Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

LG
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Location: Southeast Tasmania

Re: 5 STAR ON AMERICAN EBAY

Postby LG » Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:26 am

Wing Your Heel wrote:Hello fellow vintage bike nutters

Am a newbie to your forum, but an oldie beyond all redemption when it comes to early bicycles.

Been looking for an original paint Malvern Star to add to my collection for some years now, so I bought the 5 Star on American ebay the other day.

Seller told me he had emails from some very angry potential bidders from your neck of the woods because he would not ship abroad. Some sellers in every country might be paranoid about foreign shipping. In case you need to get around that stupidity in future, you have to have an optional American address for postage; I use a mate there, who forwards stuff to me.

So, apologies to various Australian fellow bidders who understandably wanted to repatriate it.
But rest assured it will be ridden, and displayed at some shows here so brits can see what a great Australian bike looks like.
And of course it will also be parked on http://www.oldbike.eu/museum" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Three questions:

1. Seller says frame no is M27517. I suppose he might have misread it as lack of prefix number seems to be out of sequence?
Can you offer any clues to the age from the style of the transfers (decals) on the ebay photos?

2. I'd love some copies of brochure/ ads for this particular model to add to its page. Payment as req'd.

3. BSA or CL chainwheel in your opinion?

(You can view it by putting its item number 181014591925 into ebay search)

cheers

Colin
wingyourheel@mac.com

(Brighton, jolly olde englande)
Just re-reading this thread, followed the link mentioned above & found the Malvern Star details here http://www.oldbike.eu/museum/1940s/1940 ... rack-bike/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Nice photos!
LG = Low Gear

bicyclepassion
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby bicyclepassion » Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:57 am

This bike turned out to have frame number 8M 27517.
This suggests it was made in 1948.
I think it was probably repainted in the mid 1950's. It is wearing decals from that period.
Warren

siennatrack
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby siennatrack » Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:23 pm

Hi bikepassion i recently found a ladies bike being wheeled out to the kerb the owner was only to happy for me to take it , said they had it a long time.It came with malvern star transfers and has been painted blue at some stage ,from what i can tell the original colour was green khaki serial no B 40317 on seat tube , have you got any idea of the age it may be.Thanks Pete

bicyclepassion
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby bicyclepassion » Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:55 am

B 40317 does not sound like a Malvern Star serial number.
Does it have stars on it anywhere, or just malvern Star decals on the repaint?
Malvern Star decals were used on all sorts of bikes, as they were readilly available for many years.
Post some pics and someone might be able to pin a date or brand on it anyway.
Warren

J.O
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby J.O » Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:58 pm

Hi Warren

I just (very happily) became the owner of an old 2 star. It appears to be a early 50's version from what I can find online but I am very unsure?
Any ideas on its birthday?
Serial 2M481

Cheers
j.o

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teeby
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby teeby » Wed Jan 23, 2013 2:23 pm

Sorry, just found this thread after posting my new thread - http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... 23&t=60742

My serial number is 38327 .. Any ideas of year of manufacture?

Image

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yochris77
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Location: Scarborough, QLD

Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby yochris77 » Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:22 am

Hi Warren,

Are you able to comment on my 2 Star? Serial number looks to be 21288. 27" wheels. Any info would be great.
Image
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Thanks,
Chris.

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Clydesdale Scot
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby Clydesdale Scot » Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:09 am

yochris77 wrote:Hi Warren,

Are you able to comment on my 2 Star? Serial number looks to be 21288. 27" wheels. Any info would be great.
Image
Image
Image
Image

Thanks,
Chris.
let me help
Image
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Image

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yochris77
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby yochris77 » Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:19 am

Thanks! :oops:
What did I do wrong?

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Clydesdale Scot
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby Clydesdale Scot » Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:30 am

pm sent
Philip

bicyclepassion
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby bicyclepassion » Fri Jan 25, 2013 3:52 pm

Blue semi racer number 21288 will be early 1960's. Check the date on the Sturmey Archer hub, this may be the best clue to its exact year.

The red '2 star' serial number 38327 appears to be a 1960's roadster frame , earlier forks, parts from here and there. Ditto, the Sturmey date code may be a clue to its actual year.

