welbike

Ok, so they were on Milweb back then, can't find them now, so must have been an old add I pulled up. Sorry, Alex

Hi there, Took me some time, but it's the Spanish 1940's Canon de Montana (may mean mountain gun?) 75/22 model 41. There's one on Milweb currently (not mine!) 1944 Cañon de Montaña 75/22 model 41. This example was manufactured at the Seville Arsenal in 1944 and used a spanish manufactured 75mm barrel (L/22) mounted on modified Schneider Mle 1919 mechanics. In very good condition having come out of long term storage. There's also one in the Dutch Overloon/Marshall Museum. Your example just looks strange without the shield! where was the picture taken? Cheers, Lex

This is a mid 50's picture, no Military bikes here!! On the left is a Simplex Servi Cycle, and a Whizzer. Cheers, Lex

Hi There, Heres a shot of the Cooper, a WW2 picture, mine is too buried at the moment under other stuff to take pictures, but I can try later tonight. Will start a new topic then too. Cheers, Lex

Hi Guys, There's a very nice discussion going on about Military Indians, on the G503 list. http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=210257 Still have to read it all, and see what's what! Cheers, Lex

Mike, I don't do the digging!!! there are limits to what my back can stand!! just having good contacts pays off I guess. I hate replica's so that's a "no go" for me. Cheers, Lex

Hi Mike, No real plan, and not enough to restore! probably just conserve, and maybe attach it to a board for display. Already have a nice restored Flea, with some history, it was taken by a US 8th Air Force bomber crew, when leaving the UK for home, and they hid it in the B17, after the war one of the crew left it in his Miami FA damp cellar, where it slowly rusted the the rims away, untill I got it, and restored it, even the tyres were dated 1944, and one is still on it! Here a picture of the dugup Flea that is in the Airborne museum now, in it's dugup dropping cage! Cheers, Lex

I seem yo remember that the seller said he thought they were for International, but he wasn't sure! let me know if you find out one way or the other. Heres a shot of the hubs, they have a recess on all 6 studs, so no special care has to be take to fit them, the good thing also is you can lessen the width of the piece, by reversing the wheels, so the thing takes up less space when it's in the living room! The other picture with the wood spoke wheels is the "early" style wheel, used upto 1941, there's just a plain bronze bushing, no bearings, so not really for towing behind the jeep!! Cheers, Lex

Tony, that is in much much better condition, (and not a bike!) here a picture. Cheers, Lex

Here some pictures of RE Fleas, they both were dugup in the Arnhem/Oosterbeek Area. First one and most complete one was found in 2007, and is now in the Oosterbeek Airborne museum. Second one I now own, and parts were found 2 months ago, in 2 different locations. Then some time ago 2 Norton 16H's were unearthed, have only a picture of one: Wheels in same rust colour are needed! Does this give a new meaning to the term "Rusty but Restorable" ?? Cheers, Lex

OK, no probs, will bring to Malvern. Lex

Hello John, Only one is needed, but it was just as expensive to have 5 cast! (the rest will be for sale) it goes on top of the barrell, and locks into place, and keeps the barrel tight on the bottom sleigh. Hope that explains it? Cheers, Lex

Hi Gordon, Know about the Dodge wheels, but they have a different offset I believe, mine were N.O.S. and came with the hubs and even a lable attached to it, so 100% right for the Pack Howitzer. Here a picture of some similar wheels I didn't buy some years back, should have done, but that's too late now! Thanks, Lex

Ron, yours is much nicer anyway, and I will only cut off the fishtail, the rest is availeble if someone needs it? Is the WD/L ready now??

