Interesting Fleetwing.

[Stuart Baskill]

Hi John,

Thanks for the reply.
The frame number is 8479 / 25D.


Andy

The frame number makes it a 1958 model although it seems a mixture as John says.It may be original though as one of our members has an immaculate 1958 20D fitted with friction damper front forks.I think Greeves fitted any left over parts to the road bikes.

[John Wakefield]

I think Greeves fitted any left over parts to the road bikes.

Stuart, Greeves would not have fitted a DC rear sub frame in 1958 they were not produced till 1961. Looks like only the beam & maybe forks are from the original Fleetwing (they did fit the later forks by 1958). Looking again at the front hub I am not sure this is correct as the pics shown of Fleetwings in the Greeves book show twin tin hubs, the one in Andy's bike looks full width so may be from another make of bike.

[AndyB]

[I] Looking again at the front hub I am not sure this is correct as the pics shown of Fleetwings in the Greeves book show twin tin hubs, the one in Andy's bike looks full width so may be from another make of bike.

John,

I'm unsure where I found this picture, but it looks like this one has the full width hub also, as does the one Colin photographed last week!

Andy

[riflegreen]

There were two types of twin hubs , one with two plain hubs and one with an aluminiun cover over the drums making it look full width .

Chris

[John Wakefield]

I stand corrected in this one, also the 349cc RCA prototype Fleetmaster (325 HEV)had the 'full width' hub. So looks as though the front end is Fleetmaster with DC rear end. Maybe it had a rear end shunt at some point & a later rear subframe was bolted on. Would be a turn up for the books it it was 325 HEV

[Brian Thompson]

but....but.....Oddball is GOOD....right??!

You wait until you see what I have to say about the DCX in the August Leading Link...

Ha ha! Look forward to that Colin. Is it as 'positive' as Frank Melling's 'infamous' review from back in the day...?! Great to have you back Ed.

Mind you Colin, I remember your reaction when I showed you the mods I'd done to 'my' Sherman......! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFGFC...eature=related

Woof! Woof! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhJZX...eature=related

Negative Waves! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuSts...feature=relmfu

(The above links should clearly show why anything I say about Fleetwings or DCX models shouldn't be trusted folks....!!! Woof!)

[Brian Thompson]

More Pics.

Thanks for the pics.I,m trying to rebuild a 20D 1956 model and I cant decide if it should have the teardrop shaped toolbox.Do you have any pics with the small round trials type toolbox on a 20D? Does anybody have an original 20D from 1956 and if so what toolbox does it have.I think Greeves changed specs when they wanted not every August like big manufacturers.Any pics of a 20R3 would also help another rebuild.Thanks

Hi Stuart,

I've attached the only pics I have to hand of a Greeves 20R. Not sure if this is the same as the R3 model though, but hope they're of use to you. If I come across anything else I'll post it for you.

I wonder if the immaculate 20D model you also mentioned, owned by a fellow member, might be this one (see attached), which I also posted with previous pics? Also, in those other Fleetwing pics, I think there is one of an earlier model with the round 'trials' style tool box, but here is another pic I have also showing one fitted. Interesting that this bike is depicted in green, although it's from an artcard so I cannot say if it's accurate or not. Nice colour though!

Brian.

[Colin Sparrow]

Yes, that is Peter's bike. I borrowed it for Stafford a few years ago - and it won an award. He had a 25D in his youth and restored this one himself. He also has a 25DB.

Here's a better picture of the front brake(s). Not a bad set up, it might have made sense for Greeves to stick with it on the later roadsters.

[Stuart Baskill]

Hi Stuart,

I've attached the only pics I have to hand of a Greeves 20R. Not sure if this is the same as the R3 model though, but hope they're of use to you. If I come across anything else I'll post it for you.

I wonder if the immaculate 20D model you also mentioned, owned by a fellow member, might be this one (see attached), which I also posted with previous pics? Also, in those other Fleetwing pics, I think there is one of an earlier model with the round 'trials' style tool box, but here is another pic I have also showing one fitted. Interesting that this bike is depicted in green, although it's from an artcard so I cannot say if it's accurate or not. Nice colour though!

Brian.

