Literature

The basis of a good restoration or repair is information. All you will ever need is listed here. Unfortunately, there is no one publication that will answer all your needs, so here is a guide to those available.

Parts books are the single most useful publication as they list almost evry part fitted to the bike and although not without errors and omissions are pretty accurate and essential for an accurate restortation. The Colt books are somewhat sparsly illustrated and the BSA equivalent will be found to be very useful. You will however need the BSA part numbers, which will be found alongside the Ariel ones in the 1954 and 1955 supplement, marked as ‘Do not use PART No.’. The 1956 book does not have these but the early books will do 95% of the job as there were few alterations. The parts that are specific to Ariel are easily spotted as the ‘do not use numbers’ contain a ‘/’ instead of the ‘-‘ of the BSA numbers.

The factory never published any workshop manuals, only owners’ guides, which were the rider’s handbook that was supplied with the machine when new. These contain much useful information on servicing and basic repairs. These are photocopies. The BSA Service Sheets are the nearest thing to a proper manual but of course do not cover the gearbox.

Each year Ariel issued a catalogue of the forthcoming seasons models and as such, they are frequently treated as definitive. However, they do sometimes depict prototype ideas that did not reach production such as swinging arm frames with brake rods, so they do need to be treated with caution. The catalogues vary in size and content, which is reflected in the price, some being merely brochures whilst others have two pages to each model. These are reproduced in full colour.

Roy Bacon ‘s book ‘Ariel, The Post War Models’ contains many useful period photographs and is a comprehensive history, including many useful and largely accurate tables of information. It covers all of the post war models including the Ariel 3, is published in hardback, 190 pages reference OG92

There is no VAT on books.

Year

Description

Part No.

1954

Parts book

PB54LH

 1954

 Catalogue, small brochure

CAT54LH

1954

Catalogue, all models, full colour

CAT54

1954

Brochure, all models, full colour

CAT54B

1954-55

Owner’s Guide

OG54LH

1955

Parts book (supplement only, to be read with earlier full parts book)

PB55LH

1955

Burman GB gearbox for all models (not in 1955 parts book)

PB55GB

1955

Catalogue, all models, full colour

CAT55

1956

Parts book

PB56LH

1956

Catalogue, all models, full colour

CAT56

1956-58

Owner’s Guide

OG56LH

1957-58

Parts book

PB57LH

1957

Brochure, all models, full colour

CAT57B

1957

Catalogue, all models, full colour

CAT57

1958

Brochure, not competition

CAT58B

1946-65

“Ariel, The Post-war Models” by Ray Bacon. Excellent hardback book 190 pages.

OG92

1946-65

“Motor Cycling Electrical Manual” reprint of 1963 hardback covering all types of motorcycle electrics, with the theory simply explained. Highly recommended

WM63ELEC

1954-58

BSA service sheets for C10L (frame, rear suspension and rear wheel)

00-8004

1954-58

BSA service sheets for C11G (engine, forks, clutch and front wheel)

00-8009

Each year the factory published a parts book, mainly for the use of dealers so that they could correctly identify and price spare parts. These books are invaluable to the rider and restorer alike as they list virtually every part on the bike.Every part is indiuvidually illustrated before 1950 but after that date major assemblies only, such as engine, gearbox, wheels and forks, are shown but with the advantage of them being in exploded views. The 1926-28, 1932-38 singles and 1932-36 SQ 4 parts books do not contain details of gearbox or other proprietory parts. In addition, the 1926 singles, 1929-32 all models and 1937 Square Four books are unillustrated. For some years a supplementary parts lists was issued instead of a full parts book and these only show the alterations for that year and must be used in conjunction with the list for the previous year. These supplementary lists are indicated, on the chart, by (S). Engine and frame numbers with prefix letters please, to ensure that you are sent the correct book.o:p>

Although all the parts books have been given a part number, as listed below, only those parts books which are priced in the price list are actually available. We would be interested in purchasing any parts books to fill the gaps.

Year

Part Number

1937Burman BA gearbox parts book

PB37BA

1938Burman R, RU, RP gearbox parts book

PB38RU

1955Burman GB gearbox for all models (not in 1955 book)

PB55GB

1929-32 parts book covering all models, unillustrated. In 1931 Ariel changed the part numbering system, retaing the old numbers for use within the factory and pre 1931 books only contain the earlier numbers, this book has both and is therefore essential for anyone with one of these bikes. All the errors in the original single year books appear to have been repeated in this book along with some new ones! Ref PB29-32ALL

YEAR

LH/OH/MB

SING

SLOPER & KH

VCH & FH

SQ 4

1926

PB26SING

1927

PB27SING

1928

PB28SING

1929

PB29LB

PB29SING

1930

PB30LB

PB30SING

1931

PB31LB

PB31SF

PB31SQ

1932

PB32LB

PB32SING

PB32SF

PB32SQ

1933/34

PB33SING

PB33SING

PB33SQ

1935

PB35SING

PB35SING

PB35SQ

1936

PB36SING

PB36SING

PB36SQ

1937

PB37SING

PB37SING

PB37SQ

1938

PB38SING

PB38SING

PB38SQ

1939

PB39OH

PB39SING

PB39SQ

1940

PB40/6WNG – (XG 11,363 to XG 17,000)

1940

PB40/6WNG – (XG 11,085 to XG 14,833)

1941

PB41/5WNG –  (XG 17,000 to XG 20,999)

1942JAN

PB42/10WNG –  (XG 20,501 to XG 23,500)

1942

PB42/1WNG –  (XG 23,751 to XG 27,250)

1943

PB43/5WNG – (XG 37,281 to XG 40,530)

1944MAR

PB44/11WNG – (XG 42,001 to XG 44,250)

1944NOV

PB44/3WNG –  (XG 44,251 to XG 47,250)

1945

PB45/3WNG – (XG 51,856 to XG 55,355)

1946

PB39SING

PB39SQ

1947

PB47SING

PB47SQ

1948

PB47SING

PB48KH

PB47SQ

1949

PB49SING

PB48KH

PB49SQ

1950

PB50SING

PB50KH

PB50VCH

PB50SQ

1951

PB51KH

PB51SQ

1952

PB52SING

PB52KH

PB52SQ

1953

PB53SING

PB53KH

PB53SQ

1954

PB54LH

PB54SING

PB54KH

PB54FH

PB54SQ

1955

PB55LH

PB55SING

PB55FH

PB55SQ

1956

PB56LH

PB56SING

PB56KH

PB56FH

PB56SQ

1957

PB56LH

PB57SING

PB57KH

PB57FH

PB56SQ

1958

PB58FH

PB56SQ

No products were found matching your selection, but we still might be able to help! Give us a call on 01986 894798 or email spares@draganfly.co.uk