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Unfortunately, there is a perception in Europe that automatic weapons deactivated to the standards applicable in some Eastern EU countries have been legally bought there, re-converted and used in Terrorist acts. Worse still is the idea that vast numbers are being 'de-activated' to these dubious standards forming a substantial pool waiting for the attention of the 'five-minute armourer'. If this is true, then clearly something needs to be done about it....such as imposing British standards and proof-marking....but that's a bit too obvious.

No industrial empire behind you, Ron but you do have the benefit of all us know-alls heckling and shouting advice from the gallery ! As far as I can see, the saddle stays on yours do indeed drop at the same angle to the top tube as on the prototype. What size tyre has the prototype got in it though ? even a 3.50 at 100% aspect ration would give you an extra 1/4" !

Ron, the forks are looking much more as per the photo now...but the centre stand is looking a little short...and are you going to have to do something with the rear tubes to lift the back end ? I assume there is no room for a 4.00 rear tyre ? Colonel Bowden liked 'em though. He'd have fitted 4.00 comp tyres on the back of everything.

The parts that I've seen don't seem to show that wartime paint was all that variable within the known colour types, at least as a factory finish. That disruptive colours were delivered in powder form does mean that they were dependent upon the mixing medium. However, wartime production was not based upon cottage industry. There were strictly controlled production standards and materials supply to paint manufacturers. Obviously, there could be shade differences that would show on repaired panels etc. but not the completely different colours justified by some restorers on the basis that 'wartime colours varied'. The change to SCC No.2 Brown came about in the UK due to a shortage of chromate compounds. If anything Canada would have been less restricted but the colours which they used strictly followed British standards. The naming of 'Canadian Brown' seems to have arisen in liberated Holland where of course in many places, Canadian troops were the first seen. However, verbal evidence indicates that the majority of British vehicles in NW Europe were also SCC No.2. Any Khaki Green No.3 vehicles would have been at least three or so years old and British Olive Drab had barely arrived in June 1944 so any OD vehicles used by British or Commonwealth forces were pretty much those of US manufacture. Preserved items in SCC No.2 seem to suggest that it wasn't all that chocolatey (unlike SCC No.1A Very Dark Brown) and in some light wasn't all that far from British Battledress colour.

There is an interesting photo of a Crossley streamliner being swung out of a ship's hold in Greece currently on eBay. It shows, if nothing else, just how much care stevedores needed to take in order to avoid damage to the wheel enclosures. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WWII-British-Camouflaged-Car-and-Shells-Unloaded-at-Greek-Port-Orig-Press-Photo/351543645719?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D33662%26meid%3De896d0e23c4942f2938f8d113b48a75f%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26sd%3D351489028825

Ferg, whatever you do, don't eliminate holes in a Land Rover floor. The amount of water that can come up through the floor is tiny in comparison with the amount that needs to drain away due to leaking roofs and screens ! As long as more can drain out than can enter, you'll be fine :-)

The answer lies with research. Restoring any vehicle and certainly a military vehicle is a historical exercise and to be honest, it's never been easier but I never cease to be amazed by those who post on internet forums having commenced a restoration without even a spare parts list or instruction manual, let alone looking for every possible photograph or technical document...and even with WW2 vehicles, it' s still possible to talk with those who used them...with post-war vehicles there is no excuse.

Guy, the gasket set that John found after you left is at Jan's now !

I've been reading this thread for the first time (and thoroughly enjoying it). Despite looking at the plate carefully, I'm not sure that it relates to a 1941 rebuild. Is it also an FV3 plate, as per the 1946 engine rebuild item ? A study of plates prior to 1944 seems to indicate that they were provided by TT3 and it is only from 1944 onwards that the FV3 designation appears. Examination of this particular plate in as far as the photo allows it seems to show that the second year cipher appears to lack the diagonal downward stroke of the earlier '1' and that it might well be a '7'. A 1947 rebuild incorporating an engine rebuilt during 1946 might well be a more logical sequence of events. Would there be any chance of a clearer photo, particularly if the plate has been cleaned up ? I've searched a lot of MoS documents at the National Archives. To date several lists of wartime contractors and locations but no link to the workshop numbers. The search continues but the MoS files particularly seem to have been heavily thinned prior to moving to Kew in the early 1970s.

The greatest risk is bitsas as pretty well all Norton side-valve engines will fit the WD frame. Norton actually commenced civilian production late in 1945 but they were all catalogued as 1946 model year. They have the enclosed valve engine and engine & frame numbers in a new series - prefixed 'A' (for 1946) and '2' for the 16H No-one who knows the subject could mix up a 1945 WD16H with post-war civilian machine.

