350 in Italy

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Nice sales blurp on a W/NG .


http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C756624 3500,- GBP

For sale this preserved exemple of Ariel 350 OHV, with italian papers.
The Ariel Red Hunter was the name used for a range of Ariel single-cylinder motorcycles. They were designed by the firm's chief designer Val Page in 1932 around an overhead-valve single-cylinder engine he developed six years earlier. Originally a 'sports' version of the Ariel 500, 250 and 350cc versions were developed and became popular with grass track and trials riders.
The engines were all run for two hours on a test bench to maintain Ariel's record of reliability and quality control.
The Red Hunter was a success and formed the backbone of the company, and made Ariel able to purchase Triumph.
A piece of history.

7504007.jpg (40.94 KiB) Viewed 3331 times

[simon.holyfield]

Don't be too harsh - I'm in the process of buying this one!

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Oeps!

Wel....I did write 'nice' ...

Good luck & succes

[simon.holyfield]

I think it looks pretty authentic, apart from the handlebars and levers. Looks like someone painted it to look like a Guzzi?

Now that you have seen it, what do you think?

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Hello Simes,
Looks pretty o.k.
Few things I can make out are the field stand looks to long, perhaps a home grown one.
Float bowl is on the wrong side but that usually happens when M20 owners start spannering on a W/NG.
Riders footrests look like ones that should have rubbers or are bits of tubing, cant see that very wel.
No altette or bracket, missing lower rear chain guard, no speedo but it has a steeringdamper.
By the look of it the tin ware is o.k. and period.
Perhaps ask for better pictures. ?

[simon.holyfield]

I'll post a batch when I get home. Footrests are home grown - I have been looking closely at all the W/NGs that have been posted on the forum, particularly the 'look alike' with all the reproduction tinware and Indian forks.

There's a few bits missing - guess I will have to join the queue!

[Paul Slootheer]

Simon, the pictures are not realy detailed but it looks like a quite complete bike. I find it allways hard to judge a bike from a few photographs. The luggage rack seems missing, which can be made from solid bar. I'am not shure about the handle bars either. On the other hand the hard to find toolboxes are present. The steering damper is present, but I do understand not all W/NG did have this item, depending which year. Would be interesting to find out the contract number. At a asking price of 3500 GBP with prob. some space for bargaining I think it looks good! Good luck!

[wade.edwards]

The price is right. Very difficult to put one together without draining the bank account.

It will look the part once green or brown.

The field stand may belong to a BSA M20 as they had a shorter and longer version.

New WD speedos are available for approximately 350 GBP from Stuart Bray.

The civvy rear carrier was used in first year or so of WW2, W/NG production, but fairly soon switched to the pannier frames and canvas bags.

It may indeed have a 1948 engine. If so, there are lots of BH engine cases around to swap out.

[simon.holyfield]

Another picture

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Hello Simes, it does look o.k. to me.
As already mentioned the levers and possibly the rest on the handlebar is non original, the handlebar itself looks o.k.
Mudguards and both toolboxes are o.k., missing the kickstarter but it has the elusive kickstarter clip !
Gearlever has it's clamp in a different position to what I recall on a W/NG, but it's there and probably does the job.
Floatchamber can be the correct one but it belongs on the other side of the carb body as mentioned.
rear carrier is home made, speedo angle drive on front wheel is there which is a good thing.
Number plate holder and light are ofcourse as per Italianesque design.
Petroltank cap looks a bit different, cant really tell if it is correct, it's not exactly as it should be.
Oil tank cap is not the one it should be.
front exhaust runs a bit wide, could be a local replacement, no surprise after 75+ years.
Nice 'In Town' silencer end cap!
Only 'major' item missing is the Altette.
If you ask Lion to give it a once over with their spray job it doubles in value !