fork seal holders

[david.anderson]

I restored my 49 VH a few years ago and received some criticism for not chroming the fork seal holders. My response was that they were not chromed originally as I had removed the original paint. Like wise my 48 NH was not chromed originally. The attached photo from my uncle’s album is dated june 1950. The riders and machines are identified on the back of the photo. On the left a rigid 49VH (originally belonging to my father, now mine), centre a plunger frame 50VH, and on the right a rigid 48VH. While the photos are black and white it is obvious that none of the fork seal holders are chrome. The chrome on the 50VH brake plate is a stand out with the 48 and 49 brake plates being black. I note that Roy Bacon does state that all fork seal holders were chrome from 1948, which is clearly not the case. One early photo of a 1950 KH that I have seen does show chrome fork seal holders. I have also been advised that the chrome fork seal holders were first fitted to the fours, followed by the twins and finally the singles. The earliest photo that I have seen of a VH with chrome fork seal holders is 1951, strangely the year that chrome was removed from the tank.
Does any one have information or original photos of Ariel singles, twins and fours so they could provide any further advice. Also possibly export models may have been different?

taken Sydney 1950

[brenton.roy]

Hi David, I have a couple of unrestored tele forked bikes and will have a look. Some are chrome. My 46VB has black seal holders - I assumed (maybe incorrectly?) this is because it was a more "basic" bike.
It's great you have a photo of your dad on his bike.

[nevhunter]

All references that I have (just) looked up Hartley and Bacon amongs them, would bear out the fact of the "black" seal holders being on ay least the 1947 models and maybe up to 1949. It's no good going from restored pictures. Originals are the go. The 1949 VCH sales brochure shows chrome, but that may not be typical being a low volume "sports" bike...Nev

[Paul Slootheer]

As far as I know they where fitted with black forks seal holders. If you take a close look at the 1947>1948 sales brochures you will see that all models have black fork seal holders to. Furthermore the cheaper models where fitted with black rims. Paul

[Keith.owen]

Wow!!

What a great picture!!

keith

[brenton.roy]

Hi David,
I have had a look around and yes, most are black, but I have an unrestored '40's VG with chrome seal holders and I would expect it's original (although can't say for sure). '50 and '51 KH's have chrome. I'll look for the correct year of the VG. '46 4G is black.
regards, Brenton

[nevhunter]

Well that seems to have been sorted out very satisfactorily. It's nice to know these things and have something on the record. I must confess in all my years of owning and mucking about with Ariels, I have never considered the "black" seal holder question until now.. I probably would have chromed any that I put together thinking that they are like that all along.
While we are on the subject of forks, when was the FIRST set of tele forks fitted to a production Ariel?. I know they were fitted to some military Matchless/AJS's and BMW's. Nev

[Thomas.Martin]

Nimbus also from Denmark has been built very early telescopic forks, Ariel 1946 or 47.
Best regards

[nevhunter]

And Zundapp's too. I have had a few "experts" tell me that Ariel had them during the war but I don't believe it ...Nevhunter.

[john.mitchell]

Back to the original question. When did chrome seal holders appear?
Looking at the Sales Brochures in the AOMCC Knowledge base it all becomes clear.

1949. All models unchromed (both Seal holders and front brake plates).
1950 Only KH and SQ4 are shown chromed (both Seal holders and F/brake plate). (I wonder if the KG was similar? There is only one illustration for both.) All other models inc VH500 unchromed.
1951 All models Illustrated are chromed.
However the 1950 VCH is shown chromed. (I had an August 1949 one and it was chromed too.)
As an aside the only model shown with a colour option is the KH which can be Green.
The Anorak bug is catching...