Phillips Apollo Identification Help

[Werbs83517]

Hello All, I'm looking to see if anyone can help me with identifying the year of my bike. We picked this up at a auction and want to restore it. Any help on finding out the year or a point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Also if anyone knows the value if I end up insuring would also be a help if it ends up being highly valuable.

 

[tyred]

Nice relaxed angles, I'd go with late 1930s.

 

[biggs682]

clean and ride looks a good option

nice find though

 

[ChrisEyles]

I'd second @tyred's guess in the 1930s - I have a 1937 Raleigh, with similar geometry and the bolt-on seat stays.

Give it a nice thorough but gentle clean and you may be surprised by how nicely the original paintwork and chrome comes up.

As for value I'm afraid I haven't a clue... I guess it'd really come down to finding the right buyer, a collector might be willing to pay a fair few hundred if it's exactly what they've been looking for for ages, someone just wanting an oldy-worldy bike to pootle down to the pub on probably not so much.

Besides (as I'm sure you'll agree if you enjoy restoring and riding the bike) what it's "worth" and what it might sell for/cost to replace can be two quite different things.

 

[Werbs83517]

Thanks for the help guys, if you would know anyone that could pinpoint an exact year that's really what im after. Please refer anyone that can help to this thread. There is also a serial number on the bottom of the frame. Does anyone know of a website that I could punch that in to identify exactly. Cheers.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Have you tried looking for a date stamped into the rear hub? Sturmey Archer ones always have dates and maybe some others too, worth a look.

 

[classic33]

What shape is the bottom bracket?

 

[Illaveago]

The bike looks really good despite its age and the transfers point to a bygone era. A good find.

 

[Tony Raynor]

Im guessing 1950s if that chain guard is original. The hockey stick ones cane in around the 50s. It also looks very similar to the road aster in this catalog. All the catalogs I've seen before 1955 don't have an Apollo listed.

http://veterancycleclublibrary.org.uk/ncl/pics/Phillips catalogue (V-CC Library).pdf

 

[tyred]

This is definitely a case for a sympathetic oily rag restoration. Don't lose that patina.

 

[Werbs83517]

Thanks Tony for the catalog post, very helpful. It does look a lot like the roadster. What year is that catalog from?

 

[Tony Raynor]

Can't remember if it was 55 or 57 catalog.