Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

Hi All,
Have a bit of a problem with my 29 chassis having just put it back on the road after a major engine and gearbox rebuild.
The bottom bolts front into the crankcase do not line up by a good 3/4" with the engine plates so the previous owner fitted two plates to get round the problem, during the rebuild I tried to pull the frame together with ratchet straps in several places but still could not get it to line up all the other bolts line up to the engine plates just the front lower are out enclose photo with plates shown.
Before I go any further is there more than one frame for the black Ariels my 29 the bike is a bit of a bit'ser as it has a 27 tank and a pan saddle and a few other things had been bodged up to suit in a rebuild 20+ years ago so I was told when I bought, it it has the right engine as it has the 29 crankcase with the webs cast in also the turn off tap on the oil pipe and dynamo at the front.
The frame is stamped with an H then 4 numbers.
Any ideas Clive.

H is certainly 1929. The engine should have the same prefix.

Can you post some pictures?

Hi Simon,
Both the engine and the chassis numbers start with H so i take it they are the same year, But is there several different frames for the black Ariel's the gap might not seem much to line up the engine plates and crankcase holes but the ratchet straps are really struggling to even get it close that is why I thought it might have a different frame I am not sure about the frame number it is not the same as my 39 Ariel stamped rather than cast into the frame, regards Clive.

An H frame is an H frame. There are indeed several different frames built over the years as the black ariel frame design developed - but they will have different letter prefixes for the different years. In 29 they were producing heavyweight and lightweight frames which are different - but the lightweight frame is stamped L not H, and is distinctly different.
I'm inclined to think that your frame has become bent somewhere perhaps on the lower rails, perhaps on the front down tube.

Could you post a side view for us to look at?

Hi Will do in a few days as I am away tomorrow but I think you might be right the frame might be damaged Clive.