ariel sq four POB 568

[wetdog]

ariel sq four 1954 registration POB 568 any info reguards this bike welcome thanks

[wetdog]

this bike went to shuffel bottoms ? in birmingham any info still req thanks

[wetdog]

frame now stripped , next to the frame numbers  the letters and "&" figures are stamped  "M&B"
does this mean any thing to anyone ? 

[yebbut]

M&B will be the firm that cast the lugs

[wetdog]

do you know what the firms name was ? did ariel not do there own castings , the seat lug has a cast in number which starts ET also the piston number cast starts ET

[yebbut]

No idea; most firms subbed out things like raw castings.

why does it matter?

Something like Kellys directory of the 1950s might be a starting place to look.

[R]

M&B also did the castings for Nortons.

Very few motorcycle firms were big enough that they had their own foundries - keeping a small army of very specialized workers employed all the time and the furnaces running day and night to make them pay just didn't make sense unless the motorcycle output was vast.

BSA may have been big enough ? Although it would have been shared with other groups manufacturing schedules ?

The tell-tale is if the factory had a big tall chimney in the factory photo. ??

[wetdog]

why does it matter
I was hopping it might be somones initials , still trying to trace the history of this bike and only have dispatch records so far thanks ..ps head has CF stamped on it top of inlet manifold

[Rex]

My '37 Empire Star has M&B on some of the lugs too.

Those foundries could knock them out literally  for pennies...

As for dear old POB, it probably went for landfill 45 years ago.

[wetdog]

"As for dear old POB, it probably went for landfill 45 years ago"
 no its in my garage now , just started this one and would like more history , would love to know who customised it and when , will be back on the road in about a month

[Rex]

Ah well, that's good to know it survived.
How has it been customised then?

[wetdog]

real  70s style , standard bike , high bars , s7 rear cut down guard , and a high sissy bar . must have taken a day , some blow , and about 8  newcastle brown , a real blast from the past for me , and makes me smile every time i look at it , infact i intend leaving as it is just to see if anyone knows the bike when i take it out , just waiting for cam followers from dragonfly , should be on the road very soon .

[Rex]

Just make sure you're wearing a pair of Levi Baggies and a purple tank-top when you ride it...

{That Easy Rider shite has a lot to answer for... }

[johnnyboy-wonder57]

BSA did have their own foundry, before it went "titsup", it was composed of  I believe, 67 different companies under the BSA umbrella, share-holders & politicians eh! They  would sell their own Grandma's if there was a market for the old girls!

Well most would !
See if your bike was featured in a mag, like easy rider, or back Street heroes or my favourite the Mark Williams,  Mike Nicks era of BIKE magazine of the 70s.

Cheers

John


JBW


JBW

[wetdog]

dont think anyone would print a pic of this , it is that bad , the sissi bar must add a good 20lb to a alredy heavy bike , the seat looks orgional even has road master brass badge on the back