Catalogue of steam engines, vintage & classic tractors ... - Cheffins

MOTORCYCLES
945 1936 600cc Ariel Square Four 4F/6
Reg. No. CXL 772
Frame No. 11249 Engine No. XB351
First registered on the 7th April 1936, CXL
772 was purchased from Pride & Clarke’s
famed dealership sometime in 1938 having
hung around in the showroom according to
family memory. The purchaser, a lifelong
engineer employee at Muirhead Ltd and the
son of the seller of the PV (Perfectly
Vibrationless) Motorcycle, clearly had a
genetic and professional bent toward technical
excellence as represented by the Ariel
Square Four on its debut. Used as regular
ride to work transport, the hostilities of
WW11 saw the Ariel climbing to the top of
the hill at Petts Wood, on a nightly basis, to
man the local Anti Aircraft unit. With the
passing of time a young family arrived and
in order to accommodate the son and heir a
sidecar was added shortly after the birth in
1949, the accompanying image shows the
machine and youthful passenger in 1958.
1959 coincided with the arrival of the first
family car and the last entry in the buff logbook,
the Squariel appears to have then
been consigned to the shed, out of sight
but firmly in mind. Age soon began to take
its toll until, in the mid 1980’s, the owner’s
son (the vendor) decided that Dad’s bike
should be restored for him. The work was
carried out with professional help and practicality
in mind and so included a complete
rewire and the use of stainless steel and
Allen bolts. Restored to a treasured family
heirloom, sadly CXL 772, now a solo unit,
never saw action again and has remained
garage bound with just the occasional start
up. Now passed on to the second generation
the Ariel is to be offered for sale for
only the second time in its 72 year life due
to an imminent family move to the West
Country. Pleasantly mellowed, the Ariel
started first kick on inspection having had a
fresh batch of petrol added and would not
require much in the way of re-commissioning
for immediate use nor indeed, for
returning to factory specification. Supplied
with a buff logbook covering the period
1952 – 1959, a 1959 tax disc, a quantity of
spares, petrol ration book, a current V5C
and nearly three quarters of a century of
loving family ownership in the same area.
EEssttiimmaattee ££88,,000000 -- ££1100,,000000
20
946 1952/61 500cc Norton Manx Special
Reg. No. 884 PBB
Frame No. 1496500
Engine No. G11M2/46932
This is probably the ultimate in period road
legal Norton’s, conceived over 25 years ago,
this special was constructed during the early
1980’s by Frank Bennett utilising a 1952
Manx 500cc long stroke engine in a specifically
modified 1961 slimline featherbed
frame with a 1961 Dominator 99 gearbox.
The project was approached with military
precision and the build file is a complete joy
to behold, each stage is detailed with drawings,
calculations and lengthy correspondence
with various specialists. Indeed Mr
Bennett and the legendary Ray Petty seem
to have struck up quite a relationship during
the course of the build, the file details
every nut and bolt and every decision taken
and shows in great detail every internal
modification made. Mr Bennett’s vision
clearly came to fruition as a run of tax discs
between 1986 and 1998 show that the
Norton was constantly on the road. It
appears that the Manx moved on from its
creator around 1992 to a local collector
who kept it for the next 14 years before it
changed hands to the current custodian in
2006. Purchased with the idea of being a
feature in the living room, some aesthetic
improvements were made. An original
Manx conical hub was sourced from France
along with the correct Manx front forks
from Andy Molnar, the lighting set was
removed and a period type screen fitted. A
pair of racing side plates were fitted partly
in order to disguise the car type oil filter,
the seat unit was changed to a more serious
racing type unit and an Amal GP carb’
was put in place of the Amal Mk2 concentric
that had been in use. All the parts
removed have been retained and will be
offered with the Norton. The living room
centre piece idea has since been vetoed by
influential members of the family and the
Slimline Manx Special is now offered for
sale. It has not turned a cog whilst in the
current custodianship and the last tax disc is
dated 1998 as is the last MOT certificate,
therefore some re-commissioning for road
use will be required.A unique machine and
a beautiful one, offered with paddock
stand, spares, and full and comprehensive
documentation.
EEssttiimmaattee ££1100,,000000 -- ££1122,,000000