Warren

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yochris77
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby yochris77 » Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:22 pm

Hi Warren,

Thanks for your reply. The Sturmey Archer is a 1964, AW model.

I also had some comments from another person and he mentioned 50's. Some of the items he noted were the cotter pins in the cranks and the oilers. (I am not knocking your appraisal, just further information for comment).

If this was a 2 Star semi racer, were they known as the "Supersport"?

Thanks for you help. Are there any resources that I could research to further my knowledge on this bike or the Malvern Stars of this era?

Thanks again.

Cheers,
Chris.

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hiflange
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby hiflange » Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:53 am

Hey Chris, sweet looking wheels.
yochris77 wrote:The Sturmey Archer is a 1964, AW model.
I also had some comments from another person and he mentioned 50's. Some of the items he noted were the cotter pins in the cranks and the oilers. (I am not knocking your appraisal, just further information for comment).
I sometime get PM's answering my questions too. It's kinda weird considering the nature of the forum, are these people just shy??
Anyway as Warren said the hub date is a great starting point for dating a Sturmey Archer equipped bike. These hubs were reliable and I reckon it's unlikely that the bike was upgraded (unless from single speed). Cottered cranks were still popular in Australia in the 60's, dunno about oilers, but I have a 60's bike with both.
yochris77 wrote:Are there any resources that I could research to further my knowledge on this bike or the Malvern Stars of this era?
There's a tonne of good knowledge on this forum! You may have to dig about a bit, google is your friend. Pick up a copy of Racing Bicycles 100 Years of Steel, it has a lot of Australian bikes in it including 11 Malvern Stars. All the bikes are racers of one kind or another, many with provenance.
I don't know Warren personally but my time on ACF leads me to believe what he doesn't know about old Malvern Stars may not be worth knowing.
GaryF wrote:There are bike mechanics, then good bike mechanics, then great bike mechanics, then there's Warren, then there's God. Enough said.

Jake.C
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby Jake.C » Thu Jan 31, 2013 6:07 pm

Hell all. I'm looking for some assistance in dating my Malvern Star 'roadstar'. Its serial is A20876. From reading through this thread this seems to indicate that it might be a post 1960s bike. This thread is titled 'pre 1930', but there seems to be quite a bit of discussion about dating Malvern Star Bikes in general, so I figured that it would be Ok.

The bike has 27' wheels, a blue frame and what seems to be hand painted decals on the cross bar, and throughout the frame. The painted details are quite ornate through out the frame, and down the front and rear forks. On the vertical part of the frame, it has a decal that looks to be identical with the one in the images posted above by Clydesdale Scot on Jan 24/13. The bike is overall blue and white and has handlebars that begin flat, and angle in towards the rider. The serial is on a sticker, just under the join closest to the seat. I'm hoping to collate some information about this bike and on doing quite a bit of Google searching, this particular thread seems to have the best amount of expertise in one place.
It seems that pics are not possible for such a new member, I have read a number of times that one must reach 10 posts first. If someone would really like to see some pics, and if that would help with gaining some info about the bike, I can set something up on photobucket or similar.

Hope this description is Ok, and that I have put this question in the right place, or at least, in the 'right enough' place.

charger
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby charger » Sat Mar 16, 2013 1:45 pm

Hi Warren, I would like to submit my bike to your register. It is frame number 65341. Photos are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/59320704@N04/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59320704@N04/. The front Hub is BSA, The crank does not have the Williams rocket logo but is stamped 44. Westwood 28" rims, running a Dunlop and Spartan tyre, I'm guessing its a Philco brake and nice original leather seat with a swallow design. The bike is in great original condition and came out of the garage of a 90yo who has just gone into a home.

