American Ariel import

[BobWard]

Can anyone tell me why this Huntmaster on EBay has such high bids considering the engine numbers have been over stamped and the the only paper work relates to USA registration using only the engine number and its up for sale for the second time after not attaining the reserve the first time around, it’s now showing 41 bids at £ 5,750 ? Bob

[JohnnyBeckett]

hi Bob i think he has got someone who is running the price up with 41 bids and 7 days to go and look at who is do the bidding i think they are running it up whether it is him, or someone is messing him about like i had with a vespa i was selling on ebay last year it was run up twice , and no one came for it, so got it put it on facebook and sold it within 4 hours with no messing about

[will_curry]

Apart from any identity issues there are a number of features that would
put me off. The rear mudguard looks to have been shortened and I can't
see a head steady. Someone felt the need to put an anti-draindown valve
in the oil system too. Enough to set me wondering what else there might
be waiting to be discovered.

[Mick D]

Enough to set me wondering what else there might
be waiting to be discovered.

Hi

The forks are very 'compressed' judging by the amount of slider extension exposed, (wrong springs?), the centre stand feet have been 'cosmetically enhanced', front stand looks home made, speedo is not original, horn is wrong, nice assembly of the grab handle bolts , rear dampers are wrong, can't see a prop stand - otherwise OK???

On the plus side - if this goes at this price mine is worth what it has cost me to buy and restore

Regards Mick

[Dave.Thomas]

Must’ve been stamped the day after the work’s Christmas knees-up looking at the cases

[JohnnyBeckett]

hi the second and third numbers have been over stamped you can see the old numbers underneath the new ones if you want to change the numbers hit the numbers with a ball-peen hammer then grind of the numbers off and then re stamp the new numbers and if you do it propeller you cannot detect the old numbers with a x ray

[adrie.degraaff]

You will find it strange coming from me but i think the numbers are good unless it was a crankcase without numbers, the 5 and 0 where an altered monday morning mistake at the factory.

[will_curry]

I'm interested to see what the Despatch Book has to say. I've never seen a 5-digit number
on a 4-stroke, never mind one starting with 3.

Caveat Emptor.

[Simon.Gardiner]

Very good point, Will.
Not that it's absolutely definitive but the notes on the Cyclones mention in passing that the last ever FH to be despatched (24/02/59) had the engine number 6056.
(But if you're going to overstamp to deceive why make such a pig's ear of it?!)

SG