s.staffordsman Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Hi Steve, First of all, I really appreciate someone like you joining this forum! The photo's on the page were made by l/cpl McFarlane, 1st A/B signals in Arnhem with his own camera, during the battle, they come from the Hartenstein... The Bren carrier in the foreground is definetely a A/B conversion (no cover plate for the rear axle) and the Harley is a dutch civvy bike with dutch registration plate which they probably requisitioned. It's actually from the dutch technical motorway assistance. The trolley in the brencarrier with the wheels sticking in the air is also a Airborne folding trolley. I know it's still not a para riding it, but there is a lot of evidence that this picture that it was made during the battle... Anyway, nice to get to speak through you on this forum! Maarten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Like Stefano, I 'd like to hail Mr Madden. It's kinda erie to have real live text on my PC from someone who I rate as a WD motorcycle "God". Sorry if this seems a little OTT Steve but I have a very new, very cherished copy of your book and to see you providing information dynamically here, on the James ML, is quite humbling, not least because I really want one! And a Matchless G3WO as well! I'm seriously flattered by the support from fellow WD bike enthusiasts....I know Chris will be too (he only lives a few miles away from me and we keep in touch).....but there are many who know far more than me....you only have to look at Henk's WD BSA Forum and Rob's Norton Forum to see that this is so.....but thank you anyway :red: The book was the first real attempt to collate info on British military motorcycles.....and years later it is still the only title available to cover the subject in any detail......as with most books, a lot more could have been published, but the publisher restricted us to a certain size and number of words so a lot was left out......one day, it is hoped to rectify this situation....! When the book was written I was in my late 20s.....I'm now not far off 50 so hope I get round to it before I'm in the ground.....!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefano Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 Steve, Thanks very much for the info on the silencer and pipe - so S.C.C. 2 it will be (alas...) Cheers, Stef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefano Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) Another update then... Well, the engine is basically in the bag now, just the carb and strangler still to paint and a few nuts and bolts to sort out. The cylinder head proved to be a bit of a pain actually. The one on the bike had been welded up to take a 14mm plug, and the "perfect" one I bought from a dealer had stripped threads and had been ground down to the bottom fin (......). In the end I was lucky enough to find a brand new one on Ebay so that was one more problem sorted. BTW, if anybody is interested in knowing what the elusive "ignition immobilizer" looks like, you will be able to see it just south of the supressor. TTFN Stef Edited June 12, 2011 by Stefano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) Another update then...Well, the engine is basically in the bag now, just the carb and strangler still to paint and a few nuts and bolts to sort out. The cylinder head proved to be a bit of a pain actually. The one on the bike had been welded up to take a 14mm plug, and the "perfect" one I bought from a dealer had stripped threads and had been ground down to the bottom fin (......). In the end I was lucky enough to find a brand new one on Ebay so that was one more problem sorted. BTW, if anybody is interested in knowing what the elusive "ignition immobilizer" looks like, you will be able to see it just south of the supressor. TTFN Stef Nice job Stefano ! For info, the carburetter assembly should be painted.....they were either green or SCC No.2 brown....I have a new old stock one and it's painted...the box they came in had both green and brown coloured carbs in it....Also, the plug cap should be a large black bakelite Lodge variety (they turn up on Ebay) and same as that used on the Flea..... Edited June 13, 2011 by wdbikemad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefano Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 (edited) Also, the plug cap should be a large black bakelite Lodge variety (they turn up on Ebay) and same as that used on the Flea..... Steve, I've got a few Lodge plug caps (r.h. in picture), and they do indeed seem to be similar to the one used by the 'flea (see pic), but the problem is that they're supressed, and I wonder just how much extra resistance a Villiers flywheel magneto will take before it tells you to take a hike... (it must be said however that my Morris CD/SW did originally fit two supressors to each plug lead). Funnily enough, the 'flea in the picture only seems to have one connector in the HT lead - possibly just the immobilizer? - which would mean that a supressed spark plug cap would be the natural thing to fit. B.T.W., the K.L.G plug cap on the left is apparently what the BSA M20 would have fitted, would it have also been standard fare for other WD bikes? Cheers, Stef Edited June 15, 2011 by Stefano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 (edited) Steve,I've got a few Lodge plug caps (r.h. in picture), and they do indeed seem to be similar to the one used by the 'flea (see pic), but the problem is that they're supressed, and I wonder just how much extra resistance a Villiers flywheel magneto will take before it tells you to take a hike... (it must be said however that my Morris CD/SW did originally fit two supressors to each plug lead). Funnily enough, the 'flea in the picture only seems to have one connector in the HT lead - possibly just the immobilizer? - which would mean that a supressed spark plug cap would be the natural thing to fit. B.T.W., the K.L.G plug cap on the left is apparently what the BSA M20 would have fitted, would it have also been standard fare for other WD bikes? Cheers, Stef Hi Stef The left plug cap in your photo is correct for the M20 (it's actually a water-resistant cover rather than a plug cap) and only specified for that model...other WD bikes used other versions or the simple spade at the end of the lead......the one on the right is not the correct one for either the ML or the Flea......neither cap was suppressed !!! Keep looking !!!!! The Flea/ML one is similar but a bit larger.......it is very rounded and almost "bell" shaped with a lip at both the base and where the HT lead enters..... The Flea did not have an immobiliser fitted into the HT lead.....this was because you could unscrew and remove the entire HT lead from the bike at the top of the magneto cover.......the suppressor fitted into the HT lead however, was the same as that fitted to the ML.....:-D Edited June 15, 2011 by wdbikemad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefano Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Steve, Ah! The learning curve, and what a wonderful thing it is I did have my doubts about the Lodge cap - it's more early pre-unit Triumph than anything else. Well, I suppose that one (or more - still got the 'flea to do) will turn up eventually. Thanks for your help - much appreciated. Stef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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