Just when one thinks that there is all we need or want to know about about the glorious BSA Dandy somebody pops up with the original factory service sheets (thanks Andrew, forever in your debt).
The exploded diagram of the very simple Dandy engine. Of course there is nothing exploding about the actual engine itself as it didn’t develop enough power to do anything of the sort, they just stopped.
From the pride of the BSA design department every expense was spared in the design and building of this scooter. Don’t you just love company accountants! And I bet the Japanese manufacturers of the time were just laughing their heads off, no competition here. The simplicity of the Dandy suspension was reflected in the lack of dampening on the front and rear suspension, and without it one would just pogo along should the Dandy be able to power its way out of any small pothole. Big potholes? Well the rider might have had to just sit there and wait for one of BSAs bigger sisters to pass by and offer a tow, presumably the Mighty Bantam.
Definitely built down to a price, the original Dandy design was to include an alloy cylinder barrel to aid in cooling of the rear facing engine but by the time production was well underway this had been down graded to a cast iron unit. Hence one of the Dandys annoyances that appeared was that engine seizures could occur. Good one BSA.
But they have survived, so for all of those proud owners out there best whip this one through your printer and hide it way back in the bookcase, you know, a place where not even the spiders go.
See if you can work out how the wiring worked without looking at the description. Another BSA zinger.
Australian riders just love a challenge, here they are lining up for their version of the Esso 6 hour endurance race. Winner unknown, and no record of DNFs.
Click on the advertisement below to see the 31 page torment that BSA put upon the riding public.
It is a 4.5M PDF.
