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BSA Serial number ID??? Any experts here?

10K views 37 replies 11 participants last post by  Scavenger 
#1 ·
I just purchased a 1956 A7.

The engine is stamped DA7R XXX Anyone have any idea what that is? I looked at the BSA serial number guide and it does have the number.

Here's a picture.

 
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#7 ·
Thanks for all the help so far. I will post some pictures of the engine later.

The frame is a FA7A with appears to be a 1959 Scrambler. Is that frame rare or desirable?

Here is a picture of the bike. Notice a later tank too. It does not fit the frame.

 
#10 ·
Cool looking machine
If it was a catalina goldstar frame it would be stamped CB32C-xxx.Being stamped a7 makes it a 500 or 650 twin frame not a single cylinder frame as it would have a kink in lower r/h frame tube to clear oil pump.
does anyone know what the HHC stamps refers to?
 
#18 ·
well, if the frame didnt match then maybe the did it to compy with the cops, or they just needed to match "something" to thier title after replacing the engine at some point. who knows, lots of reasons to restamp something besides being hot
 
#19 ·
Well I do have the legal title with the same numbers that are stamped into the case.

In person it does not look like it was ground unless they ground all the of case to look the same. I just cleaned that area with carb cleaner so it looks different in color.
 
#28 ·
I'd like to add that my '52 6T is titled to engine number, as well as the '56 Matchless and '58 RE Indian I am working on right now.

As for the "messy stamping" not being like "factory cases" mentioned over on that other site...the factory numbers on the G80CS I am rebuilding for a customer look about that messy on the case. Not the first time I have seem some factory works engine with numbers like that either if it turns out that's what it is.
 
#29 ·
I'd like to add that my '52 6T is titled to engine number, as well as the '56 Matchless and '58 RE Indian I am working on right now.

As for the "messy stamping" not being like "factory cases" mentioned over on that other site...the factory numbers on the G80CS I am rebuilding for a customer look about that messy on the case. Not the first time I have seem some factory works engine with numbers like that either if it turns out that's what it is.
No your 6T is titled to the frame, you just may not happen to have the frame that goes with it. :D :DTriumph doesn't apply to this discussion because they were numbers matching even back then.

I do agree about the stamping though. BSA employed drunken monkeys to stamp cases. I have some that look at least as bad as the one pictured that I KNOW are not restamps. This one is restamped though.
 
#30 ·
Could have been a special order, with the US being their largest market the British factories were quite open to special order machines especially for the west coast.A Lot of Triumphs were supplied from factory with unpainted tanks and side panels so they could be chromed/painted for customer preferences
 
#31 ·
frames and engines seldomly matched in BSA pre 66. They would stamp them seperatly and slap togther after the fact.

The frame is a spitfire scramblers pre a65 version so Mark 1 is my guess. The numbers on the engine look very iffy to me. BSA had very straight numbers without the curly end parts.
 
#34 ·
frames and engines seldomly matched in BSA pre 66. They would stamp them seperatly and slap togther after the fact.

The frame is a spitfire scramblers pre a65 version so Mark 1 is my guess. The numbers on the engine look very iffy to me. BSA had very straight numbers without the curly end parts.
Thats not really true, The system was ( loose ) I would say,,The frame # would have to falll into a certain area so to speak,, to match the motor,, for the bike to be and actual Model
 
#35 ·
Thanks again for all the replies!

Anyone have any more pictures of engine case serial numbers? I'd like to compare.

It would seem that if mine were ground off and restamped that they would have atleast took the time to stamp it straighter.

There is definately no sign of mine being ground off. If they were someone would have and to fill the metal back in and then some texture it to match the rest of the case. But anything could happen.

I would buy they being a blank replacement case (if they were avaiable) and a number being stamped in. Maybe someone picked a random number so that there would be no chance of it matching another one.
 
#37 ·
During this era all serial numbers were freehand stamped and imagine if that was your job day in and day out im sure that keeping the numbers all lined up perfectly would be the last thing you'd be worried about.
Check out a few of the factory clips on u-tube and you can see the workers stamping the cases.
The numbers are really the last thing you need to worry about if they are all legal, get it up and running and enjoy getting some riding done
 
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