FEATURED AUCTION
BRIGHTWELLS AUCTIONS
Wednesday 6th March 2019
Leominster Classic Motoring Auction Centre
Easters Court, Leominster, HR6 0DE
- 1927 AJS Model H2 800cc Combination
- ColourLBlack
- Registration Number: SV 9005
- Chassis No.: HA 5208
- Engine size: 799 cc
- Engine No.: HA 5208
- Documents: TBC
- Estimate: £12,000 - £14,000
Joe Stevens from Wolverhampton built engines from 1897 but it was his sons Harry, George, Jack and Joe who produced the first complete AJS motorcycle at their father’s Stevens Screw Company factory in 1909.
Just three years after their first machine left the works, AJS had introduced their first large-capacity V-twin, a 631cc model that soldiered on relatively unchanged until the 998cc models in the ‘30s. In 1925, AJS introduced a lettering system that denoted year - in this case H for 1927 - and a model number – 2 in this case - which refers to cylinder capacity.
Usually sold as a Combination, as is the case here, the 799cc H2 was an excellent lugger which had plenty of go. By 1927 however, the days of Combinations were numbered as the price of mass-produced cars had fallen to such a level that buyers opted for more seats and better weather protection.
This, and the austere times of the late ‘20s caused financial troubles for AJS, who were forced to sell out to Matchless in 1931. Following the sale, the manufacture of AJS motorcycles moved from the Black Country to London and their individuality was lost as the two makes, Matchless and AJS, became a badge engineering exercise where two machines were produced in almost identical form but with different badging and paintwork.
This splendid example came into the vendor’s hands in 2002 in pretty much the form you see today. It had been the subject of a comprehensive restoration sometime before, retaining its original features and that ‘lightly used’ look of a quality older restoration.
Since then, it has had little use and has recently been treated to a comprehensive service at restoration experts Robin James Engineering in Leominster at a cost of around £500 to get it back to reliable running order.
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