Preparing to recommission the Birotor

A

andrewj

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Fellow Frogger
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australia
Hi Everyone,

For those of you watching the restoration threads, my GS wagon "The Orange Peril" is nearly finished, and going for it's pre-registration inspection tomorrow. I've had the car since 2008, and it was in pieces and partially restored when I took ownership of it. So fingers crossed there will be no major surprises when it finally gets to stretch it's legs again.

Next project is to recommission the Birotor. It stopped around 10 years ago due to water getting into one of the combustion chambers. It could be "just" a blown o-ring, but I am fearing the worse, as the spare casing I have also show sign of corrosion of the aluminum around water chambers.

I have a brand new motor in a box, and also a pile of spare parts from another couple of motors. The easy way forward would, of course, be to use the spare. But first, I am going to have a shot at building up a motor from the pile of spares, ideally using the original motor that came with the car.

So, does anyone know if there any surviving records on the Birotor that would list the engine number and body number of each car, so that I can see if I do indeed have the original motor?

Cheers,
Andrew
 
There was someone on here that new all the history on that car...... I'll see if I can find it (maybe it was lost in the great crash).
 
Yes, that's the guy, Greg, but my brain keeps saying "greg churn" ... which is the wrong person. He posted a big thread on the car which was fantastic. If its pre-crash the wayback machine may have it.
 
As far as I know.......
Greg Feinberg built it using parts sent out from Europe, and a very carefully modified donor body.
It was never an original matching numbers car.
 
citroenut said:
Definitely Greg Feinberg. Try tracking him down on Face Book or Citroen Car Club of NSW if no success here.
Richard
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Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the suggestions - I had completely forgotten about the the thread back in 2005! Will track down Greg.

As a side note, The Orange Peril went for it's inspection today - they wanted to see a nicer drivers seat and some better engine mounts and a few other little bits and pieces. So no big stress - on track for being on the road by the weekend :cool:

Cheers,
Andrew
 
Engine mounts is an ongoing issue. The sometimes available NOS ones are useless from age.
I've adapted modern industrial machine mounts to the original sub plates, and had very good result.
 
Buttercup said:
Engine mounts is an ongoing issue. The sometimes available NOS ones are useless from age.
I've adapted modern industrial machine mounts to the original sub plates, and had very good result.
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Hi Bob,
Interested to see your solution if you have any pictures?
For now I have a seemingly good second hand set (no cracks + deflects when I push my fingernail into the side). But who knows how long it will last?
I remember 20+ years ago going to a local engineering place and having the rubber replaced on similar engine mount for a singer gazelle.
Cheers,
Andrew
 
IMG_2116.jpg
 
Is that carbie idling off the idle circuits or the main? The idle circuits on mine are full of carbon :mad:
 
andrewj said:
Hi Bob,
Interested to see your solution if you have any pictures?
For now I have a seemingly good second hand set (no cracks + deflects when I push my fingernail into the side). But who knows how long it will last?
I remember 20+ years ago going to a local engineering place and having the rubber replaced on similar engine mount for a singer gazelle.
Cheers,
Andrew
Click to expand...
I'll see of I can crawl under and get a pic,
Actually, I'll put it up on the ramps..... that'll do it.
 
DoubleChevron said:
Is that a second GS birotor in Australia :eek:
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Shane, there’s been two here for quite a few years now, and this one is even in your state! If you check out the CCCV GS 50th anniversary event you’ll see more pics of the car.
 
@andrewj - @DoubleChevron
the one thats been here for a long time.
very original. might have had a very light resto before coming to aus.
the owner knows all about it.

walked past it in the shop one day and took the photo.
came in during lockdown.
was getting its plug fouling issue sorted.
diagnosed to carb being in a mess.
rectified by person with extensive experience in RO80.

interesting car isn't it? not a GS at all. car in its own right.

beautiful exhaust smell just like an NSU.
not quite two stroke, much sweeter smell.

trying to remember all the differences between it and earlier NSU engines.
think an NSU runs twin carbs, this is a single two barrel.
there are other differences, can't recall them all.

it was in the shop for a while when everything was semi paralyzed in lockdown.
we were working on my own car so i got to observe it.
like being in a museum for a while, just a lucky co-incidence.
and a rare privilege of circumstance.
 
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as noted the owner brings it out.
you see it from time to time at events.

as an aside @andrewj
the plugs are getting very hard to get for these as well as NSUs.
almost unobtainium.
there is a stock of spark plugs held by an NSU club in the netherlands (i think).
for a while you could get a J spark plug that was run in one of the rotary motorcycles.
forgotten which one.
owners of NSUs and birotors internationally contemplating going over to the plug conversion insert that allows running conventional plugs.
not really up on this stuff, as do not own one. but hearing its now an issue as the stocks dry up.
hardcore NSU owners/enthusiasts worked out the conversion a few years back.
the expertise is in danger of being lost. i know one of the long term NSU specialists in the UK died a few years back and a wealth of knowledge, parts, etc died with him.
IMG_2241.jpg
 
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