welbike

Ok, was it the early 5SW and 3SW that had a reduced 1" r/h side of the bar, to fit 7/8" throttle grips?? was sure there was something like that going on? but could be mistaken!

Lex

You first should measure your handlebars, Triumph had strange sizes on their handlebars, like 1" in the middle, and smaller 7/8" at the ends. 

For a 7/8" throttle side, the inside diameter of the throttle grip is usally 1" 

I can measure more sizes if you want.

Picture of the dummy grip, the left hand side I also made.

Lex

I usually don't like the repro's, I have been making my own canvas grips for the last years, have the brass rings turned on a lathe (later canvas grips, around 1944/45 had steel rings) and find some suitably coloured canvas, and glue everything together, put the seam on the bottom, where it's least notable, works for me.

I wind some electrical tape around it, so it stays nicely glued on, remove after a day or so.

Lex

Yes, the owner, Rob, was visiting here yesterday, always lots of Norton talk!

Lex

1 hour ago, MartyMcSpy said:

Wow, that's super close in numbers, less than 1,000 away. I'm guessing that may have been in the same shipment out as my Grandads?

The picture above may have been taken in Dorset, but he also may have fought in Arnhem, so it could be either place, or anywhere in between.

Do you know anymore details about your C4394425?

We'll never know exactly where a bike has been, except some lucky devils that have bikes in pictures, that still exist after all these years! (I have a couple!)

More likely that the picture was taken in Dorset, Arnhem was where mostly Matchless G3L's were used, together with Welbikes and James ML's and Flying Flea's.

My 16H came as a project from Belgium, so who knows what the history was, that will be lost forever I guess. I'm slowly working on it, all has been sandblasted and painted in primer, but that's as far as I got, and then a September 1939 16H came up for sale, so bought that too, so might restore the 2 together.

Cheers,

Lex

20 minutes ago, garys39 said:

Is the bike on the right a Matchless G3, with centrally mounted speedo ?

No, not a G3WO, they have hardly any clearance between the headlamp and front mudguard. 

See picture of one of mine, near Hadrians wall some years ago.

Lex

Yes, the 3 bikes on the left are Norton 16H's, the one on the right, I'm not sure maybe an Ariel?

The rectangle is a unit sign, maybe with a good high resolution scan it can be identified, I cannot see it too well on the above picture. 

The contract for the bike with the C4393554 number is: Contract No. V7353

Contract date June 1940  (so that was when it when ordered, this was a big contract of 17.000 bikes, so deliveries were not finished till the middle of 1941.)

The frame and engine number would have been around W33528.

I own C4394425, but it's still in a thousand parts! 

Cheers,

Lex

Ok, that is a 1941 Norton 16H.

Cheers,

Lex

Ok, that's not a contract number but a Census number, I'll check in a sec, but would be nice if you can post the picture here, that will be a lot quicker.

Cheers,

Lex

PS, all the info is in this book below.

Yes, it's this same guy!

Lex

Thanks Ron,

I'll wait a little, he might read this.

Cheers,

Lex

I did not have this number yet, is there an engine number known too?? 

The C number on the tanks was C5152160

Cheers,

Lex

There's no easy way to measure this, but I'd say about half to 1mm. they should not touch at all, something wrong with the crankshaft??

Cheers,

Lex

Yes, only ever saw one strap, but then, it could be very possible, if someone would want to fake it, he wouldn't want to do it this way! please send me the frame and engine numbers, and I will add it to my register, all is very confidential ofcourse.

Cheers,

Lex

On 1/10/2014 at 8:46 PM, Davey089 said:

 

I was told by Welbike UK that it is an early Mk1 . They told me its the 2 straps that make it an early batch in production,and how it came to have the 2 petrol tank straps.

 

Quote: The first batch in production they found they had put the tank straps at the wrong angle and too far forward so the wheel caught on the tanks . They returned this particular batch back to the workshops ,rather than cutting the wrongly placed one's off they just placed a "new" strap at the back of the existing one and drilled it accordingly to accept the tanks.

I have the oldest known MK1, and nothing like 2 tank straps, someone must have done something wrong at the factory!

Lex

OK, well, no gasket is shown in the manual or parts list, I seem to remember I used some thin liquid gasket compound where it bolts to the crankcase, there are however 2 gaskets within the pump, see page from parts list.

Manual is a bit useless on detailed information on most fronts!

See also picture of original gasket set I found many years ago.

Hope this helps,

Lex

PS, I have a spare Clarkair manual for sale.

2 wires going to that post, so must be right!

Cheers,

Alex

There are repro cam plates out there, made from bronze, but have no experience with them.

Cheers,

Lex

Yes, didn't you do my Enfield like that too??

Could well be the solution!

Lex

For Matchless, when the bearings are unusually tight, I just run a hone through the hub, there's no need for them to be that tight, but once adjusted, (just a little play to be felt at the wheel rim) they will give a lifetime service, seen more destroyed by standing still, and water or moisture gone into them, and turning rusty over the years, than by actual use.

Cheers,

Lex

Paint it grey!

Lex

Here a couple more from my files.

Cheers,

Lex

The ones you contacted, and the ones on my link.

I't getting a bit muddled here, sorry.

Lex

Ok, but those 2 are the same people!

Lex

Here the link to the UK supplier of Bren tracks: Brand new track | Bren Gun Carrier Spares (vanguardrestorations.co.uk)

8000 for a full set, not bad!

Lex