welbike

Need a pair of original footrests too, now that you mention it. Cheers, Lex

I need some stuff too, inlet manifolds, silencer box curved pipes and threaded nuts, toolbox, and a rear wheel, or anything else, what have you? welbike@welbike.net Thanks, Lex

Prices have gone through the roof the last 10-15 years, so anything remotely restored/running will be from 45.000 pounds and upwards. My 2p, Lex

Nice motor, but the guy is an idiot, he doesn't even know what engine it is, not even after opening, and it's right there on the box, SNL G524, so that makes it an engine for an Indian 640B Motorcycle, solo. Could sure use that engine in my bike! but it needs to be completely taken apart, and cleaned and inspected, too big of a risk to run it like it is.

Here's the other one. Cheers, Lex

Yes, but honestly, I have no idea, I will check! I was also talking to someone to have them made, but need to buy a minimum of 300, and the Dunlop brand name is a problem, we had other Tyres made, but still around 300 pounds a piece, but this was a US brand, and it didn't exist anymore, so that was easier. Cheers, Lex

Like I said, extremely expensive, I paid 350 a piece 20 years ago, so it ill be triple I guess. But they are lovely!! Cheers, Lex

OK, I don't know those codes, so no idea what colour it is. My wheel is painted with paint made from the handlebar sample, looks spot on when you hold it next to it. Exhausts never ever black, same for MKII's. See picture of a MKI. Might be getting some more NOS Carrier tyres in, but you won't like the price! Then another thing you don't read in books, about half of the MKI contract that weren't delivered yet, went back to the factory, to have the near side petrol tank retrofitted with a filling opening, and cap, as the multi-tool often got lost, and then it was near impossible to fill the tanks. Cheers, Lex

OK, well whatever colour you make it, or leave it brown, it's your decision but my observations are different, maybe the one prototype Welbike (also green traces on that one) had an unpainted engine, and unpainted carb, but my MKI has had everything painted green, cylinder head and all, lots of traces were left, also other MKI's that had definetly traces of green on them, have had close to 100 Welbikes gone through my hands, and still have 2 MKII's in original colour, one brown (the Salerno one) and one sand coloured, same as the one Welbike UK has, who by the way, when they have questions email me about it, the one brother, (forgot his name now) is not working there anymore, due to health reasons, so it's my mate Carl making the parts, and the other brother selling them. And then I have the partly original paint MKI also from Italy, but more northernly than the Salerno one, see picture of handlebars. (not some faded brown, real green!) So it's not only hearsay that they were green, it's really true! I checked all my MKI black and white pictures, but most cylinders etc. seem to be painted, but there's only about 20 pictures of those, and many more MKII pictures. It's a fact ofcourse that the paint burned off over time, especially the exhaust manifolds, and the cylinder head too. Another interesting detail is that at least 2 MKI's had no silencer box under the engine, but a small round thing, see picture, I have 2 of them, but not the longer tailpipe, but will check if a standard one fits directly on there when I finally get the engines done. Anyone else seen this?? Last picture, the green I used, very happy with it! Cheers, Lex

I always paint the engine completely, flywheel and all, but leave inlet en exhaust manifolds off, otherwise it's difficult to reach inbetween the fins, MKI's always green, I found a RAL mixture that is supposed to be exact, but haven't tried it yet, I had paint mixed from an original paint MKI. it is the dark green on the chart. So better paint the whole bike Ron! also no transfers were used for the C number, or other markings, that came with the MKII, so use a cut stencil font, see picture. Only things that seem to be not painted green are fuel pump, canvas grips, cables, engine to frame mounting bolts, engine circular oil recommendation plate, HT lead and Lodge cap and plug, saddle stem and saddle cover, tyres and valve stems and the rubber for the fuel lines, what started this conversation off. Hope this helps, Lex

Ah, Ron, you never asked me, and as the bike is with its near side to the wall, I never noticed! Here a picture, it seems no locking wire was used at all, (but I did find it on some originals) so only some real heavy thick walled grey rubber tubing. Let me know if you find something, could do with 2 yards or so, to replace all the fuel lines on the bikes...... Lex PS, while I'm at it, the carb should be painted bronze, not plated, same for float chamber, no plated parts anywhere.

