1937 Brough Superior 986cc SS100 Replica

• The last Bentley & Draper spring frame made
• Engine built to SS100 specification
• Ideal machine for use as a riding bike
• Over ten years in construction and commissioning

The most exotic name in the history of motorcycling grew from the seed of William Edward Brough and his son George, who were engaged in the production of motorcycles in the early part of the Twentieth century. William operated the company of W. E. Brough from just after the turn of the century, making motorcycles until 1925. George, who first worked with his father, branched out in 1919 to begin his own venture, which he named Brough Superior – some say to irk his father. Whatever the reason, the name became synonymous with quality, luxury, expense, and best of all, exoticism. Highly prized, the Brough Superior was finished to a high standard, and George obviously understood the value of advertising superlatives, and celebrity endorsement – firmly hitching his wagon to the personality of the period, T. E. Lawrence, 'Lawrence of Arabia', who owned and used several Brough Superiors during his lifetime. Lawrence was a superstar of the time, and his approval was an advertising coup to beat all advertising coups, until he sadly met his untimely death.

The reputation of the Brough models was also tied to the factory advertising, as George promised that every SS100 would come with a guarantee from the factory that it had exceeded 100mph! All served to enhance the machines' capabilities as inter-continental tourers of the highest standard. A high price tag came with the reputation, and over the years, prices for Brough Superiors have remained high, relative to other marques, even allowing for the ebb and flow of the market generally, to the point where they are usually out of reach of the pocket of the average man, and certainly in the case of the more sought-after higher-specification machines such as the overhead valve SS100, the pinnacle of them all. For this reason, when the opportunity arose for the present owner to acquire this machine, albeit in a sorry state, he was keen to purchase it to achieve his goal of SS100 ownership. When purchased, the machine was in a dismantled state, comprising frame, petrol tank, gearbox, oil tank, wheels, forks, the bottom end of an engine, and some side valve parts.

The frame of this machine is confirmed by the Brough Superior Club to date from 1937, and is the last Bentley & Draper frame to be made (see letter on file), although it was never made into a complete bike in period, as the sprung-wheel type frame was then being produced. It is assumed to have remained at the factory until its closure, and it was acquired by a Brough club member some 54 years ago.

When first assembled and registered, OXS 421 had a different engine, gearbox, and petrol tank, as reference to the BSC letter shows, and the owner subsequently rebuilt the machine in its present form, with a new petrol tank, different gearbox, and the converted engine, numbered 5220. Accordingly, prospective bidders should note that the engine number recorded on the V5C is that of the previous engine, 1034. It should also be noted that the BS prefix of the present engine is an amendment by a previous owner, and it is thought it would originally have had a Matchless prefix. The frame number prefix, M1S, is also non-factory lettering, having been re-numbered at some point.

The present owner, a talented engineer, constructed the engine using a Matchless-type side-valve bottom end, and fitted a pair of new SS100-type top ends, plus the appropriate timing gears, to reproduce an SS100 spec motor. The Norton gearbox, is of the correct type, albeit not originally fitted to a Brough. The vendor fitted new bearings, big end bearing, pistons, valves, guides etc. throughout, as required during the rebuild.

When re-assembled with the existing engine, and subsequently given some miles to shake down and carry out adjustments, the owner used an Amal Monobloc carburettor. Once he was happy with the running, after some mileage, he fitted the age-appropriate twin-float carb, as seen in our photographs. The bike did not run as well with the twin float carburettor, so he has now refitted the Monobloc, and the twin-float carb accompanies the machine. The wiring to the lights, which was not connected at the time of the photographs, will be connected by the time of sale. The sale is prompted by the machine becoming a little heavy for the owner as he ages. Said by the vendor to be running and starting well, and having covered over 300 miles since the last build-up, the Brough should provide a new owner with the privilege of overhead-valve Brough Superior ownership, and, as the vendor himself states, he built the machine 'to use, and not as an ornament'. Hopefully the new custodian will be of the same mind, and use OXS 421 as its restorer intended. Documentation with the Brough comprises a V5C, plus two letters from the Brough Superior Club.
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