Matchbox

good to know...we'll have to scratch x layers of paint...

yes, I'm afraid it needs a lot of those expensive items such as Lucas head & rearlamp, levers (Bowden or AMAL), carb, a.s.o. I'll forward him your thoughts.. : )

...so the old G3WO rear frame is compatible with the "modern" 41/G3L front frame ... and it looks like having been done in a British army workshop. - so could have been your's then as well. One more give away to the old G3 WO is the low toolbox mounting on #10430...

Gary, I'd also like more photos, but the bike is in a bike crammed, very low ceiling basement and the seller is not so keen to pull it out unless I bring the money...so I am asking for his goodwill... I've got one more pic when it was on exhibition some time ago... best regards. Claude

Hi Lex, now this is very interesting reading - we found the missing linking number ; 😃 No sidecar lug on the front frame downtube - tank mountings played V shape - 41/G3L specification...albeit with a "wrong" number. The bike is in Luxembourg, left behind by retreating german forces in september 1944. The owner family laid their hands on it, got some petrol from liberating US troops...and had some fun before the germans saying hello again in december. 1944. My guess is then a MAJOR rebuilt during the war...before being captured by the germans. ...the (radio) connections in Normandy 1944 weren't always good either... best regards. Claude

Thanx Gary! I've forwarded the identification aid to the owner...waiting for news... Could the bike have been kind of upgraded in an army workshop during the war, so to say swap the G3WO front frame and forks for a 41/G3L replacement with teledraulic forks...and the G3WO engine for a 41/G3L power unit? Could the new specification frame have been restamped with the old G3WO number - 10430? Are there any such known examples around? ...this would be my idea considering the bike is (generally)untouched for the last 78 years. best regards. Claude

Hi, I've been offered a Matchless motorcycle, engine # 41/G3L 57253 and frame # 10430. It's got the splayed front tank mountings. Now the matchlesswd site quotes this frame # as postwar and this puzzles me because the bike is in the same village and family from the liberation on. I believe the actual owner that no modification to the engine and frame have been made for the last 78 years. There were no surplus bikes here and certainly no money to buy a postwar #frame. So what can it be ? best regards. Claude

Hi everybody, I joined this site hoping to get some informations on a WD Matchless I've been offered...so I'm gonna switch over to the motorcycle section. Cheers. Claude