North Coast British Columbia A10 (1956 GF)

[trevinoz]

John,
              Unless my eyes need some work, there doesn't appear to be any cast engine mounting lugs on the front down tubes. This would date the frame from 1954 or very early 1955.
If this is the case, the frame number should be on the front of the headstock.

   Trev.

[Two Alpha]

Hi John O R,

Thanks for the words of support.

I scraped off some of the paint on the headstock primary side today. Didn't find a number but I don't really know if I'm looking in quite the right spot or not.
If the late frames had the number stamped on the gusset, that may perhaps explain why they aren't there now. There really doesn't seem to be any other good reason why someone would remove them. Surely the artist that painted this frame would have preferred more canvas!
Ok, just spotted a photo of a Spitfire Scrambler with the frame number just off the front edge of the fuel tank (primary side), and right on the gusset near the rear edge of it.

Now that I've taken a closer look, not much about the forks looks BSA, or British for that matter, other than the upper and lower yokes.

I've got a bit of a stash of extra A50/A65 and T120 cycle parts so it shouldn't be too much of a problem to get this bike on the road. It will be a fair ways from "correct" though!
Oh well, "correct" had already left the station a long time ago on this one.

Cheers,

John

[Two Alpha]

Hi Trev,

There are two on each side, they look just like the ones pictured on plate 10, page 37 of the '54 to '57 parts book that I have.

They look like approx. 1" of metal tube welded/brazed to the frame, parallel with the ground.

What do you think?

Thanks

John

[trevinoz]

John,
              If they are just tubes as you describe, the frame is 1954 as I said.
Too early for a Spitfire.
The frame number should be on the front face of the headstock, stamped vertically.
Possibly it has been filled with filler.
If you look down on the headstock from the rear, the number should be at the 2 o'clock position, numbered from the bottom upwards.

  Trev.

[Two Alpha]

Thanks Trev!

I scraped a strip this morning at what would be the 9:00 position, found bondo but no numbers. We'll see what I can turn up tomorrow morning at the 2:00 position.

Cheers,

John

[Two Alpha]

Ok,

Looks like the frame and engine actually match!

Frame EA7 5090
Engine CA10 11139

1956 Golden Flash.

The project just gained a little more definition. I'll need to replace a few missing items on the frame.

Cheers!

John

[trevinoz]

John,
              It's very strange that your frame does not have cast front engine mounting lugs.
EA7 should have them.
 Trev.

[Brian]

I have just had a really carefull look at the top mounts Trev and I reckon they are cast mounts but the casting part that goes around the front of the tube has been ground off. Enlarge the photo and look carefully at the left mount.

[Two Alpha]

Is it possible that they are just blended in with bondo?

We'll have a better idea once I get the whole thing blasted down to metal.

[Two Alpha]

The lugs are there, just blended in with bondo.  It's not easy to see in the pictures I've posted so far, obvious when looking at the real thing though.

[Two Alpha]

Where does the time go?

I haven't really made any further progress on the existing pile of parts, all is not lost however as I have managed to round up another pile of parts! There's a bit of overlap between the two piles but I believe there has been some reduction in the total number of parts still needed. Frame number is CA7 8189, 1955 (incorrect, see reply #36).

[Two Alpha]

Here's a few more...

[Two Alpha]

and the rest.

[muskrat]

Good things come to those that wait. You'll be on it in no time.
Cheers

[chaterlea25]

Hi John,
Nice find,
Are you sure its CA7?
The wheels are the late type 1958 onwards ??

Hmmmmm?

HTH
John O R

[trevinoz]

The new frame can't be a CA7 as it has a sidecar lug in the LH loop.
Centre stand is a later cast type which has different mountings to that on a CA7.
Possibly early GA7 or FA7 with a bit of creative work.
No brake lever mount hole through the frame either.

   Trev

[Two Alpha]

You guys are good!
My eyes told me CA7, a closer look using a magnifying glass says GA7. It's difficult to discern, even when looking right at the real thing.
Looks like this one's a 1960, not 1955.