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I just purchased an excelsior motorcycle without an engine or transmission. How do I tell what year it is ? He say's it's an 1919 if that is true I found most of an 1919 engine I just didn't want to buy the wrong engine. I will be posting pics of it. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks.
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Hi Olie,
First thing to check is does it have a leaf spring front end? Leaf spring will make it a pre Series 20. Series 20 has the two piece fork with a coil spring in a canister, same as Deluxe Henderson. Series 20 was introduced in late 1919 and continued with small changes until 1924 (24 has taper bearing front hub and a square tool/battery box among other changes)
If it has a leaf spring front end then check if the bar under the fuel tank is fixed or bolted in. If it is fixed then it is a Series 17 or earlier. If it is removable then it is a Series 18 or Series 19. If it Has the military style fork (leaf spring with additional bracing struts) then it will most likely be Series 19. Series 19 also has the oiltank in the toolbox. Does it have one or two fillers in the gas tank? If it only has one then it is Series 19. If it has two, one behind the other (gas and oil) then it is Series 18 or earlier. If it has two, one each side of the top frame bar then it is Series 20.
The other way to tell is the original color. 1915 to Series 17 is grey, Series 18 and Series 19 are green (olive), Series 20 are predominately dark blue (although very early ones could have been green.
Look forward to seeing photos!
Cheers Ben -
Just another point, 1919 motor would most likely be from a Series 19.Comment
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Welcome Olie. Ben gave excellent advice, and stated all the telltale signs of a 1919. If you could post a picture, that would be great. If you need help posting a picture, send me a P.M. or someone here can walk you through it.Eric Smith
AMCA #886Comment
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So after some more research i think this is an 1915 excelsior. If there is anyone willing to sell me any parts to me for this project i would be grateful. thanks for your time. WyanComment
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You are correct Olie; it is a 1915 Excelsior. '15s are a bit unusual as the transmission is one year only, and the motor has a few unique '15 bits. Any Big X motor, or trans from 1915-1924 will fit that frame but a 1915 Excelsior is a very desirable motorcycle and if you're up for the task, you should do the research and start collecting the correct parts. That bike deserves to be put back as a correct 1915 since there is so much of it there. I do see 1915 motors, and transmissions on ebay every once in awhile so you will need to be patient. In this hobby, it is the chassis that is the most rare; motors, and transmissions had a better survival rate.Eric Smith
AMCA #886Comment
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I would love to put it back to original. Is there any books out there with parts information that you know of? Any help would be appreciated.Comment
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You should get a hold of the Smiths. They are on ebay as 'boardtrackracer'. They have reproduced a lot of Ted Gump's Excelsior literature. Also, take a look at the AMCA virtual library and see what they have. You have to open a new account, but the literature is free, and you can print it out on your own printer. I'm sure other Excelsior people will chime in, and as you have questions, there will always be someone to give you answers, or a damn good guess
Like I said, a 1915 will not be easy to do by any means, but it will be worth it. I mean, what the hell else are you going to do with your life
Eric Smith
AMCA #886Comment
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Great find Olie,
Eric is right, 1915 X is hard to do as there are many unique parts, but its worth it. Send me your email address and I will forward on all the information and pictures I have on Excelsior's.
Im just about to start on my 1915 X, and there are several others around the world working on them too.
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Cheers BenComment
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These are certainly worth following up on. Any updates available?
JackComment
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I always wonder what happens to the bikes, and people that show up here. Olie made 4 posts two years ago, and not another word. My hope is that the bike found a good home, or at least that it is being properly stored so it won't continue to deteriorate. The 1990s were the golden age for the antique motorcycle hobby because so many hoarded collections came out of the darkness. Unfortunately, a lot of that great stuff went right back into some greedy bastard's hole of no return; but fortunately, hard to find parts have been reproduced by people like the Smiths, Isams, Henns, and many H-D, and Indian devotees that shared their love for old bikes by reproducing those odd, rare parts. Ebay also tore those rare parts out of the boney claws of people that love money more than history, so you have to give Ebay it's due. As for this '15 Ex; who knows where it will turn up next?Eric Smith
AMCA #886Comment
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