Author Topic: excelsior  (Read 4429 times)

Offline PAUL

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excelsior
« on: May 30, 2007, 07:16:54 PM »
hello to everyone recently found this site and also have become the owner of an excelsior  .have an old program from the motor cycle show at earls court around nov 10 1938 .according to this publication this bike is dated  around this era but i am not sure exactly .it is a twin port exhaust two stoke that the ports exit from the back pf the engine similar to the bike shown in the publication .i have tried via the web to identify the villiers engine by number but alas have yet to find the info i can supply an engine number for both the engine and frame of the cycle  which are AA5480 engine and Ho 748 frame . I would like to obtain the orginal design for the tank decal and some colour options .I hope to faithfully reproduce it to orginal condition any help with anything to do with it would be great  thanks

Offline 33d6

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Re: excelsior
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2007, 09:28:11 PM »
The engine in your Excelsior is a standard 125cc 9D Villiers. The top half of this engine could be assembled in various ways to look a little different from all the other makers using this engine. It looks different but remains absolutely standard.

Transfers are available from either Classic Transfers or the English Vintage Motor Cycle Club who can also supply copies of catalogues, handbooks,etc.  Often you will find the handbook for prewar lightweights like this aren't very helpful and in that case you get yourself a separate Villiers handbook for the 9D engine. The VMCC can provide that also.

The 9D unit was used by many different manufacturers and are quite easy to find parts for. This is not a fast bike. 40mph (65 kph) is about it, but they are very cheap to run. Unfortunately they are also a bodgers delight which doesn't help their reliability. Play it straight and it will keep you happy for a long time.
Good luck, Bob

Offline PAUL

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Re: excelsior
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2007, 06:51:58 PM »
thanks very much Bob will post before and after photos in the near future Its a new direction for me as I have been under the cab of road trains and trucks in australia and new zealand  for 30 years so it should be a pleasant change sure beats torquing main bearing caps to 400 ftlbs on your back