BSA Opperman Special ID help

Fat Tire Trader

Dirt Disciple
Hello,
I bought this as a bare frame set. I already had the seat post, hub and stem. I was told by the original owner's son that it is an Oppy. Can anyone confirm this and help me establish a year for it. I would like to build it up as a 3 speed. I think I have a complete Cyclo derailleur and shifter. Alternately, I could build it up single fixed. EA 1 rims are hard to find here in California. I have a reproduction badge for it and it fits!
Thanks!
Chris
PXL_20250801_174319666.webp PXL_20250801_174325360.webp PXL_20250801_174332372.webp PXL_20250801_174336980.webp PXL_20250801_174355842.webp PXL_20250801_174412897.webp PXL_20250801_174427356.webp PXL_20250801_174621693.webp PXL_20250801_174647561.webp
 
From the countless hours I have spent perusing this model over the past week or so I would say it is, I am not sure if the derailleur mount relates to any particular year or if one was only fitted if that gear system was specified by the customer but you have that choice.
Thanks for posting.
 
You probably saw me mention in the other thread that by the 1938 catalogue BSAs didn’t have a head clip headset. So we can say yours pre-dates that (edit: I was wrong about this. The Opperman forks had head clips in the 1938 catalogue if you look closely)

1936 or 1938 Opperman Special with 3-speed Cyclo?

https://oldbike.wordpress.com/1936-bsa-catalogue/
 
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