1970 Wassel Antelope Trials

Lot details
Registration No: Q742GJA
Frame No: W891ST
Engine No: 7176878
cc: 122
MOT Expiry Date: None

W.E. Wassell Ltd was founded in 1946 by Ted Wassell to distribute spares for motorcycles. By 1967 Wassell had moved to a purpose built factory and warehouse in Burntwood and was manufacturing a large range of metal accessories and spares. In 1972 the success of the company's alloy fuel tanks and mudguards, popular with the competition fraternity, encouraged the addition of complete frame kits to be offered suitable for the BSA Bantam engine to be fitted by owners. The natural progression was for a complete machine to be developed for sale and motorcross, enduro and trials versions were soon available, powered by Fichtel and Sachs engines, at a list price of £315. Many of these machines were to be exported as Mudlark and Antelope models, and some 3000 in total were produced, mainly with Ceriani forks, Dunlop wheels, Girling shocks and Wassell alloy components. The company was employing more than 100 people by the time of Ted Wassell's untimely death in 1975, after which the firm was acquired by MCE group who subsequently sold it on to Lintek Gleave of Lincoln. Wassell was then bought by the Frank Thomas organisation and re-established in Lincoln from where it still operates today, it is now the largest supplier of classic British bike parts in the world and recently has re-introduced the Hepolite brand of pistons.
The 1970 Wassell Antelope seen here is a very good example of the marque in surprisingly original unrestored condition, having completed only 434 recorded miles. Reported to be 'all good' by the vendor who purchased it in 1988 and registered it at that time. Fitted with the 122cc Sachs engine it comes complete with V5, expired MOT certificates and other documents.