classic motorcycle forum
Motorcycle Discussions => Identify these bikes! => Topic started by: JFerg on October 06, 2020, 11:16:04 PM
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This is close to the last item from a deceased estate I am clearing. It's a lovely tank, but what's it from? Nicely made, with the bottom edges rounded to roll under, it looks European; but the threads are all Imperial, so I guess it's British. It has (or had) a hand auxiliary pump. That makes it a very early saddle tank, 1925 or 1926. Best suggestion I've had is OEC, and it could be; but all I can find on OEC is either later or so focussed on duplex steering that the tank gets neither mention nor photo. Mountings are 9" x 5 1/14".
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Doesn't look like any pictures I have of an OEC. Would it have been made in Aus during the twenties by one of our local manufacturing companies?
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That makes it a very early saddle tank, 1925 or 1926.
Hi JFerg,
I think you've got it exactly right, although I wouldn't rule out 1924. Chater Lea had a similar tank in 1924-25, but I'm not sure whether or not it had an oil tank. In fact there was a gaggle of machines with similar tanks, mostly fitted with ohv Blackburne motors: OEC-Blackburne, Rex Acme, (British) Excelsior and so on.
A side-on silhouette photo might help get the shape right.
Cheers
Leon
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Hi All
Leon,
That is the same Chater Lea model I have, but the tank is not like JFerg's
I have a lot of Chater Lea pictures and catalogs but none have an inbuilt oil tank except the 23/24 wedge tank
I posted a similar reply on the facebook post about the same tank
John
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a couple more pictures.