Old Bike Mart

This Month

Click to buy - £1.90

Contents

Latest News | Classifieds | The Basement | Jumble & events guide | Clew to times gone by | Related magazines | Links | Contact |

Unearthed

obmunearthed

Tell us about your finds!

If you have unearthed something recently and would like to share the news, write to me, Mike Worthington, at:

Glaspant Manor, Capel Iwan,
Newcastle Emlyn, Dyfed SA38 9LS
Email: worthycomments@btconnect.com

I will try to feature your find as soon as possible. If you would like a reply it is essential that you enclose a large stamped, self addressed envelope. Thanks.

Mike Worthington

Readers' latest finds

Two tiddlers

‘Small bikes always seem to turn up in pairs! The latest two came in from Keith Glover of Stoke on Trent, and the first is a Patria WKC with Sachs engine and two speed gear. A friend obtained it from a scrapyard thirty years ago, since when it has been stored in his cellar. Keith is restoring it, and only needs side covers. It bears frame no. 113839 and engine no. 2681850. This German firm originally built 250cc and 350cc overhead camshaft four strokes between 1925 and 1927, and then briefly resumed production between 1949 and 1952 with Ilo and Sachs-engined two-strokes.

Readers' previous finds

B33

Mr J Pritty of Norwich asks for further information concerning the bike you see here. It bears frame number ZB31-12531 and engine number ZB33 6140. It came with a Mag-dynamo by Lucas (Type E3LM-LO) six volt system but many others parts are missing. Mr Pritty is now 73 and wonders if he’s taken on too much or whether restoration is worthwhile. Well, he won’t make a fortune from the finished bike, that’s for sure, but there is a great deal of satisfaction to be gained from bringing a bike back from the dead, and this one certainly looks restorable. Parts shouldn’t be a problem either.

16H

Russ Burgess has recently purchased the 1932 Norton 16H you see here. It had been off the road since 1957 and came with a faded tax disc which appeared to read YV 9282. This is a London series, but on closer scrutiny it was found to be VV 9262 – a 1946 Northampton series. The bike bears frame number 50303 and engine number W 82280. The engine gives a possible clue to the discrepancy between date of manufacture and date of registration of 4 June 1946. The engine is one of a batch supplied to the War Department during WWII, and it may be that the bike was commandeered during the war – possibly for use by the Home Guard – and then sold off as Government Surplus in 1946, a hypothesis I put forward to the DVLA, which they accepted. The number has now been recovered.

ANOTHER NORTON

Up in Dumfries, Colin Dunbar has unearthed the 1936 Norton 500cc you see here which was registered in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright as SW 5075 to one John Cowler of Knowehead Post Office, Castle Douglas on 28 March 1936. The old Kirkcudbright archive records survive and I’ve recovered the number for Colin. As a matter of interest he sends me this illustration of Knowehead Post Office, on the high road between Dalry and Carsphairn, taken around 1910, courtesy ‘The Galloway News’.

MANET

Peter Mitchell of Whetstone has acquired the Manet S100 98cc scooter you see here. It’s registered 5958 PP, a Buckinghamshire series, and fortunately the archive records survive in Aylesbury. The bike bears frame number 57820 and fortunately Bucks was one of those counties who thoughtfully included frame numbers in their records. It was first registered on 20 March 1964 by DG Chapman Ltd of Slough but for some reason was registered as a Jawa.

Both Jawa and Manet were Czech-built machines, of course, but so far as I am aware they were unconnected and were built in separate factories. Of course Czechoslovakia was Communist-controlled at the time, and both firms would have been state-owned, which might explain it. I’m endeavouring to recover the original number for Peter.

More Scooters

Robin Spalding of Chipstead needs no introduction to scooter enthusiasts, his collection of British scooters having featured here several times before. Here you see his most recently purchased additions. They comprise a 1958 Dayton Albatros 225cc and a 1961 DMW Deemster 250cc twin. The other photographs show his 1958 Albatros Continental and Flamenco illustrating the panels used in the DMW Deemster.

The designer of the Albatros was Fred Durman of the Dayton Cycle Company of Park Royal Road, London NW10, but the firm had connections with Charles Day Manufacturing Co Ltd of Shoreditch, which had made auxiliary two-stroke engines to motorise bicycles, and 162cc motorcycles, and later offered a 269cc Villiers-engined bike with belt drive. They were in business between 1913 and 1920.

