flyingfleasteve

Hi Lex. Very helpful. I have done a some reading up, white vinegar or electrolysis sounds feasible, I remain cautious as I do not want to damage the tank in anyway.

Good advice Lex! What is the preferred method of removing the rust inside?

I know, it brilliant! Especially made for the job!

I know you did Lex, thank you for being a Gentleman and letting me have first refusal......I don’t suppose you have a Lucas brass DC40 knob kicking around? My inspection lamp appears complete apart from that. I am also wondering if one can be made 🤔

Won’t be long Ron I am sure.......which courier did you use? I couldn’t get over the price of the shipping 😬

Looks what’s just arrived! Just three days from American 😀 mind you postage and customs charges were scary 🙈 Some work to do on it and a little bit rusty inside, I am thinking it will need to be lined? (opinions welcomed) as it’s also had a few minor patches, however, very happy!

😂 I have repaired some tanks in my time bit even this is a stretch 🙈 We did a 3HW tank some years ago, that wasn’t pretty either.....but still holds fuel

Hi Ron, though I’d share with you an image of the original fuel tank, you can still see it attached to the fuel tap🙈😂

Thanks Lex. Yes I noticed the original switch hole has been made larger, I wonder why? I am sure I can repair that. I luckily have an original clock black plate...the tank remains relatively untouched, I hope to learn a little more about panel set up as it has the remnants of what looks to be the original ammeter and inspection lamp. I just wonder if any original tank markings have survived under the paint? It would be Amazing to find out what bike this tank originally came from.....chances are slim I know. I found the original division markings on my G3L restoration. A real treat!

Mines painted too 🙈

A little bit of downtime last week but it’s a very exciting day today! The freshly built bottom end is now built and scheduled for collected this afternoon! Maybe even more exciting the orginal G3 panel tank I have acquired has started it mammoth journey from America! All being well the tank will be with me early next week, I am itching to clean it up and scrape some of the layer of paint off it. From the photos the seller had kindly shared with me there are some definite signs of service paint beneath of the current black top coat.....some of this can be seen on the panel hole of the tank

Thanks Gents, I am very pleased with the results. The rack was really letting the project down a little, with this done I can push forward in confidence.......

Finally got there!! Before and after.....

These things happen Ron! What a beautiful bike! The 5SW is almost as nice as the G3 😂 I only have the little brother, the 3SW, underpowered is an understatement 🙈

Yes, I found the Matchless G3L a bit of a nightmare to work on, I should have learnt my lesson and not bought another Matchless...😂 I must say out of my modest collection of bikes I do very much enjoy riding the G3l most! Lockdown restoration 1

Thanks Lex! Yes they appear to be a popular machine! I just love the pre war styling.....

Cheers Ron, good advice! slowly getting there. It’s keeping my hands busy until some of the other missing components arrive. Lex might be able to answer this, out of curiosity roughly how many G3 panel tank machine are still left in circulation?

Momentum has slowed a little while I wait for a few parts including the engine to come back to me. I decided to tackle the rear rack as I was never happy with the heavy pitting of it. Unfortunately filler primer never really touched it so I tried a different method, which I must say has transformed it.......

P.S Doesn’t the battery carrier look better 🙂

So I have finally welded the rear foot brake stop back onto the frame, it took a little while to get it just right but it’s not going anywhere now! Next is to prep it up and respray the area before the bottom end comes back. I have also dug out this Mansfield saddle cover, pretty grubby but generally in great shape so hoping to use it, although not strictly correct, instead of a repro one.

Nothing wrong with that Ron! As you well know I have been going through a stage of not painting anything which is either brass or shiny 😂

I don’t mind some pitting if the part is structurally sound, I do like keeping a hint of the bikes history, even in some instances small bumps and dents (which in this bikes case I have remedied). There has been a fine line with this build as many if not most of the components have this ‘aged patina’ which I have decided to keep. I plan to filler prime the rear carrier because that’s a little to pitted for my tastes but I have to say I am pleased with the honesty of the rest of the bike. This machine has certainly tested me, and the engine build is still throwing hurdles which currently are expensive ones. I can only hope that the finished article, although maybe slightly weathered, doesn’t look like a dogs dinner?

Cheers Chris I am going to grind it back gently tonight and see if I can repair it 🤞

So with the bottom end of the engine still away for rebuild I have continued with any other small jobs I can. The engine has been a nightmare with up to 99% of the components now being replaced, it’s taken some time sourcing a few of the spares but I think we are nearly there! 😬 On the flip side it will be just like a new engine.....Ron you might have some trouble catching me 😉 The rear plate is now sprayed and fitted, I have knocked up a few crude clips to keep the lighting cable away from the rear wheel where it ducks underneath of the mudguard. After these rewarding little jobs I hit a more major hurdle, I did not realise the rear brake pedal stop had been cut off/removed so this weeks task weld a new one on and try not to spoil the paint 🙈

Very interesting and helpful, thanks gents! Unfortunately I only have a repro panel at present, I missed one on eBay a few months ago and can no longer find any others for sale......