Which Bantam

[GAMBOLE1]

Hi Could anyone give me any info on this Bantam. Not sure about the forks, it does have 18 inch wheels but there again not sure about the front hub and the wheels are offset. Frame and engine number as per photos. Any help on this bike would be a bonus.. TIA, Bud.

[JulianS]

The frame is a D5 Bantam. The model was only made for the 1958 season, late 1957 until autumn 1958 when the D7 was introduced.

The engine is from a 1969 B175 Bantam, the last and best version of the 175cc Bantam engine.

The forks/headlamp assembly are not D5, they look like B175 and the front wheel is not BSA it could be from a Japanese lightweight. 

Below from the BSA catalogue.

[GAMBOLE1]

Hi Julian thank you so much for your reply, can you confirm that for this 1958 frame that it was fitted with 18 inch wheels. Many thanks Bud.

[JulianS]

Some basic D5 information from BSA below.

[Stubaker58]

Julian is spot on, a real mix. It could be a D3 swinging arm frame (the rear mudguard bracket is more curved on the D5) although the near side side panel is definitely D5. Under the seat if there's a tubular cross bar it's D5 if a flatter plate it's D3.

[GAMBOLE1]

Thank you both for the replies, any idea how much it is worth as is, or do i strip it down and sell as parts.

[V500]

Why would you want to strip it? It looks nicely patina'd and complete.
Apart from which, if you break it you'll always end up with lots of unsellable bits cluttering your garage for years.

[GAMBOLE1]

Hi guys thanks for all your help but just one more question, are the hubs the same size on the 1958 D5 as on the D7  and D14. Also can anyone give me the offset measurement of the wheels. Many thanks, Bud.

[Stubaker58]

Hi
The original D5 hubs were different to the D7 and later, the shoes are narrower and the hubs themselves are a bit less robust (stamped not cast?)
In the picture of your bike the rear looks to be D3/D5 however the front end is very non-standard.
Regards.