Author Topic: 1955 Excelsior, but what model?  (Read 4401 times)

Offline oxford_rebel

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1955 Excelsior, but what model?
« on: November 06, 2009, 05:15:15 PM »
Hello forum,
As it seems there is a wealth of knowledge on Excelsiors on this forum, I hope you don't mind my joining the bandwagon and asking for any information on my recent purchase.
We picked up our Excelsior at Dorset Steam Fair as a small pile of bits, not even knowing the make or model. The attached picture is of what we got when it was all roughly placed together.
We have done a fair amount of research since.
- We tracked the registration down to a dealership in Barnet, Hertfordshire. Issued in 1955. We have the first owners name and address but little else.
- After a lot of google image searching we think it to be a Roadmaster. So we have purchased a '55 Villiers 8e to go in it.
- We are now upto about 85% of the parts needed to rebuild it, although some are not quite correct, but as close as we can reasonably find.
I would be interested if anyone can shed any light on the frame number, I had thought that no records of Excelsior frame numbers existed, untill I saw other posts on this forum. The number appears to be: 5pc/625 although I could easily believe I have misread it. We haven't stripped the frame yet. Is it a Roadmaster or one of the manyother models they made at the time?
Any help would be appreciated.
Regards,
Ian

Offline Blue

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Re: 1955 Excelsior, but what model?
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2009, 11:29:47 AM »
The prefix '5PC' indicates that this is an Excelsior C3 'Courier', powered by a 147cc two-stroke motor manufactured by Excelsior themselves, not Villiers.  The frame is the same as that used for the 197cc Villiers-powered Roadmaster, but I don't know if the mounting lugs are the same - i.e. it's possible the Villiers motor can't be fitted into your frame.

Good luck,
Blue

Offline oxford_rebel

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Re: 1955 Excelsior, but what model?
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2009, 11:47:02 AM »
Thanks Blue,
At least we know what it started out life as now. That had been bugging me for a while!
The 8e does fit, but will need some plates making to match the mounts up, so I suspect you are right about the lugs being different.
It was always likely to end up a bit of a bitsa, so unless an excelsior 147cc engine turns up in good nick, I think we are now rebuilding a Courier-Master!
Do you now if the mudguards would have been common to the roadmaster and Courier? Any idea what sort of speedo it would have had?
Thaks for your help.
Ian