Calchas
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby Calchas » Thu Mar 28, 2013 3:43 pm

Gday Warren! I have just bought a vintage 2 star frame and would love a bit of info before I get parts. The number on the back forks in front of the drop-out on the RHS is 5674. There is also a number on the top tube of the forks - 56764, but it looks as though someone has attempted to file the 6 off... interesting. The frame weighs 3.1kg, including the forks. See pics if this works... don't really know how to do it.
Thanks![img]20130328_152053.jpg[/img][img]20130328_152109.jpg[/img][img]20130328_152206.jpg[/img][/img]

alan duke
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby alan duke » Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:22 pm

hi all
i have recently purchased malvern star auto byke serial no ,6m16193 and as has no engine can any body help.from the one that sold at "shannons 2010 lot 22"it is a villiers junior delux any further info please
alan

Goonoowigall
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby Goonoowigall » Mon Apr 01, 2013 10:48 pm

Howdy
I have been looking to restore a Malvern Star bike which originally belonged to my wife's grandfather who was born in 1911 and probably got the bike as a teenager. Anyway as a first step I would like to try and understand the age of the bike so after looking at this forum I looked for the only number stamped on the bike. The bike has two stars on the head tube and what i suppose is a serial number that sits at the top of the seat post tube - 5.7827. The 5 sits above the other numbers and is separated by a "." The bike has red down tube and head tube with green forks and green rear triangle. The bike has BSA pedals, BSA front chainring and BSA stamped rear wing nuts that hold the rear wheel in place. The bike also has a reversible wheel that has a two different sized cogs - one on each side of the rear hub.

Would appreciate any help on identifying the age of the bike and also any info on restoration.

Cheers J
Last edited by Goonoowigall on Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Gazz
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby Gazz » Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:44 pm

Hi,
I have a 2 star Malvern Star Frame with serial number P10630. I have just figured out that the P must mean Perth from one of the other responses you wrote. Hope the number is of interest to your database and I can get an approximate date

Thanks
Gazz

bicyclepassion
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby bicyclepassion » Wed Apr 03, 2013 5:36 pm

Goonoowigall wrote:Howdy
I have been looking to restore a Malvern Star bike which originally belonged to my wife's grandfather who was born in 1911 and probably got the bike as a teenager. Anyway as a first step I would like to try and understand the age of the bike so after looking at this forum I looked for the only number stamped on the bike. The bike has two stars on the head tube and what i suppose is a serial number that sits at the top of the seat post tube - 5.7827. The 5 sits above the other numbers and is separated by a "." The bike has red down tube and head tube with green forks and green rear triangle. The bike has BSA pedals, BSA front chainring and BSA stamped rear wing nuts that hold the rear wheel in place. The bike also has a reversible wheel that has a two different sized cogs - one on each side of the rear hub.

Would appreciate any help on identifying the age of the bike and also any info on restoration.

Cheers J
Hard to date these bikes without photos, but I have two other bikes with similiar format frame numbers, and they are approx 1936 models.
Warren

bicyclepassion
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby bicyclepassion » Wed Apr 03, 2013 5:37 pm

Gazz wrote:Hi,
I have a 2 star Malvern Star Frame with serial number P10630. I have just figured out that the P must mean Perth from one of the other responses you wrote. Hope the number is of interest to your database and I can get an approximate date

Thanks
Gazz
All the numbers are of interest, but I would need photos of the bike to assist with dating this one. I dont have any numbers at present with a similiar format.
Warren

Gazz
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby Gazz » Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:12 pm

Hi Warren,
I will get the camera out and start snapping some shots for you. I have found another frame my Grandfather has in his shed as well which I can take some shots of in a couple of weeks time when I'm their next. Picked up a Swansea 4 Swan frame as well which I hope I can get dated as well. Will get back to you soon
Thanks
Gary

Gazz
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby Gazz » Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:52 pm

Image Image Image Image Image Image Image

Hi Warren,
Hope these photos help identify a year
Thanks
Gary

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hiflange
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby hiflange » Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:11 am

That's a pretty sweet looking MS Gary, looking forward to what Warren has to say about it. Re. the four swan Swansea, can you post the serial number for that? It should be under the bottom bracket.

Gazz
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Re: Pre 1930 Malvern Star serial numbers

Postby Gazz » Thu Apr 04, 2013 12:36 pm

Thanks, I'm thinking about doing it up again to ride, but have a little work to do and don't want to ruin the appeal of the bike. I had a quick look at the Swansea frame last night and found no s/n. It's not in as good condition as the MS. I will look at it closely on the weekend and get back to you

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