So far everything has been working on the running gear but that’s not all there is to do, the engine and transmission are still to start doing.

The engine has been on the bench for a while and it’s time to make a start on it.

The bottom end was sound when the bike was taken off the road so we’ll leave that alone.

There’s a choice of three barrels for her, one has a broken fin but the bore is only a little worn, however there are only two use-able rings on the piston, the middle ring being broken.

Another has sound finning but has been subject to a mild seizure, the bore is about half-worn and there are marks of the pick-up on both the piston and the bore. It’s only been a mild seizure however as the pick-up marks are light and the rings are free with no sign of smearing of the ring lands while the third barrel has sound finning but has the rings seized into piston lands.

All in all I’m going to use the first barrel but fit a full set of new piston rings after “breaking” the glaze on the cylinder bore, the idea of having one of the other barrels bored to suit that piston is a non-starter since that piston is standard size and both other barrels are over-size.

I’ve managed to find a set of new piston rings for it so next thing is to gap those rings and then to fit them.

An oddity that has turned up however is that the bike uses a slipper piston, something you’d only expect to find on a higher performance machine!

This is a slipper piston. (It is the piston with the seized rings)

Before fitting the barrel I’ll need to black it, what I’ve successfully done before this on side-valve barrels is to get the barrel clean and then spray it with “Smoothrite” black. The barrel is then oven-baked for an hour on low heat, there are certain advantages to the wife being away!

Then it’s given a second coat and the treatment repeated. This gives a durable, semi-gloss appearance and the only place it has not lasted has been on the exhaust port finning so it should be ideal for the OHV Panther barrel.