The Gold Star Buyer's Companion

Book excerpt: This is the 4th edition of by far the most extensive buyer's guide available for the classic BSA Gold Star, covering the complete range of production from the original 1938 Model M24 through post-WWII models ZB, BB, CB, DB and DBD. Written to make it easy for potential Gold Star buyers to refer to when inspecting one of these highly desirable machines for possible purchase, it includes specialized information and photographs necessary to avoid paying Gold Star prices for the similar-looking B32/B34 and Alloy Clipper "competition models," or purchasing dubious components such as renumbered engines and counterfeit RRT2 gearboxes. The information also will be invaluable for restorers as well as people generally interested in the history of these machines. One chapter is devoted to the 1957 Spitfire Scrambler, a little-known hybrid produced only that year consisting of a twin-cylinder 650 cc engine in Gold Star cycle parts, predating the Rocket Gold Star by five years. Eleven Tables of data contain information on the proper speedometers, tachometers, gearboxes, carburetors, etc., and cover all models, including Clubman, Catalina Scrambler, Road Racer, Dirt Tracker, and Competition 'All Sports'. Fifty-five pages of color advertisements and images from rare sales brochures and magazines contain information for all years of this machine, from a pre-production 1937 description of expected specifications, to a listing in a 1964 sales brochure issued a year after the last Gold Star was manufactured (not covered are the B25/B50 machines that were given the name in 1971-72). For the restorer, a very useful "reverse parts list" specially created for this book has part numbers sorted in numerical order, enabling part numbers to be quickly identified and associated with the corresponding figures in the BSA parts manual. If you think you ever might want to buy, restore, or rebuild a Gold Star, the information in this book can save you considerable time as well as keep you from making some very costly mistakes. CHAPTERS: 1. Who Should Buy This Book?; 2. Mini-History of The Gold Star; 3. U.S. Gold Star Models; 4. Current Selling Prices; 5. Cost of Restoration; 6. Major Features to Check (Brakes; Rims; Forks; Instruments, Headlight Assembly, and Controls; Fuel Tank; Oil Tank; Frame; Exhaust Pipe; Engine; Magneto; Carburetor; Gearbox Types and Markings); 7. Aftermarket Accessories; 8. Checklist of a Few Important Points; 9. 1957 Spitfire Scrambler; 10. Sources of Additional Information (Books; Factory Manuals and Service Sheets; Magazine Articles); 11. Useful Addresses (Specialist Suppliers; Owners Clubs); 12. Selected Material from Advertisements and Sales Brochures; 13. Figures from DBD Gold Star Parts Manual (Catalogue No. 00-5076); 14. Part Numbers (in numerical order) from DBD Gold Star Parts Manual. TABLES: 1. Gold Star Model Designations; 2. Year-by-Year Description of U.S. Gold Star Models; 3. Current (2013) Selling Prices of Gold Stars; 4. Prices of Selected Components and Repair Work; 5. Speedometer and Tachometer Part Numbers; 6. Engine and Frame Numbers; 7. Carburetor Types and Sizes; 8. Codes Stamped on Early Gearboxes (1950-1952); 9. Codes Stamped on Later Gearboxes (1953-1963); 10. Components in an RRT2 Gearbox; 11. Codes Which Are Not Appropriate for Gold Star Gearboxes. REVIEWS: "Buying a Goldie? Buy This First." (Classic Bike); "...it stands as an ultimate Gold Star buyer's resource." (Classic Bike Guide); "...a mine of useful information [so] there's no excuse for not knowing what you need to know." (Classic Motorcycle Mechanics); "It is the outstanding book on Goldies." (Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader); "a must-have book for Gold Star fans... like an owner's manual on steroids..." (Cafe Racer).