The First Classic Ariel Scene
THE FIRST CLASSIC ARIEL SCENE
BOOK REVIEW
The First Classic Ariel Scene by Bruce Main-Smith Motorsports 6115 Gravois St. Louis, Mo. 63116 $7.45 plus $1.00 postage
Herewith another nice photo book from Bruce Main-Smith, this time on Ariels. Nothing to do with Shakespeare’s Tempest but another one of those nice solid plodding Singles built before and after WW2 before being snapped up by BSA and going down the terlet, inevitable, with that well known firm. Ariels, however, did have a spark of individuality and the Edward Turner-designed Square Four in its various manifestations actually appears in the majority of the photographs inside, including the rare 600cc 1931 example. Also Bruce has put in a decent selection of Twins (vertical), photos about the Pixie (ugh) and Arrow (ugh) which aren’t my idea of Classic no matter how you spell it. More like it is the Trials HTS
Single (see Sammy Miller), an odd alloy KHA Twin that couldn’t keep its head on apparently and a very few of the upstanding Red Hunter Singles that always meant Ariel to me, anyway. Oh yes, among the Sq Fours (or Turners) there are photos of a trick racing one no less which might give some lucky restorer bright ideas. They did race but Ariels had a bit of trouble keeping them cool at anything like competitive horsepower. Nice bike, though.
Prices keep going up in spite of the Pound Sterling going down, therefore Bruce wants $7.45 for the book, valuable as it is for Ariel lovers. Sixty-four pages, lotsa of photos in fact just about all photos. Square Four freaks forward! IS
Henry N. Manney III
