Ron

OK thanks. So C600 oil is equivalent to SAE 140 gear oil.....I'll make a note for future reference.👍 Ron

Richard is right. Gear oil is far to heavy for the primary cases. Both the Welbike and Flea maintenance manuals call for ordinary engine oil HD 50.  But you should be able to use heavy gear oil (not EP) in the Flea gear box (The manual quotes oil C600)  Maybe Richard can remind us of the modern equivalent!  Ron

"the closest they could match was RAL 8028"

That's strange Tom. 'Service Brown' is still a widely used standard British colour. ~BS 499. Maybe the powder coaters only use their own range of colours??   Ron

It's definitely a Flea in that picture! The other option is a James ML with it's sawn off rear mudguard and silencer on the left....It's not an ML!!. The other bike looks like an M20 to me.  Ron

It's a James ML on the bonnet. 

David you must be refering to the air bleed button on the petrol filler cap, which must be released before starting to avoid a vacuum in the tank.

Here is one picture of a para unit,   unless it's a re-enactment as they seem to have a captured German soldier. Ron

1/2" x 3/16" BSF (32 tpi) available to shorten here. https://www.ba-bolts.co.uk/whitworth.html

Ron

I calculate ML 1014 to have census number C5147014. Here are pix of the center stand.  Ron

For the record. My Engine number in frame ML 7619 is AAA24255A

OK nothing is shouting KM20 to me? So far it looks like a standard WM20. What are the frame and engine numbers please?   Ron

Peter Miller's son Richard spent a lot of time in India and found a few Welbike's and Parabikes. 

I paid Richard £2,200 for mine which was well over 20 years ago.......Although the deal was, for another £100 he threw in a restoration Parabike. 

Peter and Richard live local to me and good job I made friends with them, as on one of Richards trips to India, he also found me an original (restoration) sidecar body for my Norton Big 4👍  Ron

Some pictures would be good from different angles and showing details of accurate parts. Ron

Yes I know Parkwood, who makes lots of cheap repro parts.( friend of Andy Tiernan) See him regularly at Kempton and Shepton jumbles....He once made 2 or 3 complete repro Welbikes.

I can't think you would ever find original tanks......Except on another bike?   Would be nice if Alfie runs a photographic restoration thread with pictures on here.

Regards Ron

This must be this one that just sold for 7 Grand on Ebay #1170.

Like Jenk said. The only go to firm for correct repro parts is http://www.welbikeuk.com/about.php ......Not cheap though!

And mine #555 which I restored 22-23 years ago.   

There is an excellent book by Peter Miller if you haven't come across it yet "From Welbike to Corgi"

Can provide Peters contact if you want it. (PM me)   Ron

I don't know anything about 6th Airborne. I can quote you the colour and number from 50 different units of 1st Airborne for Autumn 1944. No 6 on red in that lot.  Ron

The AoS (Arm of Service) 110 was used I think by "South Staffs" or something and seen in a series of pictures during part of "Operation Smash" in Aldershot, which was a training operation just prior to D Day.  I'm not that well versed on WW2 vehicle unit markings, mainly doing the research as each occasion arises. 

During a fit of enthusiasm, I did  put the Pegasus and 110 on my Flea, but subsequently resprayed the tank without them.......As sometimes I think.... "Less is more"  Ron  

It's been determined that Royal Enfield used transfers and not paint for the census numbers. Same size and font on other models. The correct transfers are not available as we couldn't get them at the right price, but "Axholme Signs" make a right style stencil. 

I don't think I've ever seen original photographic evidence for Pegasus on a Flea tank. Just the AoS marking.  Ron

The general consensus lately seems to be these. https://www.vintagetyres.com/shop/tyres/ensign-universal-325-19 also available in 350 x19 for a slightly wider tyre.  Ron

Ron.

If it helps you make a decision. The frame or chassis of a vehicle and it's number are the important part of a vehicle. You can change just about any component and DVLA will still recognize it's registration.........Change the frame and it's a whole new ball game.  To my mind, your bike is ex RAF but has been fitted with a different engine. 

My RAF Royal Enfield was like that, but a very nice Dutchman gave me the correct crankcases for my contract, so even though there was nothing really wrong with my engine, I rebuilt it to make it all RAF. 

I'll get round to telling DVLA about a change of engine number but it's not critical. Ron 

Paul no electrical shut down on these. You just operate the valve lifter which lifts the exhaust valve off it's seat (2 strokes have a decompressor  which just opens the cylinder to atmosphere)

The valve lifter is also used for easier starting by allowing you to get the engine past the compression stroke, for a good easy swing on the kickstarter.  Ron 

Ashton is the builder.  Ron

1) https://youtu.be/dojkhIGUP1k

2) https://youtu.be/_3hTYFGs5zA

3) https://youtu.be/brYev1aC_zc
 

Ah yes the brackets are different. Chris can you remind me about the regulator?  Do you think it was relocated at some point? It looks completely safe and shielded, tucked away here. ultimately completely hidden by the battery.

The points cap was another issue that I never resolved "officially" . My version is based on an old RE guy (model D owner) telling me how it was done.  Ron 

Only the first type on a WD/D as far as I know Steve. Ron

Later contracts were still using the lock box and then went to the knob type. I expect Jan will know roughly when? They used an even different style on the first contract WD/CO before deleting it altogether Ron

Paul only the coil ignition bikes require a key for starting, and like any vehicle with a key, it's the responsibility of the driver to look after it. On that note however, most WW2 military vehicles that I can think of didn't have a key ignition, for probably the reason that different drivers would use them. Jeeps and Indian motorcycles are two that I can think of that started out with key ignitions, but were soon converted without keys.

As far as the tool box is concerned, I've seen lots of these boxes with the suitcase locks but never seen one with a key. I guess they were soon lost or forgotten about.   Ron