1951 A10 Plunger, progress so far.

[anita]

Hi all, Bob and I've owned our A10 plunger's 1 week today.  Bought from Ebay and a 400 mile round trip to collect.  We knew and I can say that everything's not as good as it looks.

My bike had barrels on to make it look tidy but they are A7, on top of that the engine is virtually just cases with no Barrels, Crank shaft, Pistons, Conrods or Cam Shaft.  So I'm really not expecting it on the road this year.  But I've made a start.  With Bob's instruction and assistance I stripped the bike down last Sunday and the frame has been powder coated black this week.  Now I have realised that the frame is a little odd since it returned, there does not appear to be any where to put a stand.  It doesn't look like its been altered underneath and I wondered if anyone had come across a frame like this before.


I'm keeping it all nice a safe from harm in the house, Bob's garage is a bit cluttered.


I wanted to do a bit more today and decided to strip the tank, I did not want it silver.  What a nice surprise, under the silver, vivid orange and very thick primer I have a chrome tank.  Its not good enough to stand unpainted due to scratches on the top but I'm very pleased to say that I've got the original panel areas marked where the paint was and I'm going to try and use these in some way.







So now I don't know what to do about the tank.  I'll just have to have a good think about it, but it definitely won't be orange again.  Oh! do I look into re chroming, sound a bit pricey to me!

Anita

[MG]

Hi Anita and welcome! Nice to have a lady member on board.

I can't say much about the plunger frames unfortunately, as I've never had one myself. But there's a lot of experts here, so I'm sure someone will be able to help.
There has however been a centre stand contraption on the first A7s with a spring and ratchet mechanism in the seat tube. Don't know whether this would apply to your frame as well?
Have you checked the engine and frame numbers? Maybe what you've got there is an old longstroke A7?

As for the tank: I would definitely consider having it rechromed. It is quite pricey, but nothing beats a good, solid, original tank and the chrome enhances the overall look of the bike immensely.

Best wishes from Austria, Markus

[Rusty nuts]

Looks like a longstroke plunger frame. As MG says frame no would help.
Is not early '47 with ratchet stand as these were all rigid one piece frames as opposed to later bolt up rigid & plunger as is the case with yours.
centre stand lugs must have been ground off at some stage.
I have an early rigid which originally had ratchet (deathtrap)centre stand.
I just use a universal bolt on side stand & jack it up when I need to remove rear/adjust chain.
Considered having lugs made up & welded on & sourcing plunger centre stand ( as well as a few wackier ideas!) but too costly for the use it would get.

If you go the sidestand route, positioning is critical as there is only a small area between sump plate & primary chain adjuster that it will fit without fouling.

Cheers

Rusty

[bsa-bill]

Hi Anita - that tank looks to be in good condition, would probably chrome just fine but as you say it is pricey
Good luck with it plenty to keep you busy

[Brian]

Hello Anita and welcome to the forum.

Your bike has been built up from parts spanning many years but fortunately with BSA's thats not a problem as just about everything will fit with a bit of work. Your frame is from 1949 or 50 and would have originally had a "longstroke" 500cc fitted. Its common for the centrestand to be missing. On these frames the stand bolts to a piece that fits up into the tube that runs down from the seat. They must have been fragile from the start as its common for them to be either broken or missing. It is possible to fabricate this section, I had to, but it is a lot of work. You could just live with a sidestand or look for another later type frame. The later plunger frames have the lugs for the centrestand cast as part of the frame.

As for the tank that comes down to money, the chrome tanks look nice but chroming is expensive. If you can afford it get the tank chromed, if not, paint it.

As your bike has parts from a lot of years I would recommend you dont get any more parts powdercoated or painted until you have roughly assembled the bike with all the parts you intend to use, you may find other lugs missing or in the wrong place so may have to do some welding/grinding etc which will ruin your paint.

Good luck.

[terryk]

Hi Anita, your rear mudguard looks to be from a swing arm bike. You may be happy with it and thats ok. The correct guard if you want to find one would be a hinged type similar to this one in the pic. I think this one is for a single but A10 ones are fairly similar. Unfortunately they are hard to find but you may be lucky. Some companies like Burtons are reproducing them.

[anita]

Yes, having looked chroming looks beyond our current budget, what we've got won't go to the ends of the earth with two bikes to sort out.  So were having a test spray with black around the original markings and over the worst of the scratches on the top leaving some chrome showing where its at its best.  It won't look perfect but I can give it full marks as it will be 59 years old in November and its practically got no dints, just 2 little dimples.