1919 DOUGLAS

RONNIE BRACKE HAS ACQUIRED THE NICE original old 1919 Douglas belt-driven 350cc you see here and registered BJ 5763. It bears frame number 37782 and engine number 34066 and has spent some years in a museum. Fortunately the old East Suffolk registration records survive, and these show that the bike was registered to Arthur Potter of Framlingham on 22 October 1920.
Totally original – and if it was me, I’d keep it that way – I have now recovered the original registration number for Ronnie.

ARIEL MODEL P

Clive Hamilton up in Moray, Scotland, has acquired the 1926 500cc Model P Ariel ohv model you see here which was originally registered SA 9839 (Aberdeenshire) and for which he has an old logbook. This confirms that the bike was first registered on 8 July 1926 and bears frame number P4332 and engine number P4303. Sadly, this number was not put on the DVLA computer before the November 1983 deadline, and an age-related number – SL 9830 – was arbitrarily allocated. This number, as were a lot of the early age-related allocations, was not designated non-transferable, and therefore has a value. I have therefore suggested that this mark should be placed on retention and I can then recover the original number under the V765 number recovery scheme.

SUN WASP

Following hard on the heels of the Panther Princess in the February issue comes this 1961 Sun Wasp scooter, which was very similar and made, I believe, after Tube Investments had taken over the old Sun Cycle & Fittings Company. Only a handful were built, and this one has frame number CWS 030. It’s owned by Dave Bettridge, who is restoring a Watsonian Bambini sidecar to go with it. The bike is registered 564 AVF, came with an old log book and 1974 tax disc, and I’ve recovered the number.

Coincidentally Ken Palmerton up in Fleetwood (who was interested in Bernard Sutton’s DMW in the February issue – they’re in touch) also has a Sun Wasp, albeit it’s a proper motorcycle made by the old Sun Cycle & Fittings Co. It’s believed to be the next to last one made, and bears frame number 200ZMC35 with Villiers 9E/3 engine number 726B 1467.


CORGI

It’s a scooter benefit this month! Here’s another, a Brockhouse Corgi found by Sam Auld in Abergele. It’s a 1948 model registered FOW 180 but sadly the archive records survive only from FOW 181 onwards, in the Southampton Council Archive, so it will have to be an age-related number.

• Read more in this month's issue >>

• Or you can subscribe >>

FIELD BIKE

Perce Bale down in Chard, Somerset, is 83 and his stable includes a 1953 Ariel 4G, a 1961 Velocette Viper/Venom 500, a 1966 Triumph T90, a 1968 Triumph T100 and another 1969 example, all of which he’s restored. There’s also a 1971 Norton Commando, which his son rides, as Perce finds this one a tad too heavy now. He also has, however, this 1958 DKW RT200VS 197cc model, which he acquired 40 years ago for his son to learn to ride on in surrounding fields.

After hitting a few cows (!) the bike was laid up in a leaky shed and forgotten until the mid-90s, when it was resurrected and restored. A Tiger 90 then came along and Perce lost interest in the DKW until now, and never registered it with Swansea. Fortunately he has the old logbook, and has requested me to recover the number VYV 549 for him. This I’m doing.


DMW

Bernard Sutton of Whitchurch has the DMW 3T twin you see here, a type that was current only from 1959 to 1962, he says. He had contemplated breaking it for spares, but has now decided that he would prefer to sell it to someone who would restore it, and is prepared to accept any reasonable offer. Letters can be forwarded.


ANOTHER GREEVES

FOLLOWING HARD UPON COLIN BRYAN’S 32 DCX Greeves (December issue), I’ve heard from Brian Wheeler in Selby with this 1962 Greeves International, which has an interesting history. It was ridden by Triss Sharp in the 1962 ISDT in Barmisch, Austria, winning a Gold Medal, and Brian believes he also won a Gold in the Welsh Three Day Trial in the same year but isn’t sure about this. Can anyone confirm? The bike was registered KOO 927 and fortunately the old buff logbook enabled me to recover the number for Brian.


