Research

That poor old neglected engine is playing on my mind.  There seems to be so much of it missing.
I wondered if I could still find the parts to make it complete so I spent the evening browsing the web, and discovered quite a lot.

Rui (the chap that I had bought the bike from) had suggested searching for "DKW Hobby"parts as they were pretty well the same as Manurhin parts, and he sent me a link to a German ebay search, which popped up a whole bunch of stuff.  I was surprised that I hadnt found these bits myself when I'd been scouring ebay - I went on to learn that there are a number of settings in the ebay advanced search that opened up lots of international items that aren't necessarily shown in standard searches.
So this was exciting - There was a Carburetor for £50, a gasket set for £20, a pull starter and cowl for £50 and even a complete engine for £200.  If I didn't dwell on the potential cost of all this, I was rather encouraged. 
[as an aside, I'm feeling a little hesitant in showing too much enthusiasm (or should that read 'desperation') for parts up for sale - I'm worried that my projected eagerness might shadow my limited budget, and a seller might not give me the price negotiation I'm going to need if I'm going to get this bike on the road]

I dug deeper into the internet and found a fantastic collection of Manurhin documents and web-links.  I was particularly grateful for the scans of a Manurhin workshop manual, and I contacted the website owner, Cedric, to thank him for the resources he was sharing.  He came straight back to me with lots of suggestions and recommendations, including the exact same suggestion as Rui for looking for DKW Hobby parts on German ebay.
In addition, he went on to say "For the engine's internal, you can replace most of the parts with karting parts (they have pistons in any size, since as the engine wears, they increase the size of the cylinder and use a slightly bigger piston)" - which might be a useful tip for any vintage scooter restorer
As much as I dont want to admit it, I am starting to think that Cedric might well be right when he says;
"Your best strategy is to try to find another one to complete your scooter (cost of a running one in great shape - 900 euros as info)"
I shall think about this (though certainly not ask the wife for her opinion) - but its interesting to note that a running Manurhin is worth nearly a thousand euros.

Whatever the cost or conclusions, I am starting to love this journey of meeting interesting and interested people! :-)


So it looks like I might be able to find some of the parts I'm going to need to get this machine back on the road.  I managed to resist the temptation to bid on anything for the moment.  I want to gather more information and find more experts and enthusiasts to ensure I'm going down the right track before committing any more money.  Ive sent off application forms to join The VMSC (Vintage Motor Scooter Club) and The BTSC (British Two Stroke Club) in the hope that they might give me some useful leads and contacts.  I am especially keen to get a clear identity for my scooter from the chassis and engine numbers - especially to help me understand what sort of engine Ive got; it appears to be different to many of the photos and schematics Ive seen.......