AJS & Matchless Owners Club

I have a 7R that I am trying to date. The Club tells me that no records exist.
The motorcycle carries frame # 1436 and has the chain lube oil in the frame top tube, motor # 1523, gearbox # G7R50E. The chain guard has the vent holes in the front edge and the curved drain tube in the rear bottom.
If anyone can help with data or opinion I would appreciate the input. Thanks in advance.
Regards, pjs

Welcome to the Forum Phillip.
I know absolutely nothing about the 7R and hopefully someone who does will respond. Unfortunately not many 7R owners use the Forums.
However, I do know where to find a couple of articles in the Archive and the machine's technical features (frame, engine etc.) may help you to date it.
This one for example mentions engine changes through the years:
http://archives.jampot.dk/technical/Spe ... _1957).pdf

You may get clues from the Owners Manuals for the 7R for 1951, 1953 and 1961 which can be found here:
http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Owners_manuals/

You may find others in the Archive, for which the main index is here:
http://archives.jampot.dk/
There are a couple of narrative articles about racing the 7R in the above link under 'Editorial' ...'Road racers' .....which you may find interesting.

There may no be factory records, there is factory supplied info.
1956 eng. no's started 1500. So 1523 would be a 1956 engine.
Frame numbers. 1951 started 1401 in May 1953 frame number's started 1501. There's no mention of a 1952 start number. Perhaps production re stated 1953 after Korean war ended?
In 1956 frame numbers re started at 1500 with an F prefix. It does appear, you have a 1951 frame with 1956 engine. It would have made seance to replace the 51 bike with a 56 engine if the 51 engine blew, or it was a better engine to fit to gain more speed. You could perhaps check what you have from literature, to confirm if you have a 51 frame with 56 engine.
50E in the gear box number would mean this was made by Burman in 1950. E the code letter for May. Which does suggest it could have gone in a 1951 model bike. As the AJS 1951 model year would have started Sept 1st 1950.

Thanks all for your input. I am having a problem rectifying various data. According to the "1953 AJS 7R Instructions" and Mick Walkers book on page 105 the oil in frame with top strap gas tank mounting system was introduced in 1953. My frame is this type begun in 1953, yet it is stamped #1436. The bike also has the shorter humpback seat and 19" wheels.

pjs wrote:Thanks all for your input. I am having a problem rectifying various data. According to the "1953 AJS 7R Instructions" and Mick Walkers book on page 105 the oil in frame with top strap gas tank mounting system was introduced in 1953. My frame is this type begun in 1953, yet it is stamped #1436. The bike also has the shorter humpback seat and 19" wheels.

It is stated in books that give frame and engine numbers " some numbers may overlap " It seems your bike may be one on which the frame number overlapped. If factory dispatch records have not survived, it cannot be factually dated.