HENLEY OR NEW HENLEY?

David Woods writes from Farnley, Leeds with this photograph of a Blackburne-engined bike he’s just acquired. It had been used for the ‘numbers game’ and came with no engine number and TT 24 on the frame. The tank fitted was badged as a Bradbury, but he’s not convinced that’s what it is. He visited the National Motorcycle Museum and looked at Rex-Acme machines there, but also spotted a Henley with Blackburne engine. This firm became New Henley after moving from Birmingham in 1927 to Oldham (where they occupied the Bradbury works). So… is this a New Henley, perhaps?

NO LONGER ON PATROL

Ron Cobb of Henlow recently purchased the 1960 BSA M21 combination you see here. It’s in the livery of the AA, but has a quite interesting history. When it was taken out of service in 1968 it was offered as a competition prize in the AA magazine ‘Drive’. The winner had to offer the most compelling reason “why I would like to own one of the AA’s last motorcycle combinations.”

The winners were Drake Venture Scouts in Devonport – the bike was presented to them in October 1968 and a commemorative plaque was affixed to the front mudguard of the bike. Where it’s been since is anyone’s guess. When Ron acquired it there was no paperwork at all. Ron managed to get hold of the relevant issue of ‘Drive’ magazine, however, and I was able to obtain a letter from the AA confirming that the bike bearing frame no BM20 S 1346 was registered YUC 746 and offered as the prize in 1968. On the strength of this the DVLA re-issued the number to Ron with a V5C.

EARLY JAMES

Coincidentally, Francis Hay writes from Salisbury with this photograph of his 1930 James 196cc Super Sports reimported from New Zealand. The 1930 catalogue obtained from Bruce Main-Smith indicates that this model was fitted with a three-speed box, but Francis’s is a two-speeder with hand change on the tank. The VMCC Register shows a 1927 James 175cc with two-speed box, but he can find no other references. The wheels fitted also look thinner than those illustrated in the catalogue.

Obvious non-standard items include the exhausts, which Francis hopes to rectify, but he intends to keep the coil ignition, which is also fitted. Can anyone confirm exactly what model Francis has? Interestingly, the bike was originally Somerset-registered YC 9200, and this number has now been reunited with the bike.

MONTGOMERY WARD RIVERSIDE

Confusion is often caused because vehicles sold in countries other than those of origin are frequently rebadged and sold as something else (see the Puch item this month). Coincidentally, I’ve heard from two readers, both of whom have acquired examples of Montgomery Ward Riverside street scramblers. These were made by Benelli in Italy, imported into the USA by Cosmopolitan Motors (still in business) and sold through Montgomery Ward’s mail order business.

Ray Meggett from Lincoln reports first on the 250cc example his son Philip found in Sheffield. A total basket case in various boxes, this has been the subject of a total restoration, and after sourcing many missing bits the bike is now complete. Here you see it, and a super job he’s made of it too. Howard Bradley of Milton Keynes has also acquired a similar bike, albeit a 175cc model, and it too has been the subject of a total restoration, but with a difference.

It’s a 1968 model, and was brought into the UK some years ago in a pretty rough state. It was then purchased by HM Prison Service as a restoration project for prisoners to work on as part of a rehabilitation scheme. An album chronicling the restoration, step by step, came with the bike, and here you see the finished job. It, too, looks a credit to those who worked on it.

 

SCOOTERS GALORE

Robin Spalding needs no introduction to scooter enthusiasts, and several of his previous scooter restoration have featured here before. His 1958 Mercury Pippin, which we showed here unrestored a while back, won ‘Highly Commended’ at the last Stafford International Bike Show, and here you see it.

Always on the lookout for additions to his collection, he’s acquired not one but two Bond scooters. The first is a 1953 BAC (Bond Aircraft and Engineering Company) Gazelle, and was made by Laurie Bond following on from the Bond Minibyke and his Lilliput series. The 125cc Villiers version of the Gazelle was made from 1951 onwards, but the 98cc version that Robin has appeared only in 1953. His example is believed to be the sole survivor.

