The BSA A7-A10 Forum
Bikes, Pictures, Stories & more => Introductions, Stories, Meetings & Pictures => Topic started by: Flash Chris on 17.02. 2026 08:17
-
Hi folks, I have a 1950 A10 plunger, bought (second hand) by my grandad in 1959, passed on to my father in the late 60s and unfortunately laid up with mechanical woes since the mid/late 70s. I know, a long time!
Fast forward to the 2020s and it’s now in my possession (for the last 3 years) for a full restoration. It’s a slow and at times frustrating process but I know when it’s up and running and living its best life as a working man’s bike again, it (and me) will be happy.
These photos are the bike as it was when dragged from the depths of my mum’s garage into the light of day!
-
I produced this video after restoring my 1955 GS.
https://youtu.be/nrOfq1O-gV8?feature=shared
-
I produced this video after restoring my 1955 GS.
https://youtu.be/nrOfq1O-gV8?feature=shared
Nice video, I’d thought of doing something like that when my build is complete. That isn’t the Malvern hills at the end is it?
-
Chris,
Welcome to the forum! *welcome* That’s a great project you have ahead. Are you experienced with working on motorcycles or cars, or just jumping in with both feet? I assume you are experienced, but either way is fine. Plenty of help to be had here. I assure you, we are all pleased when a bike like this emerges to get a new life and a happy owner/builder. If you post a lot of photos as you go, we will be in for a good ride before the ride.
Richard L.
-
Chris,
Welcome to the forum! *welcome* That’s a great project you have ahead. Are you experienced with working on motorcycles or cars, or just jumping in with both feet? I assume you are experienced, but either way is fine. Plenty of help to be had here. I assure you, we are all pleased when a bike like this emerges to get a new life and a happy owner/builder. If you post a lot of photos as you go, we will be in for a good ride before the ride.
Richard L.
Thanks Richard. I have a fair amount of experience working on vehicles, mostly bikes over the last 40 years, in an amateur capacity! It’s also a continual learning curve too, which is great, as there’s things about the beezer and its design that I’ve never come across before! Which sometimes isn’t so great but you learn to work with what you’ve got and don’t ask “why? oh sweet lord, why?!” too many times.
-
G'day Chris *welcome*
Great project mate. Good to see it's been handed down 3 generations.
Very similar condition to my 51 A7 when she was dragged out of the chook shed after 15 years.
Cheers
-
Welcome along. Looks a good project, with a bit of history and personal connection.
I suspect the original failure will be in the crankshaft assembly..... These early engines have poor oil supply to the drive side big end, and the narrow oil way across the crank becomes filled with an oily sludge and it all comes to a stop, sometimes with truly spectacular results. See the pictures posted under Great Mechanical Disasters. Well documented on the forum, attending to this is probably the most important aspect of any engine rebuild.
From the pictures the front brake torque arm looks as if it only has one hole at the fork end.... So a homespun part? Pistons look flat top, so maybe not original, OE were low compression. Count the teeth on rear sprocket... 49 teeth on sidecar bike, makes it under geared. 42 teeth on A10 Solo.
As for parts, new repro bits are fraught with problems as in many cases the quality control is poor. At least used parts fitted in the factory, and there is some satisfaction in giving a used component a new lease of life.
These early bikes use BSW threads into Alloy. Majority of other fasteners are BSCy ("Cycle Thread") also known as CEI, which though looking like it are NOT the same as UNF. Some BSF are also used, but as an aid there is a useful nut and bolt chart in the Forum Literature Section, cross referencing fixing part numbers with thread size.
Swarfy
-
welcome from Canada ....you will now need a secret bank account so the wife doesn *smiley4*t know the true cost of the rebuild
-
Welcome, great to take on such a project. Looking forward to some posts as it advances.
-
Nice video, I’d thought of doing something like that when my build is complete. That isn’t the Malvern hills at the end is it?
Yes, I lived in Great Malvern at the time 👍
-
Yes, I lived in Great Malvern at the time 👍
Thought so. I grew up in Malvern. Now living in the north of Scotland. As a rebellious teen I couldn’t wait to leave. Now I’d like to move back. Some great biking roads around Malvern but then again the Highlands have some of the best roads too.
mod edit. Split topic so the refurb has it's own story