For Sale '54 Square Four "Special"

[fpassmore]

Not mine and not affiliated but got notice from Ebay this morning that this is up for auction again. Premium price for a Bitsa

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221807775914?fo ... &viewitem=

Frank

[adrie.degraaff]

Nice story, the man should write a book, the engine nr. is very doubtfull.

[chaz.wheeler]

is this the marque specialist that was being discussed the other week?

[Paul_Linden]

Square 4 engine numbers have the prefix PL in 1954 - at least according to this ref they do: http://www.arielnorthamerica.org/resour ... umbers.pdf
So the engine number seems ok.

[adrie.degraaff]

So the engine number seems ok.

The aluminum under the barrelfoot is clearly ground away and a new number stamped in, that way it's always matching.

[Paul_Linden]

I'm not convinced -
The barrel and crankcase flanges don't appear to have a step beteen them, which there would be if the crankcase had been ground back.
The letters and numbers are the correct size and type face.
The curved reflections are from the curved exhaust pipe not from a ground back surface on the crankcase.
Anyhow it would be easier to tell if it hadn't been so highly polished!
The only way to know for sure would be to see the bike - any club members who are also forensic metallurgists live in the area?

[paul.jameson]

I am with Adrie on this one. The stamping just doesn't look right to me. Look for the second stamping of the original number between the rear engine plates on a square four.

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Could it be this guy ? http://www.arielmotorcycles.com/AJ-December2007.htm
A.J. Lewis alledgedly has build a lot of Ariels.
In his entourage there is a bloke called 'Chuck' and a 'Mike' who seems to be the man who does the parts business now.
Why the seller has to be so secretly about the builder of this SQ4 is a mystery to me.
Judging by the HeyHo on that website there should be nothing to hide? or is there ?
Is A.J. Lewis still alive? in 2007 he looks as already having reached a respectable age.
Maybe in a elderly home with his friends selling of the bikes.........O,O, my suspicious mind is playing up again!

[fpassmore]

Hello Vincent,

AJ Lewis has been gone about 5 years now and so is Chuck, not sure when, but his stepson Mike is still handling some business. My partner in motorcycle crime, Joe, and I went to visit Mike Taddeo at his place in southern California 2 years ago while down in the USA for the Las Vegas auctions and we picked up some interesting things. He has a bit of stuff left in a couple of 40ft trailers parked on his property and still does some machining and rebuilding for people but he is hard to get hold of as he does not check his email often and does not like the phone much.

The last two square fours done by Mike and AJ are still at the property but they are not in very good shape now as Mike does not do much with them since he does not ride much anymore. He is quite the character, ex-marine living out (hiding out is more like it) in the California mountains, wanted us to go shooting on his private land and a bit of a colourful fellow. It was different but kind of fun visiting with him over two days.

Frank

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Hello Frank, O.K. thanks, that clears it up .