Sorry Tale of Cylinder Barrel.

Thanks to you all - I shall investigate gun restorers and LR specialist restorers.  I am not sure that chrome electro-plating processes for decorative work is quite the same as for hard chrome but I will check to see whether or not the reverse process is possible without too much contamination of their electroyte. Cheers, Howard

Thanks Andy - If I eventually find a specialist with experience of hard chrome on cylinder bores I will broach that subject.  If I don't,  the hard chrome has to be removed..........Ho hum .  Regards to all, Howard

Hello again fellow readers.  I feel sure that you'll all be ready and eager to read my next instalment of my hard-chromed cylinder bores.  So,  I received back my barrel unscathed, still resplendent with its black powder coating, all its fins and sadly with its hard-chrome bores.  If you recall three engineering companies have now examined it to either rebore it, re-sleeve it or remove the chrome, all to no avail.  So following a long conversation with an expert chromium plater at the last VMCC Jumble of the season off it went again for an electro-chemical removal of all the hard-chrome.  Some days later I was asked to attend a ceremony where the 'Last Rites' for the barrel were read.  The electro-chemical process had expertly removed the mating surfaces for the cylinder head and crankcases.  It had also totally dissolved the cam-follower bores, most of the threads and ruined the locating holes for the crankcase studs.  The hard-chrome bores were of course hardly touched.  Except where the gentleman concerned had run over them with a grinding wheel.  Ho hum . I even had to pay for the process.  Treat all this as a warning.  Hard chrome is really not the best addition to a worn out iron barrel. 

So if any one wants a dynamo 600 engine minus a barrel now is your chance.  The bottom half of the engine is complete and begins with a pair of unnumbered (replacement ?) crankcases from the early 1950's.  The dynamo crankshaft  is a 'rare now' 600cc version with big-ends 0.010 inch undersize and a pair of later 88 con-rods.  The cam has little wear. The main bearings are sound with a brass-caged drive side roller and a standard 7-ball on the timing side. The timing gears, pinions and chains  and oil pump are fitted and there is a  Lucas 18D2 distributor in place.  The timing cover is the early type with the brass oval disc.  The broken barrel is good only as a door stop or replacement fin provider.  A complete set of radiussed cam followers, a set of 4 X 99 pushrods and a pair of Standard bore 650 pistons are with it to fit in a replacement barrel.  The cylinder head is a complete late big-fin type from a 99SS.  The engine when completed would make a lively upgrade to a tired Model 7 but could just as easily be used in a Model 88, Model 99 and a Nomad.  I will be inserting a Classified in For Sale section soon.