Help identifying bike frame

[Rhankin]

Hey guys,

Was wondering if anyone could help me identify this bike frame. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[cardan]

Nice frame, rotten photos! I think you'll find it's one of the road-going cammy Velocettes from the 1930s: http://www.velocetteowners.com/catalogues/cataloges/1930s_cat.html

Cheers

Leon

[33d6]

For future reference the frame number is usually helpful in identification as well. Very few motorcycles were built without a frame number, Indian spring to mind here, but usually some person or club can accurately identify and date a frame by the number alone
You also need to remember authorities want a clear frame number before they will provide the necessary papers to get the thing back on the road.
Cheers,

[Rhankin]

Cheers guys. I do have a number but up to now, I’ve been unable to find any information on it. I’m not sure if it’s a frame number or something else. Hopefully I’ll be able to research a bit about velocette and find out what it is. Really appreciate.

[cardan]

Velo frame numbers are reasonably well known - happy to look it up if you like, but I can't do it if I don't know it. 95% of British frame numbers are stamped on the seat lug or the steering head.

Leon

[cardan]

https://www.yesterdays.nl/product/velocette-1930-kss-350cc-1-cyl-ohc-2603/

Interesting to compare lugs, and even the battery platform. Not sure how long the twin front down tubes lasted - maybe 1933-4 or so.

Best for Christmas,

Leon

[Rhankin]

All I’ve been able to find is KT 1440. Not sure if this is a frame number or not.

Thank you for the help. All the best yourself mate.

[cardan]

Sure to be the frame number, but you're going to have to contact the Velocette Owners' Club to verify what I am about to say.

I have a number of Velocette books, including Ivan Rhodes' "Technical Excellence Exemplified". In the back it has a table of engine, frame and gearbox numbers with invoice dates.

Under a sub-heading that says "Larger percentage of KSS, KS, KT, KE plus odd KES" (presumably in the works records at the time) it has frame number 1436 for Dec. 1927, and 1461 for Jan. 1928, so let me guess your frame KT1440 is from a model KT of 1928. Manufacturers started making "next year's model" in August/Sept the previous year. That said, Rhodes lists various frame prefixes, but "KT" is not among them.

Anyway, the dating table is somewhat cryptic. There is a bunch of 1xxx frame numbers in 1931-2 (looks like a mass typo to me), and also the short-lived 1930 model KTP had its own frame number series, starting at 1, but it doesn't look like that got as high as 1400.

I reckon 1928, but better check with an expert!

Cheers

Leon