Hi guy.
Dad's 59 Superrocket has a few things that seem wrong namely the headlamp and front mudguard. Does anyone have pictures of how an all-correct bike should look?
It might be easier to upload an image of what you have and compare it to what it could have looked like.
Super rockets came with either just the speedo or a tacho as well. The ones with just the speedo had a full nacelle fitted to them - the bike resembled a golden flash apart from the black tool box and oil tank and the alloy cylinder head. If it had a tacho fitted it would have had a separate headlight with gaiters off the fork "ears" headlight brackets.
There were also differences between uk and US spec bikes.
Thanks for the reply. This bike was previously owned by Dad 1973-1980. The chap he sold it to offered it back to us last year so it isn't a bitsa as such. Questioning Dad he can't remember if it had a nacelle but he was certain that it didn't have a tacho in his ownership. The problem is whether this is original to factory spec or al later fitment using some original parts. The front mudguard doesn't appear to be right if the tinware is the same as a Golden Flash.
The deeper valance might only have been used with the nacelle and from 1960.
This mudguard I beleive was used on the pre 60 super rockets and definitely on the shooting stars of that time.
To me the front end looks a lot like one owned by a friend of mine who passed away a few years ago.
Thanks!
The bike was registered in December 59. Going from experience of another maker (who confused me with the year overlap) could this be a 1960 model?
Front mudguard (Allan is correct that the one fitted is for pre-1960 SR and SS models), Tank badges (round) are pointing to it NOT being a UK 1960 model as front guard would be more valanced and Tank badges would be pear shaped for 60 onwards (but saying that BSA 'may' have used up pre-1960 stocks of certain parts in early production). Just out of interest, does the rear brake arm point up or down? Obviously the frame number if original 'should' indicate the model year.
FA7 prefix frame for 1959 season GA7 prefix for 1969 season. The first GA7 models left BSA in August 1959 for the 1960 season.
Below from the 1960 catalogue. There were a number of differences between 1959 and 1960 models. A rev counter was an optional extra. For 1959 it was driven from the magneto and for 1960 it was driven from the oil pump.
It is 100% a UK bike. First registered somewhere in Oxfordshire and is still wearing it original *BW reg number. I have history back to 1970 (continuation logbook) and when I get around to it a copy of the old registration records will be obtained. This will either show the supplying dealer or retail purchaser. What I know it won't show is the VIN. If I'm lucky it will have the date of registration (sometimes it only shows the month for the county marks) and luckier it will show the type of vehicle.
Rear brake lever on the drum is pointing down.
Just checked the paperwork and the frame number starts CA7**** and the engine is DA10R***
CA7 prefix is for 1954/55 season and was designed for a half width rod operated rear brake. The GA7 takes full width hubs cable operated both front and rear and has a bracket for the rear brake cable on the right side of the frame. I would check the number on the frame, possible GA7 has been wrongly recorded as CA7.
DA10R frefix is correct for 1960 season. 1959 season Rocket engines were CA10R prefix.
Frame number is definitely CA7 and it was first registered 4th Dec 1959. The stamping is hard to read and poorly done yet the four digit number is neat. Numbers match the green logbook and V5c.
It could be that this frame had sat there for a while and was simply grabbed and used despite having an earlier or mis-stamped prefix.
Typos on frame number stampings are not unknown, I've seen a right howler on a different marque; two different date letters on the same frame which was 100% factory stamping.
I think the despatch date on this bike might be interesting!
Just checked and it is cable operated rear brake with a bracket on the right side of the frame. I'm thinking the 'C' is a miss-stamp, the letter is incomplete. The 'A' is rough and the '7' is no better. The number does not conform to the 1955 sequence shown on Britbike (too low). I've had a look at the paperwork for the GF we have (Birmingham registered also Dec 1959) and the frame number is lower. I can't do a comparison with the frame number stamping because it doesn't live at home.