Unidentified Villiers lightweight

[cardan]

I've been asked to identify the bike in the photos. I suppose it's one of those things that is later than it looks - in particular it sports a Bantam-like D-shaped speedo that looks pretty original in the way that it mounts, but is coupled to an external drive on the front hub.

The engine unit has number 351/1287, but the frame number is hard to read: it seems to start with a B, but scraping would be required to get it accurately.

The bike is in Adelaide, South Australia, where it was last registered (curiously as INV CHAIR - Invalid Chair?) in 1960. It is probably available if anyone is interested.

Cheers

Leon

[R]

ACME ? - by Bennett and Wood in Sydney.

http://www.ozebook.com/acme.jpg

Tough to find a pic of a real bike that matches this - the details seem to vary with each different bike. Maybe this bike matches it !!

Is it possible to get a detail close-up of that speedo drive setup.
Looks interesting.

[cardan]

Thanks R. Yes Acme is a possibility - there are many similarities. On the left petrol tank there is an outline of what could be an Acme "wing" transfer, but then on the right tank panel there is just a round outline.

I have a shed full of Australian motorcycles, but I confess Acme is a bit modern to capture my interest. I assume that the Acme bikes were built by a British firm for Bennett and Wood in Sydney - do we know who built them?

Attached is an extract from a B&W flier for the Wasp - the predecessor to the Acme (quite different - built by someone else?). Is this the same Villiers power unit as the unidentified bike?

I'll look for a better photo of the "vintage" speedo drive.

Leon

[esometisse]

the engine appears to be a 122cc Villiers 9D unit which was produced from 1939 to 1948.
From the look of the side cover and carb I would date it  post-war, say 1946/1948.
Can't help with the engine and frame numbers, though.

Cheers
Andy

[rogerwilko]

Cute enough thing. Pity they didn't fit one of those nice little fourstroke 150cc New Imperial motors in it though!

[R]

You had to buy a New Imp to get a New Imp motor.
Funny about that !!
Would have brought down the whole Villiers empire otherwise...

Bennett and Wood were a BIG wholesaler, they would probably have bought quite a bunch of engines, lasted well beyond whenever they bought them, past 1948...

Did I see that Bennett and Wood were assembling bicycles, and a number of sources quote B&W assembling the Acme in Sydney, so who knows. They don't seem to be exactly like anything else. Wonder who pressed out that tank ?
See what d33 says. ?

See what these guys come up with ?
http://www.fullnoise.com.au/newsR/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_full&news_id=10217&Ntitle=General:%20Yuille%20time-team%20winners%20ready%20to%20begin%20work%20on%20ACME&cfid=1481098&cftoken=33315022&dts=55201137316

[cardan]

Speedo drive detail as requested. Very "vintage", particularly if the bike is post war.

I had a flip through some Acme stuff last night - I suppose that is what we are looking at. One of the nicest features of the bike is the tear-drop mufflers with lovely fish-tails; I've still to find these on an Acme illustration. No doubt something will come up. Years ago a friend had a pile of NOS Acme tank transfers in a draw in his shed. Perhaps I'd better see if they're still there.

Leon

[R]

Thanks for the speedo drive pic Leon.
Still not entirely obvious what is holding it there... ?

Fishtails are evident, but a bit faint.
http://www.ozebook.com/acme.jpg
http://www.cybermotorcycle.com/gallery/classics_a/Acme_125_Australia.htm

Go inside the rear stand.

Cheers.

[R]

P.S. there is a nicely restored and almost identical Acme just down the page on this very website.

At this rate, be able to have an Acme convention....

[cardan]

Well spotted! http://www.classicmotorcycleforum.com/index.php?topic=3602.msg12272

So Acme it is, and post war too! Thanks everyone.

Leon