Hi all, I have just purchased a 1964 A65R Rocket (with rev counter) total restoration case. The paint on the tank and side panels (which are steel and single stud fixing) is what appears to be a metallic blue colour (flamboyant blue?). I don't mind re-painting the bike in this colour but wonder what other colour options for this year would be correct. RS Bike Paint show only two colours for the 1964 year - Royal Red or Flamboyant Red Candy. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers................Shaun.
1964 BSA A50 Star
The A65 Rocket was also produced as the A65 Thunderbolt Rocket for the US market. Same series of frame/engine numbers as the UK market A65 Rocket.
Which model do you have?
Original finishes varied from market to market.
RS dont have the A65 Thunderbolt Rocket listed.
Below from 1964 US catalogue.
Hi Julian thanks for your reply,
My bike has engine number prefix A65C and frame prefix A50. Using the club's own machine dating information, this makes mine a 1964 A65R Rocket with rev counter.
If it was an 1964 A65R Rocket the the prefixes would be A65B and A50B.
If it was a 1964 A65T Thunderbolt Rocket (export model) the prefixes would be A65B and A50.
My bike has a UK spec 4 gallon tank and a rev counter.
Hope this helps and narr5ows it down a bit
Cheers.........Shaun.
Shaun
The Rocket, with and without rev counter and Thunderbolt Rocket all had frame prefix A50. The Thunderbolt Rockets had rev counter as standard and A65C engines.
The A50B frames were used on the sports models A65 Lightning Rocket, Cyclone etc.
If you contact me by PM I will probably be able to provide you with some more information.
I actually owned an A65R back in the sixties. Tank was red, had rev counter and siamised exhaust with single gold star style silencer.