Hi all, Here some pictures of my 2nd Pack restoration, some major parts were missing, but have located most of the items now, together with some new fabrication of Top Sleighs, I hope to finish this the coming year (unless someone else wants to finish it, it might be for sale for the right amount!) Have no pictures of the thing together, but here's some rusty stuff: Trail: Wheels and hubs: Carriage end, and dividing mechanism: Data plate: Elevating Mechanism: One of the 2 Equilibrator springs: Cradle locking mechanism: After missing the sight in Nomandy I found another, thanks Tim!!: Finally the newly cast top sleighs, just some machining to do!! Will have to buy a real camera, instead of using my phone all the time! (sorry for the bad quality pics!) So now everyone can sort of see how this Howitzer is built up from the various parts. And here the complete thing (my first one) Brit. modified: Cheers, Lex

Ron, this ship, the Hanseatic Star was supposed to have been sunk somewhere in the Atlantic, exept that it wasn't! The Velo's though is another story, a friend was going to dive in the Channel, to take pictures, but the currents and depths are too severe for any diving. But they were not MAFs but WD's MAC's Cheers, Lex

Ron, Was only joking about the rear guard! but that Indian 340, it cannot be real, they were all sunk enroute to France!! Another fine example of misinformation in the books and on the web, look on page 113 of the excellent book "An American in Paris" that explains it all. Adam, I will ask Robin Markey to reply here in person, if he has the time and inclination, I know he's very bizzy on the "Virtual Idiots List" Cheers, Lex

Hi Adam, I read your post carefully, but do have some serious misgivings with your statements, I have had a couple of 741's and have read up on them, and have all the original manuals and parts lists, and have upgraded to a 1942 Mod 640 recently. A 741 was designed as a 600cc - 37 cu in, (basicly a Scout, not a Sport Scout, that Military version was the 640) but the British and the other allies didn't want a 600, they wanted a 500cc for road tax reasons, That's when Indian took their new cylinders and drilled them for 2-1/2" pistons instead of the original 2-3/4". There is so incredably lots and lots of misinformation about these models, it's not funny anymore, all the books written in the 70's and 80's had it all wrong, and are being quoted all the time! So time to set it all straight, although it will take decades to do so! My source here is a chief judge on Indians in the US AMCA, who owns every type of military Indian (exept the model 144 and 148, if there is interest for this I can post some pictures) Re. the tyre pattern, there are perfect Firestone tyres now, that are an exact copy of the originals, and made in the US, a bit more expensive, but sooooo much better then the Chen Sings, email me for details. Ron, I still regret selling that nice rear mudguard that's on your hybrid now! Cheers, Lex Schmidt

OK, Dave, the blanking plug is a plus, but they are being repro'd..... Do you know what the seller was asking? have a similar engine here (MKII) that might be for sale, am reconditioning a couple right now! Cheers, Lex

Hi Ron and Dave, sorry just back from my holliday in Marrakech, but the quick answer is that the WB's never had matching numbers, but there are other ways of seeing if it's an original engine or not, some detail pictures are needed though. Ron's engine number seems high for the original (belonging to frame 555) one, but would have to check my lists. Cheers, Lex

Hi All, Just came across this picture in the Dutch archives (NIHM): Picture taken in erly 1945, "KP" on the front number plate stands for "Knokploeg" or raiding party, from the Dutch resistance, photo caption says Stoottroepen (sort af a Dutch Commando force, attached to the Canadian 1st Army), in Brabant. Think this must have been captured from the Germans, as it has German silencers, so could be ex B.E.F. survived the war well I would say! Cheers, Lex

Hello Robin, and a great job you're doing!!! Cheers, Lex Schmidt

Hi all, have some 25pdr Br. blocks i just discovered, bought them as 6pdrs!! So let me know if anyone needs one. Lex Schmidt

Ha Joris, ja maak maar eens een "Then and Now" hoekje!! (sorry for the Double Dutch!) But it had to do with someone stating, that nothing was done with pre-Dunkirk stuff, so is sort of relevant here! I'll do another photoshoot in France again spring 2013, so anyone with period artillery can come along! Cheers, Lex

I do my best!! see 2 of these comparison pictures, have many more, but this is the wrong board for them!! there really should be a "Then and Now" picture topic. Cheers, Lex