Geoff being the most knowledgable authority on Birmingham Scotts, I’m fairly confident he will agree with me that it is not possible to accurately date any of Matt’s machines, either by records (what records do I hear you ask?) or changes in the mechanics. According to David Holder who I spoke to at lengh back in nineteen hundred and fast asleep, it was “just over 300”.
As a basic chronological guide however, the first bikes had a seperate speedo and Armstrong dampers, followed by a Miller headlamp with Armstrong dampers, then Girling dampers whilst retaining the Lucas pancake dynamo and distributor. Then came the Miller distributor, then an alternator. However, there was an element of pick-and-mix – such as some Lucas distributors being fitted after the introduction of the Miller type. It really depended upon what was at hand when each batch of bikes were built. Thats about it!
When he acquired the contents of the Shipley works, I he inhereted about 130 complete engines and maybe a similar amount of gearboxes. That is why early bikes up to about 1960 (correct me please Geoff) had “DPY” crankcases before he had his own cast which were designated “DMS” – reputedly his son’s initials ????
Frame numbers appear to have started at number 1000 – mine is 1028 built in April 1957. Matt told me he walked across Birmingham city centre up to Oozells Street (in his brown cow-gown) to register mine and two others built that month. I later checked the route he took by following the fag ash.
Colour schemes cannot be used as an indication to dating either – some bikes had maroon tanks with black mudguards, or maroon tanks with maroon mudguards, or all black. It is said that on one occasion, Matt was at the stove enamellers and took a fancy to a Gold Star BSA tank he saw there – so had half a dozen tanks done to “see how they looked” – have you got one?
All part of the rich tapestry of a world and times gone by.
.