Bob's bike looks worse but has a good rebuilt engine that will save a lot of trouble.  Talking of engines, we had an early start to day at Newark Showground and I can report the following, all accurate descriptions and information care of Bob.  I've now got a crankshaft .020" in good condition, Standard Bore Barrels, a Cylinder head complete with valves and con rods, as you will probably guess they came from opposite ends of the autojumble and while it cost a little more to get in early it was definitely a good search result.  Bob has a nice used but good condition sprung saddle for his bike I couldn't claim it for mine as he spotted it first as he's likely to be riding his bike before mine's ready I guess its only fare he's got the first saddle.

Both our bikes look like a good mixture of parts, I'm going to keep the deep mudguards and chunkier cylinder head and barrels where as Bob is going for the thinner items.  So I'm keeping the headlamp arrangement as the original pictures and Bob is having a less bulky set up.  Bob was fancying a split back mud guard and the one from Burtons is just the ticket for his bike so many thanks for the info. 

My frame number, not quite in full, is ZA7S.270.., hope no one minds but Bob's not keen on me stating the whole numbers.

Anita

[trickytree]

Anita, did you see the A7 plunger at 2 grand? Solid and original, not bad at todays prices I thought.

[anita]

Yes, I did, I thought what a big bike it looked, I don't know why but it seemed enormous next to mine, which is definitely smaller than my Enfield.  Yes the price wasn't bad but that's why we didn't buy 2 runners, we just couldn't have afforded it.  There where hardly any A10 bits there, but having said that there where hardly any british bike bits there either, except for Bantam stuff. I learnt to ride on a 1952 D1 and Bob says that they were that common he's now fancying a 175cc.  

We've had a test spray and I think I'm going to be able to make the best of what chrome is usable, it won't be everyone's cup of tea but here a picture if you wanted to look





Not only will I have to line the actually area's for Bob to spray on the proper run but then we think I'm going to gold line around the black and one or two other places on the bike because I've nicked his badges and filler cap and am refusing to give them back.

[LJ.]

Well I missed you both then! and certainly missed the A7 plunger for 2K. I was on my M21 today and parked besides an old 1924 BSA three wheeler car you might have seen. The test spray on tank looks good and although not too expensive there is a good reasonable priced chromer up in Hull, had my tank done by them for £150 was well pleased.

[RichardL]

Anita,

Comes a time for personal opinions, I suppose. It appears to me that in none of the photos you've shown of the tank does the chrome actually appear bright. If the area of chrome you are leaving exposed can, in fact, be polished bright, then I think the custom painted areas will look good. If the exposed chrome does not polish bright, in my opinion, repeat "OPINION", ththen the tank would look better just painted. Else, break loose the cash for the dent repair and chrome.

Incidentally, you are making enviable progress on your bike since first joining the fourm.   

Richard L.

[anita]

LJ I think we had left before you arrived, we were very early and the show bikes etc had not lined up, there was a 3 wheeler BSA car at the South Derbyshire camp, I wonder if it was the same one.  As Hulls not to far from us, could you tell me which place you used for your tank.

Richard  thanks for your personal opinion, I mind none by anyone.  My bike has to be as I like it and it won't be properly historically accurate,  this means that a lot of other people probably wont like it but this way I will enjoy my time with it much more and as I will have 2 bikes I may choose to ride it more as a result. Constructive criticism never hurts.

As there is so much money/time to spend on this bike, can I confess to a name for him, Albert is going to become quite an expensive proposition.  With Bob's new bike as well and the fact that we both already have a bike each to keep roadworthy as well as an old car our money will have to be spread about as best as we can.  No the chroming's not brilliant but it will be acceptable to me as a temporary compromise.  I wish to put quite a bit of stainless on this bike as I'm not good at polishing but don't mind washing.  The cost of chroming the tank will pay for a wheel and spokes and I need two of these and endless other bits.  I guess its just a practical decision for the time being and something that can be done at a later date without affecting the usability of the bike.  The re chroming could be something that I do over winter next year while I ride my Enfield though the yuck that is bound to happen.

I never mind anyone else's comments, after all you've all got these bikes already and will have tried lots of things I've not even thought about yet.

Progress may well slow for a while through August, after all we've 2 BSA owner club camp's to attend sso we might see some of you at one of these.

Anita

[trickytree]

When I built my A65 bobber I realised there simply wouldnt be enough money for a pro paint job so I spent what I had where it mattered most. I did all the paint myself with rattle cans...If i had paid for decent paintwork the bike would be in the garage now and another summer would pass by.

[RichardL]

For the record, no problem here regarding the non-standard distribution of paint vs. chrome, after all, you see no chrome on my not-stock-for-the-bke tank.

Richard L.

[LJ.]

Anita... The chrome firm is called Quality Chrome, website address is.... http://www.qualitychrome.co.uk/index.asp

The three wheeler BSA was indeed at the South Derbyshire camp and belongs to Sloperman Pete in Lincoln, a great chap if you should both meet him.