Restoring the last of the series "A" Comets.

[greg brillus]

Yes that is already under way as well, but I'm not involved with that arrangement. I would say they will be somewhat more expensive than the "A" guards. I did ask about the seemingly high cost of them, but they said that they only do top quality work, resulting in guards that fit as opposed to cheaper ones that don't and take much more time to fit. I'm looking forward to seeing some of them, as I know even fitting some of the post war alloy and stainless guards can be right painful to fit and align with any success.

 

[greg brillus]

Does anyone know the normal width of the standard one inch handlebars on an "A" Comet.........?........Also I noticed on some A fuel tanks that some have two gold pinstripes and some only one where the Burgundy finishes about 10 to 12 mm bellow the seam joint on the upper sides of the tank. On some tanks I have seen another pinstripe again in gold about the same distance inboard of the seam joint. I quite like the extra gold line, but was this original or just a personal extra done by some restorers. I only ask because I am about to paint a genuine Comet tank and a replica TTR tank in alloy both in pretty much the same layout.

 

[Marcus Bowden]

Do what looks nice o you as you'll be the one looking at it the most, personally the TTR tanks were all stainless which looks nicer,, but then I have an aversion to paint as it caused so much problems in my life at sea.That's a long expensive story for my old company, Elders & Fyffes or Chiquita now or is it Great White Fleet. Distant memories.
Bananaman

 

[mercurycrest]

Does anyone know the normal width of the standard one inch handlebars on an "A" Comet.........?........Also I noticed on some A fuel tanks that some have two gold pinstripes and some only one where the Burgundy finishes about 10 to 12 mm bellow the seam joint on the upper sides of the tank. On some tanks I have seen another pinstripe again in gold about the same distance inboard of the seam joint. I quite like the extra gold line, but was this original or just a personal extra done by some restorers. I only ask because I am about to paint a genuine Comet tank and a replica TTR tank in alloy both in pretty much the same layout.

Hi Greg, the lowest single stripe was the more common, but two stripes were used too. As for the handlebars, I doubt if there was conformity to where the bends were, let alone exact length. I think each bike was pretty much an individual. A long time ago, some old man looked at mine at length and said; "I think I built this bike" , now how'd he know that? I got him to sign it with an electric pen, just in case it ever broke I'd know who to blame. ;-)

 

[Dinny]

Hi Greg,

I cannot answer the question but here's two pictures of my tank as painted by a Series A expert. Mines an early 35 and the original below is a 39.

It's going to be one of those unanswered questions but I will leave mine as is as it's a good paint job with the correct A transfers (no white border).

Cheers
Mark

 

[davidd]

David

 

[Dinny]

I like the thinner lines

 

[greg brillus]

I just found out that Alan Swainson in the UK who was making some nice series "A" tinware parts for me has passed away. I was put on to Alan via Stevee on this forum and I could tell that Alan was an excellent sheet metal tradesman, so yet another skilled person gone.....................Thanks for the replies and the pictures which are great, the repainted tanks look really nice, and the picture of the original bike is quite something else. All very helpful and much appreciated, thanks.

 

[mercurycrest]

Hi Greg,

I cannot answer the question but here's two pictures of my tank as painted by a Series A expert. Mines an early 35 and the original below is a 39.

It's going to be one of those unanswered questions but I will leave mine as is as it's a good paint job with the correct A transfers (no white border).

Cheers
Mark

View attachment 17447 View attachment 17448 View attachment 17449

Note the straight shift lever on the original bike...... Arrghh, finding a standard A is a kin to "tilting with windmills!"

 

[nkt267]

I just found out that Alan Swainson in the UK who was making some nice series "A" tinware parts for me has passed away.

That's a shame ,I collected some parts from him in June for the Marston sunbeam register and I was going to get him to make me some fishtails. He was a very interesting man to talk to, he told me most of his life history in the hour i was with him.