modern technology and old style merge!

One of the most common questions I get asked about early knuckleheads is how to make the valves seal up. The originals rely on a taper to seat and seal the valve and prevent gas from leaking onto your bike and motor. This design is sub standard even when everything is new and fresh, try adding 60 to 80 years of corrosion and wear into the equation and they are almost impossible to make work.

My dad and I have been working with Delmar on making early gas valves that seal up and don't leak. We copied the originals exactly, but they still leaked. We tried making them out of similar metals, and they still leaked. We tried everything we could think of and came to the decision that the original design was flawed. My dad and I were ready to give up, but Delmar refused to say uncle.


Anyways, Delmar and Cathy came down today with a surprise. Delmar spent some time researching modern valves off of japanese bikes and airplanes and squeezed the technology into the space constraints of the original dimensions.



HEre is the inside of the left valve.




WHOA MAN! could you imagine trying to make this on a manual machine. it would be impossible





Check out the valve, gasket and body. This is the right side valve and is a little simpler than the right since we don't have to mess with the reserve setting. We are going to make the stem out of stainless steel. The little smiley radius was put in at an angle with an .125 radius end mill. These valves are masterpieces! I cant wait to test them out.