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Thread: The A3-31 Crate Is Going Back

  1. #1
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    The A3-31 Crate Is Going Back

    The crating that the Hammer A3-31 came wrapped in is going back. Not to Austria but to Germany.

    My neighbor across the street had a Victoria motorcycle (not to be mistaken with Victory). He had restored it from the ground up to perfection and would occasionally take it out for a spin. But a bad spill on his BMW bike got him thinking maybe it's time to hang up his motorcycle days. He's 77. So he sold the BMW and gave the Victoria to his son in Chicago. Then he started missing his Victoria. So he found a new project, same year, same model Victoria. But it looked like it had been sitting up against a barn for the last few decades buried in weeds. It was REALLY bad! I thought he was crazy tackling that. Everything was rusted solid.

    He dove into the project and was overcoming one obstacle after the next. Then he hit a wall. There are four chains in the transmission and all of them were shot. And all of them were slightly different. He contacted a guy in Germany who helped him with the first Victoria. They guy sent him the drawings for the chains. He also told him the company that originally made the chains is still in operation in Germany but hasn't made those chains in a very long time, and they don't intend to start again.

    The German offered to buy the bike as is for $1,600. That compensated my neighbor for his time and he took the offer.

    So he comes over and asks if I have any scrap lumber that he can have to build a crate for the bike. I still had pretty much all the lumber from the A3-31 crate and told him he could take whatever he needs. He just came over again and took the last three 2x4s and that will be enough to finish the crate. Pretty soon that lumber will be making the trek back across the pond, along with most of the screws.

    How's that for recycling!
    “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain

  2. #2
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    That's pretty cool. Better than using the lumber to make a coffee table

  3. #3
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    That's pretty neat, and there may be a BMW tie with the motorcycle.

    Prior to BMW launching the motorcycle line in 1923, Victoria built bikes using the BMW boxer engine.

    Sorry your friend had to give up riding, I have a 1930 James with acetylene lighting........Rod.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan View Post
    I have a 1930 James with acetylene lighting........Rod.
    Is that the company that painted most of their bikes deep red?
    Of all the laws Brandolini's may be the most universally true.

    Deep thought for the day:

    Your bandsaw weighs more when you leave the spring compressed instead of relieving the tension.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan View Post
    I have a 1930 James with acetylene lighting........Rod.
    Oh, we GOTTA see that!!!!

    Julie
    What a cool story. It is too bad that he had to give up on his project, but he sounds like the type of person that will just find another one.
    "The first thing you need to know, will likely be the last thing you learn." (Unknown)

  6. #6
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    The bike is a 1954 V35 Burgmeister. The one his son now has is absolutely gorgeous. It looked every bit as good as this one and apparently started out almost as bad as the one that is going off to Germany.

    “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain

  7. #7
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    Winterville, NC (eastern NC)
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    I am familiar with the crating from Hammer. I took delivery of an A3-41 in July, and the packaging is awesome. I saved all the Torx head screws they used to put it together for future use.
    Classy bike. The motor looks like a cross between the Moto Guzzi and BMW air heads.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Wilkins View Post
    The motor looks like a cross between the Moto Guzzi and BMW air heads.
    At that point in their history, I think Victoria was using BMW motors.
    “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness..." - Mark Twain

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    Woodstock. Ont.
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    209
    Thanks for the pic of the bike.

    Brian

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