Nortons are relatively expensive. They were always a small manufacturer with sales based on racing successes (even the side valves). They are very rugged machines which is why they came out so well in the military comparison tests of the late 1930s. The one-piece Norton frames, forks and hubs are made of decent quality steels and some other factories skimped in these areas. The last 16H Nortons were sold off in about 1957, whereas the last of the M20s to be disposed of reached dealers during the early 1970s by which time motorcycling was becoming a leisure activity and the bikes were so old-fashioned that they were mainly being bought by those who liked them for what they were. Side-valves in the UK during the 1950s were a favourite of the daily-riding sidecar man and the bikes were simply ridden into the ground with a chair attached. Worn-out 16H engines are quite common in the UK but the rolling chassis long-since scrapped. Added to this, that the 16H shared many parts with the sportier pre-war Nortons so it's not surprising that many were broken for spares. Norton gearboxes for instance were shared by everything from the 16H to the OHC Internationals and even the forks fit some of the camshaft models. I wouldn't agree that parts are hard to find, unless you're a complete rivet-counter but off the shelf New Old Stock is drying up. BSA and Matchless owners are fond of saying that the Norton was 'technically inferior' but this isn't always a bad thing and the sidevalve was chosen for its simplicity....Nortons made OHV and OHC machines too ! BSA M20 gearboxes are far more fiddly to set up and the gear driven magneto, whilst being technically superior to Norton's chain brings with it gear meshing problems and wear to the casings. The Norton is also spared Matchless's piss-potical dynamo drive arrangement...and Nortons steer like a pre-war sports bike. Ariels are probably under-valued, as perhaps are Triumphs but be aware that very many 3HW Triumphs were sent to the Far East. I would say that you should avoid at all costs, any bike which has lived its life in either the Middle- or Far-East. There will be bodges that you can hardy imagine ! Royal Enfields are perhaps the lowest-priced in the UK but to be honest, apart from the early WD/C they weren't really used as front-line motorcycles. Decent M20s turn up fairly often in the USA. At least one dealer imported containers full direct from the British Army during the late 1960s. Those that avoided being bobbed or chopped seem to be quite unmolested, although they will feature quite a lot of post-war ancillaries as a consequence of their use through the 1950s and 1960s. I ended up with a Norton as I've always had Nortons and it found me, really. I enjoy it's old-fashioned feel. If I had no such marque loyalty then I'd agree with the advice not to narrow the field down unnecessarily. Ron's advice to post on the M20 and 16h forums is very sound. The world of ex-WD motorcycles is a friendly one and the best advice is not to rush things and to build up connections. Put the word out and see what comes along.

A good set of girders is often nicer than a poor set of teles. I don't know 1950s BSAs, but wouldn't the M33 only have one-way (rebound) damping ? I seem to recall lots of talk about aftermarket 2-way dampers for Gold Stars etc. Extra oil, if it's above the dampers, won't make much difference but any wear on damper rods etc. will impair the rebound damping. I'd assume that most people at the time just put engine oil in. The BSA Owners Club (or the VMCC) should be able to tell you who the machine was delivered to (certainly if it was part of a Government contract)

Actually there always was a gap of about half a mile between French and Belgian border posts. An odd no-mans's land with obscure jurisdiction and a prevalence of cafés and tobacconists. Years ago, I visited a café in one of these zones. The toilets comprised a couple of urinals with shields bolted to the side wall of the establishment which had a side access. The other side of the lane was in France. Presumably the locals had a habit of turning round in full flow and mocking the French officials as there was an old enamel sign on the opposite wall which stated - "Il est interdit d'uriner sur la frontière nationale" or something similar. Which is not to say that I disagree with the comments about the dumbing-down of magazines. I learn more from re-reading thirty-year old back-issues of most of them than from recent editions. It should be easier than ever to research articles but it doesn't seem to happen.

The nylon float uses the lower groove on the needle, I believe. Is that the one that you're using ? The short mixing chamber nut gives the highest float level. You can lower the chamber slightly by putting two sealing washers in there (this was an Amal-recommended technique when needed).

If the 276 number has an 'R' suffix then the small hole level with the top of the jet block is intended to act as an overflow. However, this situation shouldn't occur. Either the fuel level is too high or the float needle is not sealing correctly (it only takes the tiniest bit of sediment to cause this). Are you using a copper float or one of the new nylon type ? Recent needles have a groove for each float securing system. Brass floats can be tweaked a little on the retaining clip to raise or lower them (but be careful not to damage the solder joint).

The choke richens the mixture by blocking the air supply so it must be lean at the moment, but as it lowers from above, 'half choke' will only have an effect above half throttle. They're mostly used either 'on' or 'off' My first step, assuming there are no obvious air leaks would be to check fuel level (you can run it with the cover off) and then to carefully remove the jet block and make sure it is all clear. This is quite a common problem and it can't be cured without fully dismantling.

Being aware of the pressures applied to bona fide clubs in providing dating evidence, this chap's trading practices have puzzled me for some time. 58 North Street Bristol is a Mailbox address and it may be that he previously traded as 'Bristol Classic Cars and Bikes Owners Club' http://www.secondaddress.com/bristolccb/index_join.htm ...Not a club that seems to be known on the scene. Under this name, I believe that he was on previous DVLA lists as an 'approved club'. This seems to no longer be the case. It might not be unreasonable to suspect that he may have some form of contact with a 'club' currently on the list in order to be able to provide acceptable dating evidence. Certainly, the premise of a commercial organisation which acts on behalf of an owner in order to obtain age-related registration and provides its own dating evidence seems somewhat at odds with my understanding of a scheme which relies upon the impartiality and integrity of clubs with a valued reputation to help ensure that only truly historic vehicles are granted this privileged form of registration. There are actually quite a number of clubs on the current DVLA list who seem too local and / or too general to be able to provide any real substantiated dating evidence for all possible vehicles.