The first 2 pics are 20R3 and the last pic is a 20R4. The 20R3 is 3 speed and the 20R4 is a 4 speed.They are friction damped front and rear but mine is conventional rear dampers.Mine is painted black.Definately not a thing of beauty.The 3rd pic is the immaculate 1958 20D that I refered to.The competition bikes dropped the front friction forks for 1957 but it looks like that Greeves fitted them to later road bikes,probably to use up old stock.I,ve never heard of another 20R3 but I saw a nice 20R4 a few years ago at the Founders day rally.Thanks for the pics

[Brian Thompson]

Pics, etc.

Hi Stuart,

Glad the pics were of interest, and thanks for all the additional info.

Brian.

[Brian Thompson]

Another Pic-20D 250 Fleetstar...?

Here's another pic I found, on this website; http://home.kpn.nl/bertknst/motors.html

There are a couple of other Greeves pics on there as well, of a 20T and an MX1. Interestingly, the 20T and Challenger pics have appeared on both wall clocks and fridge magnets for sale on eBay in recent times, amongst other things...! (Thought they looked familiar somehow...!)

To my eyes, it looks as though this Fleetstar has had it's front muguard cut down a bit, and I also wonder if the seat has been recovered (black) at some stage too... Those tyres look a bit 'chunky' for a roadster as well, and not sure it left the factory with pale blue engine plates either... And where's the toolbox....?! As a reference pic it probably falls a bit short, but hopefully of interest nontheless.

Anyway, there's another pic to ponder over chaps.

Brian.

[Stuart Baskill]

Here's another pic I found, on this website; http://home.kpn.nl/bertknst/motors.html

There are a couple of other Greeves pics on there as well, of a 20T and an MX1. Interestingly, the 20T and Challenger pics have appeared on both wall clocks and fridge magnets for sale on eBay in recent times, amongst other things...! (Thought they looked familiar somehow...!)

To my eyes, it looks as though this Fleetstar has had it's front muguard cut down a bit, and I also wonder if the seat has been recovered (black) at some stage too... Those tyres look a bit 'chunky' for a roadster as well, and not sure it left the factory with pale blue engine plates either... And where's the toolbox....?! As a reference pic it probably falls a bit short, but hopefully of interest nontheless.

Anyway, there's another pic to ponder over chaps.

Brian.

That 1957 20T front mudguard is very different.I believe that the rear mudguards were from the BSA A10 but I dont know what the front guards came from before being flared.Greeves surely didnt press them out as that would be too costly for a small firm

[John Wakefield]

That 1957 20T front mudguard is very different.I believe that the rear mudguards were from the BSA A10 but I dont know what the front guards came from before being flared.Greeves surely didnt press them out as that would be too costly for a small firm

Maybe a BSA Bantam 125 http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=BSA...x2cS2BQ&zoom=1
but the one in the pic looks cut down or maybe fibreglass.

[Colin Sparrow]

Challenger one on back to front?

[John Wakefield]

Nice stories and clips Brian (see this thread; http://www.greeves-riders.org.uk/for...hread.php?t=32), so here's mine. Back in the day,late 50 early 60,I bought a 2t fleetwing,it was only a year old and a super super machine.However there was a little problem.My Girlfriend at the time hated riding pillion so I bought a lightweight sidecar and myself and a friend fitted it by drilling a big hole in the front H downstrut.The bike took all this in it's stride and never once did it give me any problems except there were no windows in the sidecar and the girlfriend smoked,well didn't we all,.Driving out to the pub in the country was great until I stopped,opened the lid for her and it was like the red indians had arrived with the huge smoke cloud that erupted-she wasn't impressed.
Anyway after that I was posted to Germany,in the RAF to Wildenrath and I took the bike,with sidecar, with me, [but not the girlfriend],.Shortly after that I bought a car,VW beetle,well tax free don't you know and sold the Greeves to a pal of mine who promptly ran into a big pole and killed himself,the bike was in solo form then,and would you believe the bike ,except for a few scratches, was ok.I got the bike back and sold it again straight away.I really don't know what happened to it after that,but if anyone finds a 2t fleetwing with a big round hole in that downstrut please let me know.

Bryan. Not sure if you are still on this forum, but a 25D with a hole on front beam has recently been advertised on face book. The reg number being TDA190 (pics attached) Is this your bike? This one now has 4T barrels.