Tank Badges

[bsapete]

Hi gents,
A bit confused here. I’ve looked at umpteen dozen images online of 62 A10 Spitfire Scramblers.
3 different badges appear on so-called unrestored or restored-to-original  machines. Which of the 3 below are correct? Mine has the piled arms badges fitted. I know the Gold Star badges were fitted to the RGS Scrambler so unlikely they were used I guess.

Cheers
Pete

[Klaus]

Hi Pete,
depends on  year and witch Tank you have. The pilled arms are 3.5 inch diameter and the Golstar Badge is 4 inch.

The first year of introdution in 1957 the Spitfire Scrambler  shows the Goldstar Badge on a catalogue from Hap Alzina.
The brochures show a mix between the pilled arms and the last badge but with no sign which year it is.
The Model 1961 the peared Badge.

cheers Klaus

[bsapete]

Thanks Klaus, yes, 57 was a Gold Star hence the use of that badge. My A10 is a 62 model (built November 61). I know the tank isn’t original as the PO told me he replaced it due to the (presumably) original one being un-repairable. I’ll have to measure my badges. (Bike is in transit at present)

Pete

[BSA_54A10]

You really can not trust catalogues.
In ma,y cases they were photos of mock ups of what the marketing department thought the production department was going to make.
They often depict finishes that never happened.
Like a pearl grey A 10 with a red tank or a black framed B33 with ivory guards, black airbox & oil tank and saphire blue tank.

Now back to the badges.
Rule of thumb, very rule of thumb is the smaller "competition" tanks got the 4" Gold Star badge usually in red and the larger "touring/ road" tanks got the smaller laurel wreath / garter belt / piled arms badge.
The 8 point star badge was new in 60/61 season for the new  B40 "Star"
In the UK 62 early catalogue ( Pre-units ) it is shown fitted to both the B40 & C15 road models.
2 months latter in the 1962 A50/65 UK catalogue, the 8 point star is only shown on the B40, the C15 is depicted wearing the comet / pear
The USA East catalogue  for 1962 shows only the Spitfire scrambler with the 8 point star on a 3 gallon tank which is the first time it appears on a twin.
The 1964 East catalogue shows the Spit with the 4 gallon tank and Gold Star badges, no modes with the 8 point star badge.

The best refference is the road tests in period magazines and in particular road tests that appear late in the season as they are often done with showroom / demo bikes from the warehouse so are at least real motorcycles and not a photo studio mock up.

[bsapete]

Thanks for the detailed reply Trevor. Info on Spitfires is pretty scarce. It’d be great to find a period road test in a magazine. I’ll have to keep my eye out.

Pete

[BSA_54A10]

Libraries, particularly those attached to trade schools usually have good supplies of old periodicals.
You won't be able to borrow them but you can spend a few hours browsing.

[muskrat]

G'day Pete.
What size dent in the tank you got 3,1/2 or 4" That tells you which badge.
I won't tell anyone, honest.
Cheers

[RichardL]

If anyone knows offhand, or has one to measure with a caliper, can you tell me the true O.D. for nominal 3-1/2”  round tank badges? Are they, indeed, very close to 3.50”? I’d like to know to some precision. Making a badge mockup to confirm the fit in my tank body work.

Richard L.

[Petergj]

Greetings, I am no sure if the attached photo helps but these badges were removed (for obvious reasons!) from the petrol tank on my 1958 A10 GF which I am rebuilding. Given the bike is 60+ years old, I cannot state these are the original badges (I think they should be the three rifles on a red background) but the outside diameter is 82mm which is closer to 3.25" and not 3.5".
Hope this helps and maybe initiate some discussion.
Regards,

[RichardL]

Peter,

Thanks, much. That is very helpful, because it shows me that “3-1/2”” is just the term used for the general size.

Richard L.

[RichardL]

Here you see the mockup test badge in the lathe then tested in the rebuilt stamped indent. The whole bottom lip of the indent is a built-up ridge of brazing material finished off in bondo, so it wasn’t perfect in terms all points on the circumference falling on the same plane. The whole story of the tank repair, and the rest of the tinwork, to follow when it all has final primer.

Adding that I think it’s a good enough fit that I don’t have to go back to bondo.

Richard L.

[RichardL]

Really happy with this.