Belgian jerkins, in addition to the poncey brass buttons with the lions on are contructed of chrome-tanned leather with a brown surface finish but they remain grey underneath. The originals were vegetable tanned and do indeed darken down. I wore a Belgian jerkin for yonks when I was landscaping and it never softened down or became 'lived in'. If you really want to look the part, they're not really good enough but better than DPM camo and a full-face helmet !

The jerkins are indeed leather and quite popular as they do give some protection in the event of a slide. Woollen cloth of course isn't ideal for taking a trip up the asfalt in. They're around but like all this stuff, are not so common any more and prices have gone up. Post-war Belgian look similar but have a different surface finish up close and need the buttons changing but they look OK from across the street. The boots mentioned, if you're not going for the later-war high leg 'DR' boots are the standard issue ammo boots or the others referred to, the post-war equivalent 'Boots, ankle, DMS' (Direct moulded sole) They look fairly like ammo boots but the construction does differ a little...Not 'dms' if you were thinking of Dr. Martens.... If you're buying reproduction battledress, Panther Store are very good and straightforward to deal with. http://www.panther-store.cz/en/catalog/en/british-militaria-1914-1945

In general, if you're talking British then there is still an adequate supply of original stuff. Although prices have increased, they're not realistically above the cost of making decent replicas. Boots are perhaps the main exception to this. Early-war stuff is difficult...but many 'Motorcyclists' rather than appointed DRs simply wore battledress and a greatcoat initially. What period are you looking at and do you intend to dress in rubberised canvas ?

Dave, Have you investigated the National Archives ? They hold, with varying levels of detail, various ledgers and files relating to vehicle testing and assessment. My only experience is with wartime and pre-war stuff but it seems as if they also have later information. The WO194 series would seem a good place to start. These files may give some clues :- http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14401 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11273408 I've come across the term 'Wing Number' before and had the idea that it was simply their stock or test fleet number and on a four-wheeler would have been painted on the front wings. In that way, it appears clearly on the accompanying photographs. Few of these NA files are on line so it will mean a trip to Kew, including the test on how to handle parchment, if you haven't been before !....A fascinating place to visit though and I always find the staff really helpful but of course it helps to do your homework first.

Jenkinov, Amal needle jets of this period are always around the 105 - 109 area (although many state simply 'standard', whatever that was...) However, based on your dimensions, I'm pretty sure that you haven't yet unscrewed the small main jet from the bottom of the needle jet. Your main may well be a 150 but the needle jet is likely to have a light size marking too. On some, these were engraved as it was only after flow testing that they were sized. This picture shows a late-war stainless steel needle jet and what is probably a post-war part (I'm not sure if it's 'pattern' or if Amal simply reduced their machining operations at some point). You can see how the main jet unscrews and as well as the '170' marking on that part, you can just see an upside down '107' on the needle jet portion of the brass jet.

Dave, a visit to the VMCC archives at Burton upon Trent might turn up something. I believe that they have back issues for both the weekly motorcycle magazines. Bearing in mind that Birmingham was pretty much the centre of the remaining industry by then and that 'Motor-Cycle' even had a Midlands Editor in the shape of Bob Currie, I'd suspect there is a fair chance that someone would have submitted a photo. Even if you draw a blank, I'm sure you won't regret your time there. It is packed with fascinating material.

Liabilities which do not arise from the ownership or operation of a motor vehicle should be covered by the personal liability aspect of a standard home contents public liability extension. The motor insurance should pick up any risks attached to the vehicle itself. There would not normally be an exclusion relating to shows any more than there would be in a supermarket car park. If someone walks into a vehicle, the owner is unlikely to be held liable but if he were to be, the third party insurance should deal with it. The only way to be certain is to examine the policy wording but bearing in mind that the vehicle insurer will have to deal with any excluded claim as interested insurer, there is little point in them excluding third party liabilities at a 'show'. There could be problems on MOD land, or 'airside'...and obviously there could be difficulties for vehicles which are not used or insured on the road. Strictly speaking, even these should be insured for third-party risks, which may be problematical. An individual with a jumble stand would be covered by the 'household' insurance but if it could be deemed a business then it will not be covered and a commercial liability policy is needed. Quite frankly, I think that anyone who steps outside the door without public and personal liability cover needs their heads testing...but anyone who has home contents insurance should be able to include it at little or no charge.

It's wide at the front so presumably went forward to vertical saddle spring studs ? The bolts look like a later bodge. Are the threads metric or imperial ? I'd also try measuring the tube diameter so see if it is exact in mm or inches. If it's not exactly 1/2" or 9/16" then it's probably not British.