Ron

It might be deceiving but somehow it looks like an 8"? Can you put a rule across the front? If it's a 6" then it could be that someone has put the screw clip in the slot that would normally have a spring clip. The reflector is post war but not really worth worrying about. Can you photograph the front of the rim and glass?

If you where to turn the lamp shell upside down, just behind that slot should be Lucas and the model number. It's feint so would probably need the paint rubbing off.  Ron

On a 6" headlamp? That is strange! Any chance of a picture?  Ron

PS. Your handlebar looks like it has shells to reduce the clamps down to 7/8". Brian Tillin has made a small batch of correct WD matt chrome 1" Triumph bars.......PM me if you want contact info. Ron

Triumph 1" handlebars were fitted right up to the last 2 or 3 contracts of 3HW's, when there was an attempt at standardization with M20 type bars and standard Amal controls.

Pre-war Triumphs had the twistgrip end of the bar swaged down to 15/16" to take Triumphs own unique twist grip. This idea was done away with for WD bikes which used 1" twist grips. 3/5SW bars were matt chrome plated. 3HW bars were painted. Ron

Harping back to the previous post. Look for the bracket that the footrest passes through....It's Triumph!

The headlamp fitted to 3/5SW's was a Lucas DU 142 and might probably have had the screw toggle clamp for the rim, although the later spring clip is next best thing. 

If your 6" headlamp has a spring clip for the rim then it most likely a wartime DU42, If it has a 'claw' type clip, then it will be a post war MU42. 

The ammeter should be a Lucas CZ27.  

OK starting at the top. I can't be sure if that is a Triumph tool box? Somehow it doesn't look bulbous enough  (looks more like Royal Enfield but I might be wrong) The first two pictures here are what you might call pre-war Triumph and fitted to 3/5SW's (note the hinges) 

The 3HW had the same shape box but with a piano hinge and the anti undo toggle knob. Ron

Well the bags on mine are repro (the only repro bags I have actually) and are quite nice and made by Schipper Fabric in USA, but they've gone out of business now. Fortunately we have  Frank Brown  on... pegasus-drive@sky.com who makes probably better ones. Mention my name if you want. Originals in reasonable condition are getting very hard to find. You should have blagged some off Stuart as part of the deal😖

A 3SW would have had an 8" headlamp, but since yours has been retro fitted with a 3HW engine, tank and back end.......The choice is yours.  Ron 

Cheers Graham. It came with the pannier set which it wouldn't have left the factory with, but I've got so used to having them for any form of mileage, to carry kit and tools, that I'll be leaving them on.......It's a later war REME upgrade don't you know. Ron 

After my initial test run on the 5SW where I found out that it was fitted with a silly 17T engine sprocket which made it far to under-geared, and the subsequent installation of a 20T (Blank from 'Sprockets Unlimited') I took it for a 30 mile round trip to Sammy Millers tea rooms last Sunday. 

I was really impressed with how the bike pulls and even from low revs in it's now long legs top gear. (they're about 50 lbs lighter than an M20)

The nice slick gear changes with the little pedal are a joy, although I do have to keep reminding myself of the '1 down, 3 up arrangement. Still got to run in my new bore and rings of course. Ron 

They're all brass anyway. They are bright Chrome (or zinc) plated. I just bought one for my 5SW from 'Ace Classics' and gave it a light blast with medium grit in my cabinet to give it an original dull chrome look. Ron 

Yes Clive it's all worthwhile discussion. You mention a 3 point plug. It is erroneous to assume that multiples of the electrodes spark together. Only the electrode with the best conditions (Gap etc) will spark. Just the same as any plug. It's just that the spark has a choice of route. Ron

Ah you had me worried Clive. Yes we are talking Magnetos here. I just received this back from my guy who has been restoring all era magnetos for 40-50 years. Ron

Hi Ron,

Yes you are correct.

I read an article from the US Army Air Corps years ago,  the article probably from the hey day of magnetos in the 1920s said it was bad news to use suppressors or spark intensifiers on magnetos.  I believe the Americans.  It's complete combustion that you want.  

Cheers,

Chris

OK Clive I'll put that to my magneto guy. Maybe it's a myth, but the magneto guys I've dealt with over the years and other guys, supposedly in the know, are adamant about not using a suppressor??  Ron

Yes Richard they will of course work with a suppressor and most bikes would have had one fitted as I guess that Wireless suppression was far more important than any adverse effect it would have had on the mags life or its ability at the best spark. 

The HT leads were often quite busy things back then, as in the case of some bikes, they were fitted with a Lodge or KLG non suppressed Bakelite cap, an in line suppressor and a rubber covered immobilizer. If I fit a suppressor "for appearance sake", I drill out the innards and slide it on the lead and glue it on with clear silicon.   Ron 

Yes Magnetos don't like plugs with any form of built in suppressor or even suppressor caps for that matter. Just plug the lead straight on with a spade terminal or a non suppressed plastic/Bakelite cap .

The spade terminals and knurled nuts and non suppressed caps are also available from Tim Green.  Ron

Also used on Ariel W/NG and James ML😊 Ron

I don't think the Iridium's are any good in a magneto bike, but I tried them in my special (coil ign) and despite the huge extra cost didn't really find any benefit.  It seems ironic to be putting a German plug in these bikes, but it wouldn't surprise me if they're all made in China anyway!  But for about a tenner you can buy 5 plugs, say 3 Bosch and 2 Champion or vice versa and keep some with the bike for trial. Ron

Personally I don't like NGK and for years I've used Champion L82C in my OHV engines (L86C in SV's)

But lately I'm going over to Bosch W7AC in my OHV's  (W8AC in SV's)

I was periodically having to change the Champion plug in the rear cylinder of my Indian Special after it would foul up and fail. There is a slight over oiling problem on the cylinder which I'll look into one day, but changing to the Bosch grade which I researched has dramatically decreased the failure rate.

They're only about £2 each inc post from Tim Green so worth buying  some of each make to try for yourself.

https://www.gsparkplug.com/

Ron

Yes and I've just fitted one to my 5SW too. http://www.tricor-andy.com/product/petrol-tap-double-plunger-type/

Ron

Where is the link? Ron

Was the horizontal carb to avoid fowling the magdyno? Some makers used a long throat carb to get past the magdyno. 

For instance when BSA converted the standard coil ignition C11 to magdyno for the military version for the India office, They swaped the carb for a horizontal type, simply because the standard carb wouldn't fit any more. Ron 

Best to go straight to Martyn Bratby on 01543 572583.

Amal won't refurb your carb. They will sell you new parts or a complete new modern carb. Surrey Cycles and Hitchcocks are selling new Amal products too.

Ron

Jan I do love this about engineering! The amount of work involved sometimes before even the simplest part can be made. I really wish I had more of those skills, but I get by as I have blokes like you around me. Ron

That is some great work Jan! Did you fabricate the English wheel yourself, and machine the wheels? Incredible ingenuity. Ron 

Lucky find Lex!  A prewar Speedtwin wheel/hub with it's correct ally brake plate could be worth hundreds of pounds. As I look at your pictures, it does look like a Triumph hub.with detachable finned brake drum.(fitted the wrong way round of course.) It would also fit the other heavyweights from 38/39/40 .....Tiger 90/100 5H, 6S etc.  Ron