Amal logic

Good to see an article on Amal carbs that does not dismiss them out of hand as “junk” and then proceeds to urge classic bike owners to fit one of the many so-called improved/better options that are flogged repeatedly in most of the popular mags and on the net. However there are a couple of things that I feel need correcting in the article; firstly the thread size for the idle-up adjustor/idle speed screw is incorrect. Whilst three-sixteenths by 32 TPI (not 26 TPI) may be very close, this thread is actually 2BA, a thread size that is used in many Amal carbs and throttle and lever screws. The bowl retaining screws, the top cover screws and both idle-speed and idle mixture screws are definitely 2BA in all Amal Concentric carbs. Anyone making up and attempting to fit a three-sixteenth by 26 TPI adjustor in a standard Amal concentric is risking serious damage to the thread in the carb body. I’m also going to dispute the sweeping statement ”No choke strangler as the tickler is better for starting”. I have no doubt that Mr Pickard (or any other keen Brit bike enthusiast) may not have too many problems starting up a well tuned machine this time of year (spring-summer/early autumn) using the tickler/s only, however I would like to see his BSA fire up first kick, let’s say down at the excellent All British Rally at Newstead in Victoria at seven o’clock in the morning at about three or four degrees or colder depending on the late autumn weather. Every year I attend this event and watch and listen as sweating, perspiring and cursing owners leap about on kickstarters, trying to start machines that burst into life after being tickled profusely, only to run for a few seconds, splutter then backfire and stall, only for the whole process to be repeated several times until the poor unfortunate machine is finally revved enough to achieve some semblance of spitting, popping and banging warmup. The air slide or slides (on twin-carb machines) is fitted for cold-starting, and the removal and/or lack