Handlebar Mounting Plate

[Mike Sal]

When I look at the photo of the bike Rick got in Ohio, which we think is a '54, I notice that the sides of the plate are curved (sort of a hourglass shape).  When I look at the photo of Bill Marcum's bike, which we think is a '55, it has a mounting plate with straight sides (like my bike does, which we think is a '56).  Does this give us the clue that '55 was the year they changed?

When I was cleaning up mine, I can see the impression of the curve on one side.  Makes me think that maybe the tool broke & they just cobbled it back together without the curved punches in the die.
Mike Sal

[Ricks]

Mike, that's an interesting theory!  If that is the case, the change could have happened mid year 54 or 55.  I don't see a point to changing the plate without some purpose.  Simplex made changes for practicality, not so much for aesthetics.

Rick

[Mike Sal]

Studebaker did something similiar in 1966.  They had planned to quit making cars at the end of the model year, but a big die that formed part of the trunk lid broke, and the corporation wouldn't give them any money to fix it, so they just quit making cars when they ran out of trunk lids (in early March, instead of the end of July).

I'll be Simplex was tight with tool money also.  The 50's were a buyers market moreso than a sellers market.
Mike Sal