The second Bond is a 1961 P3 with 150cc Villiers engine, electric start and glass-fibre bodywork (the later P4 had the 200cc engine). This was designed and made by Sharp’s Commercials, who bought the manufacturing rights to the Bond name and built the Minicar too. Robin is now searching for an early Swallow Gadabout designed by engineer Frank Rainbow in the late 40s, and a Phoenix scooter manufactured by racing motorcyclist Ernie Barrett at his works in Tottenham from 1957 to 1964. Can anyone help?

TIDY TIDDLER

Anthony Twining of Bristol has the nicely preserved Phillips pushbike you see here, fitted with a Cyclemaster engine. It bears Frame No. T Ol5658 and Engine No. A 47l29. It's registered CYJ 392 which is a Dundee series and fortunately Dundee City Council keep their records. These show that the bike was registered to Archibald Chalmers of Stirling Street, Dundee, on 2lst August l952. Judging by the condition of the bike he was either a very careful owner, or didn't use it much. I've recovered the number for Anthony.

 

OLD WARHORSE

ROB HICKMOTT acquired the 1944 DKW NZ 350 model you see here from Mike Jackson. The crankcase bears a factory stamp 12/43 and the gearbox internals are stamped variously from 12/43 to 03/44.

It would seem that the bike was originally supplied to the German Wermacht during WWII but was later captured by the Allies. It was first registered in civilian service on 15 August 1947, the logbook being stamped ‘ex-government’, so presumably was disposed of as government surplus.

It had various owners in Openshaw, Manchester, Hyde, Cheshire and Puckeridge, Hertfordshire up to 1978 and bears frame no 618378 and engine no 1358332/32. Its sand-coloured livery might indicate that it fought in the Western Desert with Rommel’s Afrika Corps. I’m recovering the number for Rob.

MODEL 18

Ron Jones up in Llangollen is on the last knockings in the restoration of the nice Model 18 Norton you see in the photograph. Only the tank now requires work, and the bike should be on the road in a few weeks’ time. I’ve provided a Dating Certificate for it, the frame no 28180 corresponding to 1927, so he’ll be able to obtain an age-related registration number for it when the time comes. The engine is numbered 33693, which also looks right for 1927, other known 1927 Model 18s having frame and engine numbers 26702 and 33263 and 30037 and 36936 respectively.

 

A BRACE OF PANTHERS

PETER FARROW OF CLECKHEATON IS (naturally) a Panther enthusiast, and recently acquired two restoration projects. The first is a 1951Model 100, which has spent most of its life in the Manchester area. An old green logbook came with it, and I’ve offered to assist in the recovery of LVM 493, which is an old Manchester series.

The other bike you see here is a 1929-registered Panther Villiers two-stroke registered YC 6661. That’s a 1929 Somerset series, and I’ve directed Peter to the archive records which survive in Taunton, and which will enable us to recover the number.

Quite a bit of work has already been done on the bike, which is fitted with a Villiers Mk 9A 250cc engine with pressurised oil tank and feed to the big end. He cannot locate the frame number, however, if anyone can help?

BENELLI

PHIL MEGGETT ACQUIRED THE 1960 BENELLI 175 Sport you see here a couple of years ago for the magnificent sum of £13, and dashed from Lincoln to Southend to pick it up.

The seller was not too sure what it was, because the engine and gearbox were missing, and in the past Phil believes that attempts had been made to fit it with a Triumph engine – as was done with some Ducati singles.

He then embarked on a worldwide search for the missing parts, and found the job much easier when he discovered that the model shares many parts with the Montgomery Ward machines sold by the eponymous mail order company in the USA.

Benelli apparently made these machines for Montgomery Ward in the mid-60s, which were then sold exclusively by them Stateside.

The bike bears the registration RHV 244, which Phil would like to recover. Sadly this is an old East Ham series and all the old records have been destroyed. It looks as if it will have to be an age-related number instead, for which I can provide the necessary dating certificate.

Most of the needed parts have now been gathered, however, although Phil still needs an alternator cover with the Benelli name embossed on it, if anyone can help. During the hunt, a complete Wards Riverside Street scrambler was found in a shed in Sheffield, and Phil’s dad is restoring this one. Hopefully it can be featured in ‘Unearthed’ shortly.

