F C Parkes /Sun bicycles frame numbers question

[Jonny69]

Found the thread I was looking for. Here are all the date codes for Suns and Parkes:

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=344162

So yes, S is 1951/1952. Keith, looking on the internet at Parkes Lightweights, unless the owners have dated them wildly incorrectly, they did seem to have head clips well into the 50s. I agree that at the time they must have appeared very dated with this.

 

[bagpuss]

Re:

Thank you to all for your valued input on this topic . The list of dates from Terry on a previous thread is a great reference tool . Thanks to Jonny 69 for trawling it up.

 

[keithglos]

Re:

Sun made their own cast lugs for their light motor cycles, and were trade suppliers of tandem lug sets. Its quite possible they had a stock of cast lugs which were really out of date.

By the mid 50s the cycle manufacturing was falling apart. I remember Peter Parkes coming round himself in desperation to get a few orders. In the situation there were probably plenty of retailers who could not pay even if he supplied them.
I had 50 bikes from BSA on a "pay when you sell them" basis. I can't remember how they were paid for.
It only took a couple of years for most of the major manufacturers to disappear. The recreational cyclists were fewer than you would believe, and were not noted for extravagant purchases.

Keith

 

[Spokesmann]

Always good to hear Keith's dystopian view of cycling back in the day...

 

[Jonny69]

A couple of Parkes' relatives popped up on a LFGSS thread a few years ago. Bit of interesting info about the factory and stuff.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/170221/