Ossa Mar

[trident3]

I am starting to restore a 1974 Ossa 250 MAR and wanted to identify the frame. It is nickel plated, has a built in oil reservoir and metering screw for the chain in the s.a and Dzeus fasteners for the side panels and bash plate. There is no tab for a side stand. I cannot find any numbers marked on the frame, have already had the tip that it is unlikely to be a standard Ossa frame, more likely a Whitlock. Are there any other options ?

[woody]

Yes, sounds like it could well be a Whitlock frame - often referred to as a Gollner frame, but they were made by Mick Whitlock for Bob Gollner who sold them (I think Gollner designed stuff but wasn't a frame builder) The Whitlock frame was plated, had a chain oiler and I don't think they bothered with a sidestand. Don't know about the fastners. The rear brake pedal should also be on the left , British style, using a rod straight to the brake arm on the wheel. Ossa frame has the brake on the right with a tortuous cable affair to connect to the back brake. The swingarm on the Whitlock frame usually had open ended spindle slots too, so that the rear wheel could come out without removing the spindle. Ossa swingarm didn't.

Chances are it may be a bit earlier than 74 as the frame was brought out for the MK1 Ossa in 72/73 I think. They made the swingarm about 1" longer than Ossa and Ossa themselves lengthened theirs from the MK2 onwards, only to shorten it again on the later bikes.

Don't think anyone else made frames for Ossa other than Cheney but as far as I know he only made them for the monoshock version, not twinshock

It's going to be difficult to date the frame but if the engine is still the original, that should date the bike for you. The engine and frame numbers on Ossas match so the original frame would have had the same number as the engine, just that frame is prefixed with B and the engine with M. Below is a dating chart for Ossas using the frame number. Just use the engine number instead. Sorry it looks a bit cluttered, something in the software on the page won't retain the spaces I put in between the chassis/model/year.

Numero Chasis Modelo A

Edited September 17, 2007 by Woody

[trident3]

Thanks for the reply, the PO told me the brake was on the left but he changed it over, it now has the cable. The swing arm fork ends are closed. The swing arm bearing seems 100% Ossa, it has the asymetric spindle and 2 plastic bushes, in fact the whole bike looks Ossa apart from the frame differences I mentioned. I am told Don Morleys Spanish Trials bikes book has some pix, I will try and get hold of a copy.

Yes, sounds like it could well be a Whitlock frame - often referred to as a Gollner frame, but they were made by Mick Whitlock for Bob Gollner who sold them (I think Gollner designed stuff but wasn't a frame builder) The Whitlock frame was plated, had a chain oiler and I don't think they bothered with a sidestand. Don't know about the fastners. The rear brake pedal should also be on the left , British style, using a rod straight to the brake arm on the wheel. Ossa frame has the brake on the right with a tortuous cable affair to connect to the back brake. The swingarm on the Whitlock frame usually had open ended spindle slots too, so that the rear wheel could come out without removing the spindle. Ossa swingarm didn't.

Chances are it may be a bit earlier than 74 as the frame was brought out for the MK1 Ossa in 72/73 I think. They made the swingarm about 1" longer than Ossa and Ossa themselves lengthened theirs from the MK2 onwards, only to shorten it again on the later bikes.

Don't think anyone else made frames for Ossa other than Cheney but as far as I know he only made them for the monoshock version, not twinshock

It's going to be difficult to date the frame but if the engine is still the original, that should date the bike for you. The engine and frame numbers on Ossas match so the original frame would have had the same number as the engine, just that frame is prefixed with B and the engine with M. Below is a dating chart for Ossas using the frame number. Just use the engine number instead. Sorry it looks a bit cluttered, something in the software on the page won't retain the spaces I put in between the chassis/model/year.

Numero Chasis Modelo A