ANOTHER NEW IMP

Bearing in mind that New Imperial ceased production in 1939 after the company had been sold to Jack Sangster, owner of Ariel and Triumph, it really is remarkable how many survive and continue to surface. Here you see the latest to cross this desk. It’s a 1937 46DL model acquired by Colin Harrison and bearing engine no 67/42102/46. Sadly it came with no documents or history whatsoever, but as can be seen still bears the registration DVR 747. I’ve checked this number out, and initially the outlook was bleak. It’s a Manchester series and the old records have been destroyed. However, using my contacts within the DVLA, I’ve ascertained that they hold a full record on the computer. I’ve sent Colin a V62 form, and if he sends this to the DVLA in Swansea with a cheque for £19, he’ll in due course receive a new V5C in his name.

 

RESTORATION DELAYED

Tim Jepson, from Malden, Essex sent this snap of the 1936 Royal Enfield Model L 570cc side-valver he’s acquired. It was purchased in the early 50s by a director of the firm for whom he works, from a garage at Stow Maries (the late Reg Taverner’s?). It was a non-runner when purchased, with gearbox problems, but with a good chair. This was removed and united with a BSA. The Model L was then laid up for 35 years. It subsequently passed to a local builder, and then to Tim’s next door neighbour, who originally intended to restore it. When Tim enquired as to how the work was progressing, the neighbour had to admit that it wasn’t, with the result that Tim became the new owner! Having now completed an eight-year rebuild of his 1935 Riley Kestrel, Tim has started the restoration of the Model L, and it is almost complete. It will be a month or two before it takes the road, however. The registration appears to be CPO 374, an old West Sussex series. I’ve pointed Tim towards the West Sussex Record Office at Chichester, and it may be possible to recover the number if the records survive.

PRIMA

Geoff Kidd lives in York and says he always read this column (usually with envy at other people’s finds), and having now saved an NSU Prima scooter from the scrapman, he thought he ought to write and tell me about it. It had been abandoned in a local farm workshop where, many years ago, someone had decided to ‘get it going’. They got as far as removing the Bing carburettor and then promptly lost it! It’s registered XGB (Glasgow, June 1959) but no paperwork or tax disc came with it.

My contacts in the DVLA, however, have confirmed that a pre-1983 notification was made to them, so I can recover the number for Geoff when he responds to my offer to do so. He is not, however, into scooters and would be willing to move it on or swap it for a small modern bike – MZ 150/250 or similar – and says a small amount of cash may be available to go with it. Letters can be forwarded. It was apparently originally sold through Andy McNeil of Langlands Road, Glasgow and his transfer is still readable on the bike.

Another Poirier

Proof that OBM is widely read is hardly needed, but my piece about the Poirier cyclecar in the May issue prompted Warren Hutton of Gosford, Sydney, Australia to send me these ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs of the example which his late brother brought back to Australia about 10 years ago. Sadly he died before restoration could commence, but a chance meeting with a French mechanic named Jean-Paul and eight months of concentrated effort resulted in the completed restoration you see here. Not bad going, without a manual! This one is Ydral-powered, and having been in touch with the Ydral Club of France Warren is willing to pass on all he’s learned to Peter Harris, who has the other one we featured. The two are now in touch.

RED HUNTER

PETER WATKINS-GROVES lives in Peterborough and has rescued the 1955 Ariel VH Red Hunter you see here. It’s been languishing in the back passage of an old off-licence in Stamford for some time, and prior to that had had the same owner for some 30 years. First registered PXW 381 in London, it had made its way up to Lincolnshire, but unfortunately has no documentation. Does anyone know anything of its earlier history?

It needs total restoration, bears frame no DU 358 and engine no LC 813 with Burman box, but seems to be missing only the battery carrier and air filter box. Can anyone help with these items? Peter would like to recover the original number if anyone still has any documentation for the bike, and letters can be forwarded.

 

GILERA

We’ve had a spate of Italian bikes recently, and this month is no exception. Martin Goldsmith in Eastbourne recently acquired the 1950s Gilera you see here from an Italian now living in Ashford, Kent. He seeks the identity of the model and believes the basis of it is a 150 Sport or Turismo model that has been modified for off-road or endurance use. He’d like to ascertain whether the mods were factory-made or by a private owner. Some of the changes are similar to the Gilera 175cc ISDT entries for 1956, and in one Gilera reference book there is mention of an ‘unofficial’ 150 entry in the ISDT of 1954. Wouldn’t it be nice if this was this bike?

