Author Topic: Tank Badges  (Read 1715 times)

Offline Cider1

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Tank Badges
« on: 20.02. 2009 09:03 »
Hi
Can anyone help me please.  I'm trying to find information about the round plastic tank badges?
The info I'm after is regarding the colour. I have a copy of an american sales brochure for the 1958 range and it states that there is "a new red and gold" tank badge. They show pictures of it where the centre of the badge around the rifles is red as opposed to the standard gold/cream and the surrounding part is gold.  The 1959 brochure shows the usual gold/cream centered badge with the red surround.
 
My question is, was this badge just on export models or was it on home sales as well?

Thanks
Frank

Online bsa-bill

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Re: Tank Badges
« Reply #1 on: 20.02. 2009 11:26 »
Hi Cider1
I think you might be looking at Gold star badges which wont fit an A10 tank being a bit bigger (4") although there may be a 3" available.
Suggest you google for classic badges or something similar , there used to be a company called something like " The classic badge Company" but I can't find them now, however new badges are available so some one must make them,
Try the trusted traders  such as Burton bike bits and any of the others they might be able to send you in the right diretioc if they cannot supply themeselves

All the best - Bill
All the best - Bill
1961 Flash - stock, reliable, steady, fantastic for shopping
1959 Rocket Gold Flash - blinged and tarted up  would have seizure if taken to  Tesco

Offline tombeau

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Re: Tank Badges
« Reply #2 on: 20.02. 2009 11:59 »
If you simply must have a set, the badges are clear plastic with the painting done on the inside, they could be stripped and repainted any colour you want. I believe hobby and model shops sell paint stripper which wont affect plastics or resins.
Cheers,
Iain

Offline Cider1

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Re: Tank Badges
« Reply #3 on: 20.02. 2009 12:04 »
Hi Bill
Thanks for the replies.
I have just acquired original NOS ones and am trying to find some history of  to what they were fitted.

The badge I'm referring to looks just like the standard round tank badge with the piled rifles but the colours are different.
There is a photograph of one at this link:

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/9472/errol_franks_58a10sr.html


I'll post a photo later then you can compare to a "standard" one.

Frank

Offline Beezageezauk

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Re: Tank Badges
« Reply #4 on: 20.02. 2009 19:26 »
Hello Frank, 

I have often seen the tank badges that you describe but never thought about checking them out to see what models they were originally fitted to.  Tank badges often get changed during rebuilds so when you see a nicely restored bike how do you know if it has the correct tank badges fitted?

Having just referred to Roy Bacons "BSA Twin Restoration" book (that many folk treat as the bible and prayer book) I find that he doesn't go into detail regarding the different colour orientations of the various badges.  However, on pages 17 & 18 there are factory pictures of a 1958 Super Rocket and a 1959 Golden Flash.  Now these images are in black and white but it is obvious by the outer part of the badge being lighter than the inner that both of these models have the badges that you are referring to.  They are also comparable to the '58 Super Rocket shown in your link.

I hope that this helps.

Now everyone on the forum is going to think that I am a rivet counter!!  I'm not really....but I do like to see a job done properly.  On saying that I have a '58 A10 with a B31 tank and twin leader front brake and a '59 A10 with the "Police Tank" fitted.


Beezageezauk.

 

Offline BSA_54A10

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Re: Tank Badges
« Reply #5 on: 20.02. 2009 21:04 »
They were fitted to rockets and M21's.
Both the UK & general export and the US West coast catalogues show them but then again what is shown in the catalogue ( made a full year before the production bikes) and what got fitted to the actual production bikes ( as different to the pre production showroom bikes) can be two totally different things.
Bike Beesa
Trevor

Offline tombeau

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Re: Tank Badges
« Reply #6 on: 20.02. 2009 21:36 »
There's a picture in Bacon's "BSA Twin Restoration "that always makes me smile; it shows a tank badge and is captioned

"one of many tank badges used by BSA over the years" 

A better caption might have been.
"This picture helps fill  the page, but I have nothing of any worth to say about it."

...maybe I'm being unkind. There is a lot of useful information in that book.

Cheers,

Iain

Offline BSA_54A10

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Re: Tank Badges
« Reply #7 on: 21.02. 2009 10:59 »
Yes but only in the tables at the back and even then you have to double check as there are mistakes in there as well.
Bike Beesa
Trevor