Burt Munro: New Zealand’s Indian Speed ​​Legend

There are probably thousands of self-taught yard mechanics like the late Burt Munro, who perhaps work for years on inventions and projects that end up being unsuccessful and yield little financial reward, but that really matters, some may argue that without financial reward you can’t go on.

Sometimes the personal reward and self-satisfaction gained through

the success of a meticulous project is a reward far greater than any

gain. Financial reward is often not the panacea for success that so many people are conditioned to accept today.

Think of the weeks, maybe months of work that Burt Munro

have spent making their own engine barrels, flywheels, pistons, cams and

followers and pressure lubrication systems, also virtually hand-carved

his own connecting rods from a section of the Caterpillar tractor axle. he perfected,

refined and perfected his old Indian motorcycle to within an inch of its life in

preparation for speed attempts, such was his focus and determination.

His pursuit and passion was to greatly modify and improve his prized

1920 Indian Scout Motorcycle to set land speed records…and its greatest

goal, to finally see how fast he would go on the Utah Bonneville Salt

Flats during the annual speed week event in the US This wasn’t bad

feat for a humble boke who lived in the south of New Zealand in a

little place called Invercargill.

Can you imagine how much fun it must have been working day and night in his little shop, making all his special performance parts, building his engine, he certainly did things differently? For example, it has been said that he used an old spoke as a micrometer to measure things, he molded parts in sand in old cans, an American report recounts how he threw some pistons in the sand at the local beach! He even built his own four-overhead-cam cylinder head design to replace the standard two-cam system and converted the engine to overhead valves. what do i practice

designer and innovator that he was.

But do you want to know what is the best of all this? It’s still possible to do all of this, just as Burt Munro did all those years ago, provided you have the skills. Technology is more available today than ever before, allowing the hobbyist/home mechanic to make high quality specialty parts for vintage automobiles – motorcycles.

and custom special projects.

With very basic shop equipment, Burt Munro was able to cast and produce pistons, connecting rods, cylinders, alloy cooling fins, flywheels, and oil pumps. An incredible talent from an incredible legend of a man. Would you like to learn about special metal crafting skills and learn how to do things similar to what Burt Munro did?

Then you must visit our website now.

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