Royal Enfield 1930s? rustoration help needed idetifying exact model

[oliverb]

First of all Hello, my name is Oliver and thank you for accepting me to this forum, I'm looking for some info regarding this Royal Enfield I would like to purchase and restore, however I'm not sure of the exact model, I'm having trouble matching that engine shape to other RE online, can anyone help me identify this? Any help much appreciated.

[iansoady]

Flying Flea?

[TGR90B]

That reg. was issued in Aberdeen between Aug. '39 and Oct. '46.

[oliverb]

Thanks iansoady & TGR90B,

I'm thinking it could be a Flying Flea (first image) but I see a small difference in the chassis shape between both, I'm also thinking it looks like the 1937 225cc (two stroke) (second image), however seller says that it's a 4 stroke engine, just wondering if there has been a modification of some kind.

A bit difficult with the images they have provided, I have requested more images to the seller.

Thanks again.

[mini-me]

Flying Flea was the WD two stroke, not  a sidevalve. I am not even sure that bike is even a Royal Enfield Google 1936 Royal Enfield 250 to see very obvious differences, because 1936 is about its date.
If it is RE it would have been a  very mediocre bike indeed, be very careful what you pay for this basket case, it's not worth the expense.

The brown thing in the top photo is a fake.

this is the real thing

[oliverb]

Hi mini-me,

Thanks for pointing out the fake, I'm a bit new in the classic bikes world, I was wondering myself if it was a RE at all, I'm being told this by the person selling it, if not a RE what the heck is it?

I'm not paying much to be honest but I'm not looking for a headache bike restoration project that's going to be very hard to find bits for, that's why I'm after the exact model or Make and Model.

[mini-me]

As someone who has wasted enough cash on duds over the last 55 years, my sincere advice to you is don't buy this bike.

A  newcomer I would definitely advise buying a complete bike, at least that way you might get to ride it one day, whatever this one is it'll be a long term money pit.

On a headache scale, that's a really bad migraine. Could advise better if you told your budget.


That looks like a pile of copper wire scrap behind it? is it being sold from a scrap yard?

[Rex]

 I'm a bit new in the classic bikes world,

Then this probably isn't the one for you. Always try and buy something that's complete and standing on it's wheels if possible, as all the spacers, brackets and assorted doodads will (hopefully) be there.
Someone will buy this pile o' shite but it's likely to be someone who has another bigger pile o' shite at home to use as a parts source. There's not a great deal of sense in putting a lot of time and/or money into something which never will amount to much.
If you want a smaller old bike to cut your teeth on there's usually a few Bantams on Ebay, and parts and knowledge for those are readily available.

[john.k]

I cant see that the motor belongs.....nevertheless,I see a fair bit of value there .....especially if the girders and front wheel/guard are half way sound.....depends entirely on the asking........I once bought a cammy sq 4 and sidecar from a scrapyard for 5 quid,but that was a while ago.

[john.k]

might be a 1932 C model.....350cc..SV.........the other side of the motor would be handy.

[mini-me]

Enfields of that era have  oil in sump, like  all Enfields, also twin down tube frames.

The only SV engine of that era with that straight out exh port I can think of was Matchless, but  that's not a Matchless engine.

Somehow OK Supreme came into my head, they also used Albion boxes, and proprietry engines, if it's an OK it would be worth saving for its rarity value

[oliverb]

Hi to all,

Thank you mini-me, Rex & john.k for the advice, you are right about not investing in a dead end project, I'm not really afraid of the restoration process, in fact it's something me and my old man are good at, when I said I'm new to the classic bikes I meant the 1930s ones, as I know that rarity means no pieces available and this would be my headache, I'm informed that there are a couple pieces missing on the engine of this bike, this is the reason I'm looking for the exact make and model to do some research and see how rare this bike is, I would love to sand blast it and do the work to bring it up to good state but if it's a rare bike with no pieces available it will be a no no for me, hence why I'm asking around, I have other people of facebook saying that it's not a RE but they are not able to say what it is either... I think I will have to give a pass on this after all.

Here are some pictures of a Guzzi Airone 250 that me and Dad just finished (It was a garage find in Milan and it was complete except for some rubbers that I ordered in Italy):

Thank you all for your feedback, it's much appreciated

[R]

Very nice.

A view of the other side of that motor would be helpful.
The cycle parts do look a bit Enfield, especially the forks.

Which means there were once lots of them about.
A lot of the smaller parts for pre/war Enfields appear on fleabay now and them,
although often without the sellers knowing quite what they are....
Everything is shown in the parts books, so with that in hand it is possible to leap in ahead of the hordes.

[john.k]

The 1932 Mod C didnt have an oil sump....it was total loss .....But as mentioned a view of the timing side of the motor would be helpfull.

[mini-me]

This one had a sump