Not good Ron! no ferrules were ever used, just thin wire.

Barry, I have a G3WO chainguard f/s, but it needs work, can't find picture now, but it has severe rust on the lower parts. Cheers, Lex

There is a Czech company making KG No. 3 now, but have not seen it for real yet, he's on Facebook only. (it's a difficult colour!) Here a detail picture of a Polish M20 petrol tank. Cheers, Lex

Too bad about the forks, a friend here is also looking for a set for his Tiger 80. About the BSA's, that workshop was in Hannover, Germany, 12 Heavy Workshop (Hanomag) circa 1946 to 1951. so probably to get the Hanomag factory started up again, they made loads of vehicles for the German army! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanomag#Military_vehicles Cheers, Lex

Just looked up the Indian pages in the newest O&M book, and see that i have to update my chart! Cheers, Lex

Yes, a picture of the sidestand would be nice! I have made this little chart awhile ago, but it's just from info from the manuals and O&M and such.

Pawel, to get back to your question about the BSA, that bike was still in the British army untill 3-06-1953, when it was sold off probably in Mönchengladbach Germany, the postwar military registration number was 03-YE-93, my card gives the C number as C5212522, but this is out of sequence and it must be the number you gave, C5212599, it was probably misread when altering to the new ERM system. So I don't know if it was attached to the free Polish forces at all, but you never know! A scan of the whole Key Card (with 17 bikes on it) is available for 20 Euro's See sample card. Cheers, Lex

Early bikes didn't have the pannier frames and bags yet (they were actually already invented by Norton, but that's another story) so the straps are for securing greatcoat and kit to the small rear carrier, I'm sure Rick will have pictures from that setup, I put some on my January 1940 Enfield.

Here's the Wesco folding oil can, early ones were silver. When enough interest, I will have the transfers printed again. Cheers, Lex

No probs, just something that stood out to me! Just looked at mine, and the top ones are not seperate pieces, but part of the casting! Cheers, Lex

Mike, are you in touch with a Dave Stapleton? he emailed me some years ago, as I do have some more info on AFS Matchlesses, below a little extract of an email he sent me back then. "Contract One: Ministry of Supply - 8 Matchless Motorcycles - June 1953 – LYO 840 to LYO 847 (this is the order on the scan you posted) Contract Two: Ministry of Supply – 85 Matchless Motorcycles – March 1954 - NYV 252 to NYV 336 Contract Three: Ministry of Supply – 50 Matchless Motorcycles – July 1959 - WXR 551 to WXR 600 Contract Four: War Office – 192 Matchless Motorcycles – March 1960 - XYM 501 to XYM 692 Contract Five: War Office – 60 Matchless Motorcycles – September 1960 - 391 ALD to 450 ALD Contract Six: War Office – 44 Matchless Motorcycles – January 1961 - 450 BGJ to 493 BGJ Contract Seven: War Office – 20 Matchless Motorcycles – July 1961 - 525 BYV to 544 BYV The dates shown are when production commenced, so the orders could have been placed one or two months earlier than the dates shown." There is more info, also about Ruddington disposals, but am not sure if I can divulge all this on a public forum. See 2 scans of some info that I have in my database. You can always contact me for more info, and Dave's emailaddress. Cheers, Lex

Nice stuff, am not that far yet, but shouldn't the bottom frame spacers be inside the frame tubes?? Just a thought, you put them on correctly on the top (under saddle) lugs. Cheers, Lex

Ok, keep me posted please. Cheers, Lex

Yes, I used them before, if there was a way to lacquer them, they would be very nice! Cheers, Lex