Some advice please - 50s or 60s Sun

Hi folks, perhaps you could could advise me what to do with my rather old, but still used Sun. My wife suggests getting a new bike while I fancy the idea of brining it back to it';s former glory, if I knew where to start as I don't know too much about bikes so that reading many of the posts on this site is a foreign language.

My bike is a 50s/60s Sun, I got it secondhand in 1981. I ride it quite a bit and will be taking it on the sponsored ride from Manchester to Chester next week. It does look tatty, and has had various parts changed over the years that I'm sure I'll get laughed at or looked down upon next week by those more modern folk.

Now to the mystery, the bike has a Worksop headbadge, but the frame number is Z1059. I've been in touch with Peter Cowan who knows more than a thing or two about Sun machines thinks it's a Sun Alpine (sounds more like a car) built in Birmingham in 1958. So I wondered has anybody else come across or know anything about the Alpine, and what would you suggest. My quandry is what to do with it? Just keep it going after all if it isn't broke don't tamper with it, or do something much more worthwhile, but then where to start?

It's definitely worth keeping, I own a modern road bike too but I prefer old skool over my new bike! Steel is real.

If you have the money a restoration would be nice, maybe a re-spray but keep the original components if they work well, maybe get the surface rust off the components and give them a clean.

I googled the bike but can't find any info on them. :?

I'm guessing it's a classic though, but I'll leave it up to the other folk to tell you.

There's another thread on here with a Sun, maybe ask on there?


http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=153263&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Hi, the Z prefix would indicate a Carlton dating and the wrapover stay certain points to it. It may well be a Alpine as Ralaigh/Carlton did keep the Birmingham Sun model names well into the sixties - my guess is mid / late sixties. If it has a badge, check if it has birmingham or worksop on, I suspect the latter.

Thanks Kinetic-Uk for that other thread to look through - one to keep track of and full on some good tips from the good members on the forum - think I'll have some work to do on it.

It wouldn't surprise you Old Tel, that the headbadge is indeed Worksop. However I had found an article somewhere on the web (and I can't find it again) that the Wokshop frame numbers only got to Vnnnn when production was stopped at that point in the 80s. Each letter representing a different year - hence the mystery of the Znnnn frame number on mine.

Hi, just to help understand my logic for the dating, the last Birmingham Sun prefix setup which started from the thirties ( A - Z prefix ) was indeed 1959 and a 'Z'. The Carlton numbering, again from the thirties stops at 'Y' in 1967 according to info on the web - or did it ? So we then go to the frame, semi chromed fork ( guessing as the photo's not clear )wrapover stays and a rear brake hanger are all late sixties, early seventies Carlton styling features. The Sun Worksop badge means 1962 and later, I hope this helps. Terry

Thanks Terry, its a confusing world isn't it, but helps me to decide what to do, Your right about the semi chrome forks by the way. I have a catalogue extract of the Sun Alpine from the 50s so wil need to take a closer look - amd I see what you mean about the rear brake hanger. Anyway see attached.

If it is a 60s/70s machine I'm less inclined to do anything with it and just let it wither on the vine, so to speak.

Hi, I've put up a picture of my 1959 Sun Cresta at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tk_photos/5836216009/in/photostream this was the model just below yours, and has a Z prefix. Please don't dismiss your Sun because its 1960's, its certainly not a bottom of the range model and well restorable as far as I can make out. Terry

well that looks a lovely machine Terry, and unusual colour... I like it.

If you're interested here are some detail pics of mine - you can see the state it's in. As I mentioned it's still going and will be taking me 50 miles on Sunday. Cheers.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1154551863 ... 73/SunBike

Hi, its all there isn't it and useable, you can read up on the crespera lugs your machine has at http://www.carltoncycles.me.uk/details/lugwork-p.htm . The chroming of the lugs also indicate a middle - high range Sun, so don't give up on it. Terry