welbike

Yes, Ron, you told me, the suppressors are the same as on your Morris, the ones I found recently have no markings, so wonder what they are of off??

Also a picture detailing the CO having the normal suppressor and the immobilizer, and the difficult to find Lodge spark plug cap.

Cheers,

Lex

One per bike, some RE's had the top type, I have a bunch of them, but slightly different, also have the Immobilizers, a whole different thing, but they are not cheap.

Lex

Only one per bike, but don't have any, certainly not for that contract, am concentrating on the James ML steel plates at the moment, otherwise uncle Ron will get very cross. Maybe coming winter I''ll do some brass plates again.

Cheers,

Lex

Ok, forgot the pictures, nobody (except sometimes me) makes the dataplates with the contract info etched in them, blank ones can be found on Ebay sometimes, but quality and sizing is usually way off. The thing is, the contract data was etched in them, together with the rest, no number stamps were used (well there are exceptions ofcourse) here the pictures, courtesy of Jan from Belgium.

Cheers,

Lex

Yes, indeed Ron, just got some info from Jan, he says "Wrapped around one of the rungs of the carrier” will post a pic later.

Some Flea contracts had this too, before the steel ones were used.

Cheers,

Lex

Be carefull with that stuff it drinks like lemonade, but will do you in anyway!!

Lex

That's just a pleasant side effect!

Lex

And the high idle mechanism! love that on my Big 4! (not original!)

Lex

Yes, like Ron says! best is to buy the book "British Forces Motorcycles" all contracts for all makes are in there, well almost all of them.

For some makes I have a database to calculate the C number on the tank, and sometimes it can be done from the book.

About what make are we talking about? if you send me your framenumber, I can have a look.

Cheers,

Lex

Nice! but what about the handlebar levers? I recall some weird setup, with a solid cable? or was that only on later ones? 

Cheers,

Lex

Haha Ron, I've only just got home!! 

Cheers,

Lex

Do you mean contract plates?? and if so, for which contract? every plate was different, and most had the contracts etched in with the rest of the data, so it's not a case of stamping them, there are some exceptions though.

Also there were brass and steel versions, I have had both types made in the past, still working to have the steel ones engraved or etched.

Cheers,

Lex

I can't see if the rear frame has sidecar lugs or not, but they are interchangable with G3L frames, only in 1948 a new frame was introduced.

Cheers,

Lex

Ok, interesting! Looking at the last picture, I see it has a  G3WO cylinder! (More fins than G3L) I hope the owner is not asking too much, as the bike needs much work and many parts!

Lex 

I have 10429 and 10431 in my database, so there were certainly wartime bikes within that number range, most probably G3WO's from late 1940. is there a sidecar lug on the front downtube?

Are you in France?  Am in Normandy right now, and bad internet, but when I'm back, I can probably find out more.

The bike has most probably been rebuilt by the British army, during, or just after the war.

Cheers,

Lex

No worries, saw your post on FB too.

Why not buy a James ML, much better bike technically!

I would leave it as it is, the frame needs to be modified in a couple of places, so do the handlebars, and footrests and then you need additional WD parts, that will cost a couple of thousand pounds, if you can find them, so you will end up at  near the same price as buying an original. But will have a replica.

I was lucky to buy an original for not too much in the US, but that was 20 years ago.

Most famous picture of my bike below, before and after restoration. (it's all over the internet!) and one in the dropcage.

Cheers,

Lex

I'm sure Jan or Ron will answer that correctly, but if you are looking for a Vokes filter, I still have one for sale in the UK.

Cheers,

Lex

Thanks for the clarification Ron! long time since I worked on Triumphs!

Lex

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