Rare Deluxe BSA 123cc Bantam D1 1952 restoration limited edition

MY SECOND RESTORATION PROJECT FOLLOWING MY PEUGEOT ADVERTISED.
THIS WAS PURCHASED FROM THE BONHAMS SPRING CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE ACTION IN OXFORD, (couldn't have gone to a more expensive source really). BUT I WANTED THIS ONE BECAUSE OF ITS RARITY. THEY'RE JUST NOT AROUND TO FIND EASILY. THEY ADVERTISED IT AS TIME WARP CONDITION BUT AT 70 YEARS OF AGE IT HAD ITS PROBLEMS COSMETICALLY BUT CERTAINLY NOT MECANICALLY.
UNLIKE MY PEUGEOT THAT CAME TO BITS VERY EASILY, THIS WAS THE OPPOSITE, VERY STUBBORN INDEED. IT HAD NOT BEEN RIDDEN OR STARTED FOR 50 YEARS ACCORDING TO THE VENDORS FATHER WHO HAD IT FROM NEW. I COULD JUST IMAGINE THE BSA FACTORY WAY BACK WHEN ALL THE WORKERS HAD BROWN KNEE LENGTH WORK COATS, HAD ONE MYSELF AS A MATTER OF FACT.
THE STRIPDOWN BEGAN AND I DECIDED TO BE CONSERVATIVE WITH WHAT WAS TO BE REPLACED, NECCESSITIES ONLY. IT WOULD BE TOO EASY TO BUY INFERIOR REPRO PARTS FROM INDIA etc. SO AS MUCH OF THE ORIGINAL BIKE REMAINS AND MY WISH WAS JUST TO RESTORE IT TO STARTING CONDITION AND ADMIRE IT AS AN EXHIBITION PIECE, (I'm far too old to ride again) AS AN EXAMPLE THE THE SADDLE IS THE ORIGINAL 'MANSFIELD', TRY TO FIND ONE. I COULDN'T. THE TYRES ARE ORIGINAL ALSO.THE WIRING LOOM WAS SHOT AND MADE OF THE OLD RUBBER INSULATION THAT HAD MELTED INTO ONE MESSY MASS. AND SO THE TASK OF UNRAVELLING AND CONSTUCTING A NEW LOOM BEGAN, ALL THE COLOURS HAD FADED AND I HAD NOTHING TO GO BY. IT WAS QUITE COMPLEX AS IT IS THE MODEL WITH THE LUCAS BATTERY AND IGNITION SET UP IN THE HEADLAMP, THE COIL WAS UNDER THE TANK, AS WAS THE ORIGINAL MONSOON HAND PUMP, EVEN THE TOOL KIT ROLL WAS WRAPPED IN AN OILY RAG AND TUCKED AWAY IN THE TOOL BOX.
I MUST STOP WRITING BECAUSE THIS COULD TURN INTO A BOOK. THE BIKE HAS BEEN STRIPPED BACK TO ITS BONES, CLEANED, REPAINTED, REFITTED, MINIMAL REPLACEMENT PARTS SO ITS NOT CONCOURS CONDITION BUT WHAT A BEAUTY IT WAS WHEN I FINALLY KICKED THE OLD GIRL OVER AND IT STARTED. THERE ARE BITS TO DO IF YOU WANT TO STREET RIDE THIS BUT ITS SOLD AS AN EXHIBIT PIECE ONLY. THERE ARE A MIXTURE OF PICS TO SEE, BEFORE AND AFTER AND A SHORT VIDEO.
I'M AFRAID ITS TIME FOR US TO PART COMPANY, IT LOOKS AS IF I'VE JUST FINISHED IT IN TIME IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN. I WOULD LOVE IT TO GO TO AN ENTHUSIAST RATHER THAN BE BOUGHT JUST TO RE-SELL. IF YOU CAN SPARE THE TIME TO INSPECT THE BIKE YOU ARE VERY WELCOME. TRY SOME LOWESTOFT FISH AND CHIPS TOO IN THE DAY OUT.