J.C.Parkes year and model ?

[Andy66]

Hi, built this bike with my father in the late 70's and been in my loft for 30+ years. Just finished cleaning it up and changing a few parts.
It's a JC Parkes Light Weight. Looked at old threads from 2016 to identify the actual model and year of manufacture.
The only stamped mark shows "PL178".
The Sun model guide suggests using the first initial P which equates to 1948/49 but I'm thinking that PL stands for Parkes Light and I can't find a Parkes related ID guide.
Shown a few pics. It was just a frame/forks when found so all the parts were purchased late 70's so it's not trying to replicate the original bike of the 50's. Thanks for any help.

 

[keithglos]

That is F C Parkes who was director of Sun Cycles.
Early to mid 1950s

Keith

 

[Andy66]

Thanks Keith
The old threads are great on this subject and can see that the grandson to the Sun founder produced a lightweight sports version and called it "FC Parkes".
This was from 1936 and ran until April 1960 when bought over by Raleigh.
So my bike is dated between 1936 and 1960 but I suspect mid 50's.
I'll keep checking old threads but was trying to establish the date of manufacture from the serial number PL178.

Andrew

 

[keithglos]

By the mid 50s the MD was Peter Parkes. I remember him visiting me in mid 50s to try to sell some bikes. The UK bike manufacturing by then was in a state of disaster. Companies like Hercules who made a million bikes in a year in the 1930s and BSA could just disappear in a few months.
I would guess your bike is 1954 or 55, the same as the Sun Wasp of the time.
Looks like 73 x 71 angles.

 

[Jonny69]

The P in the number is the date code. It’s the financial year that the frame was made. All the Parkes I’ve come across share the same dating system as Sun bikes so 1948/49 checks out. I forget where I read it, but the L is for lightweight. This is consistent with my one, which is an earlier 1938/39 Parkes Lightweight prefixed EL.

A couple of things that might be inconsistent with it being as early as 1948/49:
-Yours does not have a clip type headset. All the Parkes bikes I’ve seen have had clip headsets, even well into the 1950s when they would have been long obsolete. Your forks or headset could have been changed though.
-Someone more knowledgeable than me would have to confirm if that style of lugs were available in 1948.
-I don’t know when Parkes switched from the old Art Deco style head badge to that one.

 

[Andy66]

Thanks to both Keith and Jonny.
The headset would have been replaced when rebuilt in the late 70's. I was there to witness my father purchasing everything needed to convert the frame and forks which had just come back from being re-chromed and painted.
The serial number suggests 1948/49 if the lugs are consistent and Keith suggests the angles align to 1954/55.
This could be as close as I can get to the actual date. It's not overly important, just wanted to fill in the unknowns so I can discuss the bike with friends. Thanks

 

[Andy66]

Just looked at a 2016 thread between "Jonny69" and "OldTel" (Terry).
Similar discussion.
Sun and Parkes frame numbers are meant to be the same.
PL178 (P= 1948/49, L= lightweight)
I'll go with this unless told otherwise.
A lot of knowledge out there, thanks for your help

 

[Jonny69]

Some of the Parkes family popped up on a LFGSS thread a few years ago. Some interesting stories:

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

 

[Andy66]

An very interesting read, thanks for sending this older thread.
Your 1937 Prewar Parkes Lightweight looks the part in black.
Your fork lugs are identical to my 1948/49 bike although the frame lugs differ. Also note the frame angles appear identical.

Mine is now road ready but after 25years of off road mountain biking I'll need to get used to narrow bars, higher gears and traffic to get some decent use from it.