected by heat, wasted sparks or hampered by sub-standard manufacture.
3. A proven flywheel that does not self-destruct, sheer rivets/keyway etc. not bodged, bolted or welded together.
4. Digital timing with auto advance and retard, integrated in CDI as standard.
5. “Plug and play†power valve control unit if you have one, or could be used for electronic power jet / special fuelling applications).
6. Easily adjustable ignition timing (without even removing the fan cowling)
7. Integrated analogue rev counter
8. Integrated low fuel warning light
9. Integrated digital display lap counter
10. Integrated water temp display (might be able to do cylinder head temp, but I haven’t experimented with that yet).
11. Options for water and air cooled engines
12. Full “off the shelf†package available including loom and brackets or bare essentials for DIY.
13. Full, explanatory build manual and dimensioned drawings
14. Extensive DIY options for self-builders
15. Fits series 1, 2 and 3 Lambretta
These are no idle estimates of what can be achieved or something in 12-18 months, current estimate is delivery in 2 weeks.
Now if you’re thinking, “Oh great it must be cheaper than an Indian flywheel magneto, I’ll bolt it on and away I goâ€, then this isn't for you. To achieve the same level of sophistication and functionality as this solution you’ll be in the 4 figures and a rats nest of wiring, fitting is quite involved and the level of experience required for a DIY-er is a lot higher than the norm.
Currently the kit starts at £68.60 for a DIY water cooled set up (this is supply of essential CNC parts only, the rest is down to you and the manual). Add to this Ebay CDI, rectifier bits etc. and you’d come in finished at about £162 (nearly half the price of a current performance ignition). An air cooled DIY version would come in around the £229.80 mark (including the Ebay donor parts).
If you want to buy a full kit “off the shelf†including all mounting brackets and loom; prices will realistically come in around £350 for an air cooled restoration specification to around £466 for the all singing all dancing every bell and whistle you can put in it. This is based on you buying donor electrics from Ebay between £95 - £140, you may get lucky and pick stuff up for half the price which will substantially reduce your overall budget. For comparison, top specification as a DIY build would come in around £275, this is for ALL the functionality you can get into an air cooled engine.
What is the difference between “Off the shelf†and DIY?
DIY means that the modification to the flywheel taper, mag housing, spacer, loom and mounting brackets is down to you. Only the manual, fan and stator will be supplied as these are complex precision parts and not an easy DIY modification. That said; with “Off the shelf†option all the modified parts are professionally machined, not bodged out with hand tools.
A full price matrix is in the manual however volume plays a very substantial role in production so part of this exercise is to discover how many people would be genuinely interested. What I’m interested to know is:
1. How many people are interested in DIY options?
2. How many people are interested in “Off the shelf�
3. How many people don’t give a toss about Ebay and want to source the lot in one shot, checked and ready to go.
If there is enough interest I’ll publish further details and a short form manual can be down loaded from www.granturismo.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
If you’re genuinely interested send me a PM of what you’re looking for and I’ll make a note.
If there is enough interest I may be able to engineer it into some of the troublesome vintage Vespa DC systems but this might be a bit more problematic, we’ll see how it goes with the Lambretta first. Depending on the response I'll put up pictures this weekend.