Sunbeam B24 350cc 1939

You obviously have not restored a motorcycle in recent years. That sort of money would be lucky to cover the cost of the required parts (and there will be many inside the engine and gearbox and magneto etc needed), paint work and chrome and zinc plating to bring it to fully restored standard. Then the tank may well be rusted out inside and need major expensive surgery. And on and on. You would get nowt for your labour doing it all. And there would be an easy 500 hours in that restoration, possibly as many as 1,000 if it is bad inside. There is no money to be made restoring old motorbikes anymore. Costs have skyrocketed. But demand for bikes of this era has not. Japanese classics of the 1970s and 80s seem to be flavour of the month right now with $25,000 (12,500 Quid) Kawasaki 900s and Honda 4s etc being common.

Personally though, I would not restore that bike. Just freshen it up mechanically and ride it as is. Unrestored survivors -- the legendary "barn find" -- are increasingly rare these days and worth good money, in some cases more than a fully restored model.

Probably worth a few quid as is, being a rare model and being so unusually complete and unmolested. Plenty of bikes have been restored from far less and far worse beginnings.

+1 on contact the Sunbeam owners club or your local vintage or classic bike club for an idea on its value. Dealers would not have a clue on this kind of stuff. If you put it up for auction and publicise it well it could draw a lot of interest.

And +1 on don't do anything to get it ready for auction. 'As found" is what people want and will pay for. Hosed down and scrubbed up it just looks like someone's unfinished project and has lost its originality.

Edited By Hopper on 16/01/2023 04:32:58

Edited By Hopper on 16/01/2023 04:34:39

Edited By Hopper on 16/01/2023 04:50:24

Correct in all areas Hopper.

Edited By Sakura on 16/01/2023 08:55:29

I know nothing of the total value of the estate, but for probate purposes you might be better off using the zero valuation you have from the dealer.

The BSA on my Avatar was very incomplete and in worse condition than the Sunbeam when I started to rebuild it.

Lots of happy hours in the workshop have a value to me, sure I would lose money if I sold it but that misses the point.Rebuild for mechanical reliability and safety that will keep its value up and not consume thousands on cosmetics. Do you know if the engine turns ?

Yes the Engine turns over fine.

CT if the estate is significant I would obtain the valuation in writing, even if zero and hand to the solicitor but keep it with the estate papers. HMRC are increasingly looking at valuations and "missing" estate property and are not noted for their stupidity. I have acted as an Executor on five occassions over the last 50 years and am reasonably up to speed with Protocol.

Robert Butler

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Edited By Robert Butler on 16/01/2023 18:05:21

Just a comment. Some have used the term "Barn Find".

This is not a barn find. It was much loved by C T's father in law. Barn finds are, or more likely were, clapped out vehicles that were run into the ground (just avoiding the hedge or ditch) and chucked in the back of a disused barn when they failed to start.

There are worse things. A basket case for one. A friend bought a T100 basket case that was more Bantam than Triumph. Locally a 250cc AJS did the rounds. It had been stripped down to the last nut and bolt.

JA

hopper, what parts would be zinc plated on a bike that age.

Thank you for all your feedback and . I am sure I would be capable of restoring the Sunbeam to a high standard, having restored a number of motorcycles over the years but not for a while.
The cost of the work is not the demotivating factor it's the time it will take.
Scrapping it is NOT an option either just an attention grabbing title.
I do like the idea of freezing the condition as the "barn find look" but roadworthy and safe.
I believe this route for me will be more difficult,trying to curb the urge to polish, paint, chrome to within an inch of its life.
Can anyone point to publications, website or general information about this route.

Thanks this has been done.

None, cadmium or parkerised fixings and shiny parts chrome plated.

Or Nickel plate?

Cad plating has been banned in most countries these days, except for specialist aviation work, at specialist aviation prices. (Not sure about the UK?) Because of toxicity issues, both in the plating process and to the end users. Tip: Don't hold small cad plated screws and nuts etc between your lips when assembling tricky fiddly little bits with multiple small fasteners. That is the No.1 way it is ingested in the home workshop.

Zinc plating is used by restorers as a substitute on all those small fasteners and bits that were originally cad. Does not look quite right to the rivet counters, but if you glass bead blast it after plating it looks pretty close.

And nickel plating would be more correct than chrome for the brightwork on a bike of this era.

Edited By Hopper on 16/01/2023 21:56:45

If you plan to keep it, do it the way you like it. If you want to spend the money on a full restoration, go ahead and enjoy it. Your best source of info would be the Sunbeam owners club and you local veteran and vintage bike club.

I don't think there are any rules for what condition old bikes had to be in before they were parked in the barn, or chicken coop, or woodshed or back shed as so many were. Some doubtless were ridden into the ground - probably most - but others were in good order and left when owners went off to war and never returned or got married and stopped riding or simply lost interest and moved on to other things, or got too old or got ill or bought a car and did not want to part with the old bike still.

The term basket case has interesting and unexpected origins. It originally referred to disabled veterans from World War 1, mostly multiple/quadruple amputees, who spent their days in a type of wheeled woven basket being moved around by nursing staff or family members.

Edited By Hopper on 16/01/2023 21:57:23

Edited By Hopper on 16/01/2023 21:59:03

Hi CT

if you have the inclination to re-commision the bike please do. It will cost more than you could sell it for, but you will have a bike with history.

An approach, if there are family problems is-

Agree a value that people are happy with, as it is now. Then document all the parts and services used and agree a nominal value of your time, before you start, (start by asking what a nail bar, hairdressers or garage charges per hour). When it's running get a valuation and share the profit (LOSS) among the heirs.

Your time, includes ringing around, going to autojumbles for parts, travel to take and collect parts from plater, dvla time, MoT for safety sake, trip to tyre fitters, time on line, etc.

Time = 350 hours? couple of hours midweek? a day at weekend? £20/hour? = £7K

Parts-- At Least -- Battery, tyres, Chain, Sprockets, Lamps, cables, Penetrating oil, Oil, Fuel, Carb rebuild, Club membership, parts book, MoT , Filter? or slinger?, = £500?

Parts -- Possible-- Seat re-covering, Wheel rebuild, Painting, Plating, Magneto rebuild, tank repair = Dont Ask.

Good luck

George

George

That sounds like a recipe for a major family fall out sometime in the future.

The Sunbeam is a late 30s bike, manufactured under AMC ownership. Nickel plating, as a final finish, finished around 1930 therefore the shiny bits would be chrome plated over the nickel.

Proper flash one then.

Not sure what it is like in the UK these days but the cost of chrome plating has become virtually unaffordable here. Most of the chrome platers closed down due to restrictive laws on waste disposal and WHS etc and the few left charge whatever they like, which is a lot. The days of chromed tanks are gone and it's cheaper to buy a whole new exhaust system from Armours etc than to get your old one rechromed. Same for headlights and mudguards etc.

A lot of guys are buying the kits and doing their own home plating of nickel and zinc instead. Not sure if you can do chrome or not. But it works well for all the small stuff.

Just don't run it without clearing the oilways, Mineral oil left that long changes to a sticky mess in small spaces that works better as a glue.