sunwasp tandem

DAB
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sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Thu Jan 25, 2018 9:56 am

Hi, I have a Sunwasp touring tandem which has been in the family for some years
but am having trouble finding any information on them. Was wondering if anyone would know
of any links or info?
Cheers

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Bunged Knee
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby Bunged Knee » Thu Jan 25, 2018 11:50 am

Hi DAB, don`t know of it but not enough info.

So Google "Sun Wasp tandem" and read everything that you can see and try to find the info that you wants to find.
ID please? What ID? My seat tube ID is 27.2mm or 31.6mm depending on what bikes I ride today.thanks...

DAB
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Thu Jan 25, 2018 12:28 pm

I have tried that & can only come up with some pictures

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find_bruce
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby find_bruce » Thu Jan 25, 2018 12:47 pm

DAB wrote:I have tried that & can only come up with some pictures
Are you searching for sunwasp as a single word ? The Wasp was a model of tandem bicycle made by the Sun cycle co, as shown by the first page on the google search broken knee linked to: 1939 Sun Wasp Tandem

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WyvernRH
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby WyvernRH » Thu Jan 25, 2018 3:03 pm

find_bruce wrote:
DAB wrote:I have tried that & can only come up with some pictures
Are you searching for sunwasp as a single word ? The Wasp was a model of tandem bicycle made by the Sun cycle co, as shown by the first page on the google search broken knee linked to: 1939 Sun Wasp Tandem
That's a good resource, nice pictures! We own a 1948 ladyback Sun Wasp tandem, it was our first tandem back in the early 80's and got ridden all over the South of England, albeit with a modern set of wheels and derailleurs. It now has mostly period gear and is used on Tweed Rides and the like. I have a small collection of digital info I can send yo if you like but if you look in the Veteran Cycle Club library you will find a couple of decades of Sun catalogues which will have all the info you might require.
http://veterancycleclublibrary.org.uk/l ... 2&items=16

Richard
Last edited by WyvernRH on Fri Jan 26, 2018 9:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

DAB
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Thu Jan 25, 2018 6:17 pm

That was a great help thanks, This one was ridden all over England by my uncles when they bought it over for dad who used to race in England & Singapore for the RAF back in the 50s/60s. Anyway we used to ride from Adelaide to morgan on this when I was a kid which is about 110 miles

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Clydesdale Scot
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby Clydesdale Scot » Thu Jan 25, 2018 7:30 pm


DAB
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Thu Jan 25, 2018 8:17 pm

Yes its rt300

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Clydesdale Scot
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby Clydesdale Scot » Thu Jan 25, 2018 9:12 pm

DAB wrote:Yes its rt300
so that suggests a 1950/51 (financial year so April 1950 to March 1951) tandem
how close is it to the tandem shown on p14 of http://veterancycleclublibrary.org.uk/ncl/pics/Sun%20catalogue%201951%20(V-CC%20Library).pdf

and this person has RT333 and a degree of knowledge
https://www.bikeforums.net/18284492-post8.html

DAB
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Thu Jan 25, 2018 10:27 pm

That certainly looks like it. Even have the saddle bag. Do you know what the Grand du Monde was ? Cheers Dave

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Clydesdale Scot
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby Clydesdale Scot » Fri Jan 26, 2018 6:00 am

DAB wrote:Do you know what the Grand du Monde was ?
in what context?

and we need photos!

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WyvernRH
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby WyvernRH » Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:13 am

DAB wrote:That certainly looks like it. Even have the saddle bag. Do you know what the Grand du Monde was ? Cheers Dave
The literal translation from French is 'Greatest/Biggest/Largest in the World' tho I have seen it used in the sense of 'Best in the World' in old British advertisements.

However I don't think that is what you are asking?

Richard

DAB
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Fri Jan 26, 2018 4:13 pm

It is in yellow/gold cursive writing on both sides of the front cross bar
in front of the gear change lever. may have been added later? will get pics on weekend & someone to put them up as my camera still takes a film & don't have a mobile phone

DAB
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Fri Jan 26, 2018 4:41 pm

sun wasp is also in cursive as opposed to straight print.

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Clydesdale Scot
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby Clydesdale Scot » Fri Jan 26, 2018 4:51 pm

it would be the model name (from H.LLoyd decals)
or does it look more like this
Image
(Focusing on the font rather than the content)
You may be interested in the restoration found at
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/sun-wasp-rest.html

DAB
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Fri Jan 26, 2018 7:09 pm

Yes that's the one

DAB
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Fri Jan 26, 2018 7:12 pm

Sorry it is more the H.Lloyd. I went into the website & fond more or less the same one. will try to get pics.

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Clydesdale Scot
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby Clydesdale Scot » Fri Jan 26, 2018 7:31 pm

so are we getting the answers you were after?
Philip

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GaryF
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby GaryF » Fri Jan 26, 2018 9:04 pm

Hi DAB, did your family import the Sun Wasp from England? It must have been a great freedom machine back in the 1930's and 40's. Looking at the links supplied by others, the Sun Wasps are well built and well equipped. I can only imagine that your Sun Wasp is a time machine back to that bygone era.

DAB
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Sat Jan 27, 2018 12:32 am

You have been extremely helpful & now have some insight.
Dad only knew that his brothers had bought it off someone in a cycle club
in England but they are all deceased now so couldn't contact them for answers. So Thanks for your help never know might see it around Adelaide some time
Cheers Dave

DAB
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Location: Sedan South Australia

Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby DAB » Sat Jan 27, 2018 12:43 am

Hi Gary,
Many memories of a sore backside after hours on a hard leather saddle.
My main getaway was a 1975 Super Elliott tandem which I am restoring
as we speak. Glenelg was a great place to ride around back then & used to cart Mum around on it when the old Morris broke down. Look forward to
getting it up & going again. Am chasing some old style 20'' wheels for it if
anyone knows of any pref in Adelaide as Dad does't know what he did with the
old ones.
Cheers

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GaryF
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Re: sunwasp tandem

Postby GaryF » Sat Jan 27, 2018 9:06 am

I''m sorry I can't help with the wheels DAB. Those old leather saddles could be your best friend but the relationship really took quite some time to develop, haha. Wow, a Super Elliott tandem too!

You have fantastic memories of your tandem going back quite some time and it brought a smile to my face when you told of the Morris breaking down and havint the tandem as a back-up - I had an old Morris Minor too and I had my back-up bike too.

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