AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hi, yes I'm back again!
My bike is up and running now and I would like to know something about its history, the chap who sold it to me didn't know a lot about it, there were no receipts just about ten years worth of MOTs, so I thought I would try my luck here.
Its a 1959 model 14 with 42000 miles showing on the clock,I checked it out against the model 14 photograph that I found on this website and it looks to be quite original but I think that it must have been restored at sometime, or could it have gone nearly fifty years without being restored and still be looking nice?
So if one (or more) of you very kind people could point me in the right direction I would be very grateful.
Thankyou in advance.
Russell Barr.

quote

"or could it have gone nearly fifty years without being restored and still be looking nice?"

No chance
and with no other info or pics who can tell?

Itma said:
quote: No chance

Sure it could. I have one in my garage.

Michael

yeh but has it been in a box all that time

Oh, I missed that part .

Hi Russell,

Well, you could start with the Club. Write to the dating officer with your bike details, frame number, engine number and gear box number, plus the fee.

If all works well, you will get back something to the effect that your bike, Frame number 123 left the factory as an AJS or Matchless with engine number 456 and gear box ( I think) number ...and was supplied to Dealer, Joe Smith Motorcycles , Dover.

That's a start.As we are talking of 'History' you will then find out if your bike is as it came out of the factory, or you might discover that your engine is a later engine, say, 1961, simply because you can see that the engine number you have is different from what the factory records show, ( you can find engine numbers etc listed by 'year' , in some books)....... so at a later time, someone put another engine in. If it had been off the road for a while, in bits, it may have been reregistered.. the DVLA go on the Frame number for the year..but as stated above the engine and gearbox could be off other bikes. This information is useful when ordering spares as you can track down the correct spares numbers for your year of engine etc.

So that's a start to its history, which I think is interesting whatever has happened to the bike. If , on the information the Club dating officer provides you with confirms that your Frame number, engine number and gearbox number are indeed the ones that came out of the Factory and went to Dealer Smith in Dover then whether you can find out from the DVLA information about your number, whether it is original, a reregistered number and if the number identifies, say , the area around Dover..you will have to ask the DVLA.

If you would like the names of books with information in about your Model range, photocopies (book form ) of Reviews then tell me and I will list them for you.

Best wishes, Chris.

Thankyou very much Chris, I was wondering if I would get a constructive reply to my query.
Can I take you up on your kind offer of the names of information books please.
A very grateful.
Russell Barr.

Hi Russell,

There is a book,'AJS and Matchless Gold Portfolio 1945 to 1966 . It's Road tests, Performance data, History, etc, Heavyweight and Lightweight singles etc. Because it is mainly reprints of articles from period Motorcycle magazines it has interest, i think.
For your Model there is an article 'New Two- fifties from Woolwich ' Motor Cycle', 1958, which is a technical article. Then , in 1959, again 'The Motorcycle' has an article 'Hookey to the Seaside 248 cc Model 14 AJS which is an account of a days ride alongside observed characteristics of the bike. Both articles have drawings and pictures.In this book there are a further six articles for this Model range, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965 and two for 1966. Brooklands Books ISBN i -85520 -352- 9 90000 The publisher is in Surrey.

Page 5, Club parts catalogue shows some useful publications. I have got the 'Matchless and AJS restoration book by Roy Bacon...in this book there are pictures of about five bikes of your model date, 1958 / 9 either as AJS or Matchless.

In AJS and Matchless Buyers Guide ( also shown in parts catalogue ) there is a section on Lightweight Singles and you can see a Model 14 in original paintwork as shown on the front of the 1959 catalogue. The author writes about the Model range and there are pictures of some of the later bikes.

The Bacon book is good for detailed information , lots and lots plus he lists frame numbers , engine numberss ,etc. I would still use the Clubs dating service when considering your bikes initial history.

That's it then. I have not mentioned Spares lists , which you can buy..for example the 1960 Spares List has an 'exploded 'diagram of your engine which is useful.Nor have I mentined manuals.Rather I have concentrated on the picture side plus model history and in the Bacon book you get a very detailed technical get.Let me know if you want me to list the 'Spares' information
Keep us informed as you find out the 'history ' of your bike. I enjoyed my Lightweight. A good bike. Got to go out..wife is calling !
Best wishes, Chris.

Thanks a million Chris, that has given me a very good start!
Russell Barr.