The intention is to restore it in its present modified form, and assistance in dating or other information/history would be appreciated. Both engine and frame numbers match (as, of course, they should) and are * 182 * 2769 *. Can anyone help?

JAMES

Lee Clark sends me this photograph of the 98cc James he recently unearthed in an old coal shuttle in the Salisbury area. Its last tax disc was still in situ indicating that it was last on the road in 1962, and this will enable me to recover the registration, JWV 44, for him. The frame number is 853332 and the engine number 797/32854. The bike dates from 1953 and the registration is a Wiltshire series, so it hasn’t moved far in its life.

CAPRIOLO

Mr FR Cropp of Melksham sends me this photograph of the 1963 Capriolo 125cc Tourist he’s acquired, together with its old logbook. It came with some new spares and a complete bottom end of a spare engine, insurance documents to 1972 and an original bill of sale. A sophisticated four-stroke with overhead camshaft (even the 75cc and 98cc versions), this one needs extensive restoration, but at least I can recover the number for Mr Cropp.

 

MYSTERY SCOOTER

Mr E G Everett lives in Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, and found the scooter you see here, buried under rubbish in a barn. No paperwork came with it and it’s London registered (so no records survive), and so far no one has been able to identify it. The heavy tubular frame is distinctive and should give a clue, although I can’t remember ever having seen anything like it. The electrics are by Wipac (lovely), which indicates British origin. The engine is out of the bike (see photograph), and the registration number dates it to between October 1962 and July 1963. I’d say it’s 1962. The speedo is a Smith’s, another UK pointer.

[added March 06]

DYSLEXIA

Trevor Stansfield of Nelson, Lancs, has acquired this interesting 1935 350cc Ivory Calthorpe Special. It’s pretty complete apart from exhausts, and is still festooned with cobwebs. Fortunately the old log book came with it, but there’s a snag. The frame no. is K3/1149 but it’s rendered on the log book as K3/4419. Obviously the clerk in the licensing office was dyslexic, and this is a common occurrence, but the difficulty will be persuading the DVLA of this. I’ve had others similar, however, and I’ve offered to take up the cudgels for Trevor. The engine number K3/1592 is correctly rendered in the log book. The bike was last on the road in 1951.

[added March 06]

FLYING FLEA

I have a particular affection for Royal Enfield’s Flying Flea because my first ‘spill’ was on one of these while riding precarious pillion on the back of my late mate Gordon Hillman’s example back in 1959. Andy Day in Hemel Hempstead has the example you see here, bearing Frame No RE 16929 and Engine No 30081, but its condition is belied by the photograph. A complete rebuild is under way, and I’ve provided a Dating Certificate for Andy so that, when all is completed, an age-related registration can be obtained.


• Read more in this month's issue >>

• Or you can subscribe >>

UNEARTHED SOMETHING?
If you have unearthed something recently and would like to share the news, write to me at:

Mike Worthington-Williams
Glaspant Manor,
Capel Iwan,
Newcastle Emlyn, Dyfed
SA38 9LS

and I will try to feature it as soon as possible. If you would like a reply it is essential that you enclose a large stamped, addressed envelope.

Site News

Latest issue

• The 15th Classic and Motorcycle Mechanics Show
• Vic just loves his wee Suzi
• Events & Jumbles
• Unearthed
• Scam Warnings

Old Bike Shop

• OBM Sweatshirt
• OBM Fleece
• Stafford Show DVD
• Classic Overalls
• Tie Down Straps
• Route Holder
• Motorcycle Posters

Classifieds

227 private adverts online
Book your advert online here securely and get it into the next issue of the UK's biggest selling classic monthly.
Place your ad here...

Machines 4 Sale (99) Road Racers (7) Off Road comp (14) Machines wanted (8) Literature (2) Miscellaneous (20) Sidecars (2) Exchanges (6) Spares for sale (32) Cyclemotors (1) Spares wanted (27) Where is it now (1) Emerging Classics (4) Classic Cars (4) To late for paper (0) Place an Advert in OBM

Don't forget! Place your ad for the DECEMBER '08 issue