Ron

It goes with your Matchless Ferg..... Lightweight!! But I hope I'm still riding and living the dream in France each year, when I get to your age😊 ......I've email Donald for his itinerary, in the hope that we can go in the opposite direction. Ron

Well it doesn't look a million miles away, but I'm baffled by the cap? It's obviously for a SV unless it's had a new bottom welded in? You might be able to fettle on, especially if you could fit a bayonet cap. I wonder if you could line it up at all. Considering that the front mounting on these is a swiveling thing. Royal Enfield seemed to change the shape of their tanks with every model back then. I've just measured a selection of mine. Front to back from the center of the arch shapes and they are around 17" -18". On the other hand you might find one in time. Here is a genuine one from an early WD/C. Ron

OK on Stuarts tank! It's just that the wing nut filler cap definitely looks WD BSA? It's surprising what Burton Bike Bits have got tucked away........Just that I have trouble finding stuff on their site......Best to phone them. Ron

Well done on getting it running so soon Duke! The tank is BSA (Stuart should know that!) It looks like a Deluxe model but I don't recognize the cap to the left? I've only ever seen them in the center. The 'C' number (for what it's worth) is from contract C7287 for 17,000 WM20's in 1940/1. Use your engineering skills to re-position the cap and it could be a valuable tank. The front mudguard is also BSA. But I can't make up my mind if it's WM20 or possibly another pre-war model? ....Still quite valuable though. Contact Hitchcock's and Burton Bike Bits in case they have anything. I see Hitchcock's have a tank for a G/J which would be nearer the mark but expensive.......Ebay of course! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-Enfield-Fuel-Tank-CO-G-J-J2-S/382477822835?epid=15019550245&hash=item590d746b73:g:hkQAAOSwO9RbD7AY Ron

I've just changed my O/S marking to Royal Corps or Signals.Ron

PS Steve. Did you get one of these rear carriers? Copied from my sample! Ron

The triangle toolbox doesn't appear to be fitted to the 39 contracts but certainly at some point in 1940 they were fitted. The girls had to have somewhere for their sandwiches and somewhere else for their handbag.☺️ The generic triangle boxes are usually available although there are dubious Indian examples, but the Triumph box has special 'ears' for fixing to the stays which a friend in Texas got made for me, copied from his original. Ron

Yes I also have the 3HW type toolbox on my 5SW and it is hindered by the foot peg. It must have been acceptable, since it was fitted to the 3HW with the same frame. There is still room to get your sandwiches in or out. The prewar toolbox that is fitted to my 3SW has more complicated hinges which must step the lid out more. Ron

You hit the nail Damien. This is what Jim just replied. Ron Hi Ron this pile is the remains of a 1928 Ariel frame you can see the W at the beginning of the frame No. the bracket on the frame tube under the tank is for the hand gear change lever cheers Ron see you about Jim.

You might well be right Damien. I've also been looking through internet images but not gone that far back. 30's Ariel's seem to just have the hand change attached to the tank. My own area of interest is WD 1939-44, so I've sent pictures of your frame to a mate "Ariel Jim' who often restores these older bikes. I'll let you know his comments later. Ron

Damien, is that sidecar swan neck lug at the top of your front tube original or add on? W/NG's never had that. It's strange because they have a sidecar lug at the N/S rear wheel. The large nuts that hold the oil tank and battery are hiding a big hole lug that could be used (as yours) for a sidecar fixing and the front engine plates have a spare hole for a lower sidecar mount........And yet nothing at the top of the tube for the main swan neck? Here are a few more reference pix. Ron

Blimey Damien! A heavily butchered frame. If the number is genuine? It's not W/NG. Could be a different pre war model? W/NG frame numbers were all prefixed XG and started at XG11186 to somewhere round XG57520 and the ones I've seen were stamped on the 'Y' shaped tube lug to the rear of the saddle tube. Ron

Damien I wonder if the lug you refer to is for the WD field stand? Ron

Here's one of my gearboxes. Ron

I get my low tack computer cut stencils from https://www.axholmesigns.co.uk/ I used style 6 x 1/1/4" on my 5SW. Tony knows about 'C' numbers by now. Ron

I fitted a BO mask to my ML headlamp. The original pre war gearbox caps are hard to find as they are often mullered with hammer and screw driver, hence the better post war idea with a hex to undo them. I didn't know they were being reproduced? Ron. Ron

Snap! on the NOS headlamp! Ron

So bigger than 7 3/4"! Someone should pass this official info to Dave then. Cheers Ron

Well the ML hubs are unique, so 250 miles is a small price I'd say.. My regards to the missus! I haven't seen either of you for while now. Doesn't time march on? Ron

Thanks for the info Steve. Ron

The 5SW is running fine and pulls really well. However I'm still not happy that the clutch will slip if I hurry a change up-hill. That is, drop the clutch and open the throttle together. I then have to ease back on the throttle for the clutch to stop slipping....Then off I go! I'm going to take the cover off this week and experiment with tightening the springs down a bit more. It's very light at the handlebar lever anyway, so should take a bit more pressure. Interestingly I was riding often next to a mate with another 5SW and noted that our gear changes were different. He'll check his engine sprocket next time he takes his cover off (Mine now has the correct 20T) The 3SW and 3HW have the same gearbox gearing (different engine sprockets) and the 5SW has different gearbox gearing. I suspect my mates bike has 3HW gearing which seems a bit better to me........Although I'm not looking to find the cluster and rebuild my gearbox just yet. Ron

OK Rik. I've had a few 8" glasses from him and can't remember a loose fit. (I call them 8" and 6" as that's how we seem to distinguish the DU142 and DU42) I would certainly have challenged it if I wasn't happy! It can't be any greater effort to cut the glass a bit bigger. I can't remember if I still have one in stock, but can you give me the exact diameter of an original for future reference. Ron

That looks better Steve. Is the glass one of Dave Tann's? He knows the proper sizes for DU 42's and 142's. I did 65 miles on my 5SW yesterday, on an educating tour from Southwick and around the Porstmouth embarkation areas. Ron

Yes Steve I think you need to start again with that job! Also the pilot bulb should be at the bottom. The glass with the reflector on top are offered into the rim and four 'W' clips are fitted evenly around the rim to clamp the whole lot together. Ron

Jon, every single part for a Willys Jeep is available by 10am the next day by either of the two firms mentioned by Tony, and I've found 'Jeffery Engineering' to be more than helpful with parts and technical advise http://www.jeffreyeng.com/ If it still has it's original type 'Carter' carb? They are a bit more complicated than your average Ford Pop of the time, being designed to run under extreme conditions and severe angles. Rebuild kits are available and I for one could scan pages from the manual, although there is a more dedicated section for advice on this site under 'American Vehicles'. Good luck, Ron