Author Topic: Wolseley Alma  (Read 3679 times)

Scott

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Wolseley Alma
« on: 16 February, 2017, 07:46:46 pm »
Hello all
Here is a bit of an unusual engine for the forum. A Wolseley Alma.
I've volunteered a bit of time to a mob who owns this engine. The poor old girl has been mistreated a bit. No oil in the main bearing cups, no grease in the big ed greaser and treacle like tar in the oiler. Carbon lead to the magneto. Seized in the rocker pivot (rocker pivoted on the bolt, not the bush in the rocker), seized governor. The main bearing oil plugs had actually been painted over. Nobody knew they were there. Poor old girl.
Anyways, A few hours of maintenance and she's all oiled up etc etc and she runs quite well considering. Oil was flinging off her everywhere.
A lot of work to do yet as all the bearings are badly worn. I haven't even got a far as seeing if the bearings are shimmed or not.

Something of interest is the oiler bowl. Its an old ink bottle turned upside down with the bottom broken out.

Serial number 561. Build date 26-7-1923

Cheers Scott










cobbadog

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Re: Wolseley Alma
« Reply #1 on: 18 February, 2017, 04:21:55 pm »
What a ripper Scotty. Love the inverted ink bottle, that WOULD have to stay at all cost. Can't wait to see a video of it running. Not heard of the Alma model. Was it designed for a specific purpose?
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Scott

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Re: Wolseley Alma
« Reply #2 on: 20 February, 2017, 08:35:23 am »
Hello Cobba
The bottle is staying. Definitely.
The Alma was a bit unusual for Wolseley as it was their only horizontal engine. From what I've found out so far, most of them were exported to New Zealand and here. I can imagine they were to compete with the M-types, horizontal Coopers, horizontal Sundial's etc of the day.
Not much is known about them.
Size wise, this Alma is considerable smaller then a 3hp M-type. I forgot to mention the Alma is 3hp.
The Alma was also throttle governed.
It is unknown when production started or finished. The Wolseley registry here has very few of them. But in saying that, it's said production started in about 1922 and went until 1925. If that is correct, then this engine, with serial number 561 and date of July 1923, puts in roughly the middle or towards the sad end of the production time frame. Not many were made it seems.
The next thing to sort out are all the bearings on the poor old girl. The big end knocks very badly. That to me, is more important then fuel tanks and/or exhaust or making it look pretty. A lot more important.

Cheers Scott

AUSDOK

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Re: Wolseley Alma
« Reply #3 on: 21 February, 2017, 07:45:32 am »
Hi Scott Don Reed from Vintage Engine Spares has been very helpful to me in all forms of bearings. Hope he can help you to restore the old engine. Rudy

Scott

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Re: Wolseley Alma
« Reply #4 on: 21 February, 2017, 08:02:49 am »
Hello Rudy
I have to see Don next week. All I can hope for is I don't forget to ask.

Cheers Scott

Cockie

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Re: Wolseley Alma
« Reply #5 on: 28 September, 2023, 05:49:50 am »
Scott,
I've just got myself a Wolseley Alma to restore, the only issue is that the governor parts are missing. I don't see it a problem to make up the parts as I intend to model some on a International M set up, but if possible would appreciate a photo of the head end showing the fork that controls the carby butterfly.

cobbadog

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Re: Wolseley Alma
« Reply #6 on: 29 September, 2023, 09:14:03 pm »
Hi Cockie, also send Scotty a PM as he spendsmore time on another Forum so maybe quicker. Im sure he will be happy to help
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Cockie

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Re: Wolseley Alma
« Reply #7 on: 30 September, 2023, 04:08:11 pm »
Thanks Cobber will do.

Cockie