AJS 18CS Trials bike

Information relating to the Matchless G80 or AJS Model 18 500cc Heavyweight.
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: AJS 18CS Trials bike

Post by Rob Harknett »

Eamonn wrote: Wed Sep 08, 2021 1:26 pm
fullchoke wrote: Wed Sep 08, 2021 2:19 am Does the c specifically mean Trials?
C = Competition
True Eamonn, note the sales cat. states type of competition a model is designed for.
fullchoke
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2021 5:32 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: AJS 18CS Trials bike

Post by fullchoke »

You guys know how this forum works better than I do, I'm sure. I need to have my posts approved before you can see them. My posts apparently need to be approved before I can see yours also, if you post after my post that hasn't been approved yet. The topic may appear a little bit disjointed. I'm trying to figure this out. I wonder how long it will remain this way.
User avatar
clive
Member
Posts: 5657
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: LONDON UK

Re: AJS 18CS Trials bike

Post by clive »

Well the first few posts of guest members are moderated (often by me!) After a while it stops and the posts appear straight away. Guest membership expires after 90 days. Best way to avoid frustration is to join the club. ;)
clive
if it ain't broke don't fix
fullchoke
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2021 5:32 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: AJS 18CS Trials bike

Post by fullchoke »

Do I dare ask how to become a member? Can you send me a PM?
I really don't want this thread to get off the subject of my 1957 Model 18. I would like to understand more about the bike, especially if there is more information to be learned through the serial numbers of the frame and engine.
Thanks
User avatar
Eamonn
Webmaster
Posts: 2244
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 1995 12:00 am
Location: OXFORDSHIRE UK
Contact:

Re: AJS 18CS Trials bike

Post by Eamonn »

Membership details can be found at www.jampot.com - look under the club heading for Membership.
Corners like a Lego man
User avatar
clive
Member
Posts: 5657
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: LONDON UK

Re: AJS 18CS Trials bike

Post by clive »

You could try the dating service to see if the club has any records for your bike. We do have many of the post war factory records however the one area where there is little information is the competition frames/engines. They were prepared in the competition shop rather than the main factory and if they kept records they have not reached the club.
See here for the dating service you could see what the club has on your bike under option 2.
https://www.jampot.com/Dating.asp?dzt=1631175795833
clive
if it ain't broke don't fix
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: AJS 18CS Trials bike

Post by Rob Harknett »

Factory records and Frame & engine numbers.
Factory dispatch records show full details of a single bike. If there are no factory records for a certain bike,most bikes can still be dated.
Frame & engine numbers series are known for each model year. Engine numbers are easily dated as the last two digits of the year prefixes the engine number. The dating officer could date the frames year of manufacture only. Dating fees are discounted for members. This discount will almost cover your membership fee. So well worth joining the club for all the other benefits it offers.
fullchoke
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2021 5:32 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: AJS 18CS Trials bike

Post by fullchoke »

Thanks for the link. It doesn't look like the dating service can help. There are no records listed for my frame number. So all bikes with a competition frame #, and engine were built in a separate location? Were they built on order only? Were there only hundreds built per year? or possibly less? The one thing I have been trying to ascertain is if there were any Model 18CS Trials bikes made at all? According to the sales brochure info, they were all Scramblers. If any 18CS trials bikes were built, would they have been put in the MC frame, but not have any reference to that, or would they have kept the Scrambler frame, gearbox, without any specific Trials modifications, and the new owner was left to customize?

Interestingly, one thing that is different is my frame number is not in the location specified for the year, or in any of the locations of where to look for a frame number. It is on the vertical tube under the seat, arranged vertically facing the front.

I have an Oregon title for the bike from June 1964. It used the serial number from the engine as the serial number not the frame number. This was a common practice, as it is easy to find and read, but as engines get changed, the title becomes invalid, and Oregon has a real problem if that happens. Titles are surrendered when a change of ownership is made official with a new title. This title was not signed off on, by the original owner, but by a relative, so the original owner, must have died. A bill of sale to the next owner, from 1980, listing $400 was paid for the bike. That is too low even 41 years ago, and probably reflects the bike didn't run, and possibly was stuck then, as it was stuck very hard still when I got it. I believe the bike still has it's original engine.

I'm sorry for so many questions! I usually like to ask only 1 or 2, as the remainder often get overlooked and unanswered. The kind of information I'm asking for is very old, the people around Observed Trials back in 1957 are few, those that could be involved with AJS, probably much fewer yet.

Many Thanks!
User avatar
clive
Member
Posts: 5657
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: LONDON UK

Re: AJS 18CS Trials bike

Post by clive »

Frame number does not sound to be original. Unlikely a 500 would be made for trials as it would be heavier and the extra power would not generally be needed in a trial.
clive
if it ain't broke don't fix
fullchoke
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2021 5:32 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: AJS 18CS Trials bike

Post by fullchoke »

I saw that the AJS Works bikes were bored out 350's to something over 400. So they must have needed or desired more power, but I see what you are saying about the weight being about 10 pounds more. I think I remember seeing only one mention that 500cc Trials that few were made. The weight would have been the reason if any were made at all. Do you think that it is not a AJS frame? Whatever it is, it has been on there since before 1964. It looks original to me. It was painted after it was stamped. The number is 7528c. The engine number is 57182597CS.

Thanks
Locked