Ron

Nothing much to write about at the moment, still having problems with my back. But I did spend a gentle hour stripping the petrol tank yesterday. One tiny dent to deal with and waiting for my new bottle of 'Jenolite' to arrive before any paint is applied.

Mostly the tank had been stripped before being painted black and red. But there was still original green paint under the knee grips, and as I've found on other parts, no primer was ever used on this bike. But still that paint is very tough and hard to remove. Something to be said for that old fashioned paint that we're now denied of. Ron

My thoughts too Rik. My eyes are probably deceiving me, but I think I can see something. Very difficult with a picture with scratches. Evan as I zoom in of course the scratches get bigger. But well worth discounting it for sure I think.  Ron

Still worth sanding that frame area with some fine wet & dry to get rid of the scratches and look again with a torch and magnifying glass to see if the number has been ground off. 

Yes Pierre, from early in the 3HW contracts the engine numbers were 10000 ahead of the frame numbers. I've no idea why? But yes your frame and engine left the factory together....Very nice to have. Ron

3HW  frame numbers are usually stamped down the left side of the headstock. Ron

Hello Pierre

Frame TL 50000 with engine 3HW 60000 was the 3583rd bike from 4000 built under contract number S5340 between June and October 1944. I calculate your tank census number to be C5570500.

It's usually impossible to know what unit they served with unless you are lucky enough to find any old markings. 

Ron Pier (formally St Pierre) 

Dave as far as I know, the dome glass was fitted to the ammeters with illumination slots behind the rim, which would then correspond with an illumination slot in the reflector. The ammeter I worked on didn't have any slots, but the reflector does, so I just made it look correct on this very early bike. It's a civilian left over and I'm sure it was soon deleted on military bikes. Ron

No problem on here if you want. Always good to hear other guys comments. Ron

Well spotted Jan! Fortunately the hair was on the outside and just wiped away.....Whew!

Nerve wracking so I wanted to get it over with. I removed the rim and cleaned the black goo seal off, gave it a light blast and installed the dome glass with the new rubber seal that Roy provided.  Ron. 

Thanks Steve. The dome glass from NL arrived today. I have taken these ammeters apart before (with trepidation!) and have lightly bead blasted the rims for a more dull finish. I've done the same to bright chrome speedo bezels. For that reason, if I get a speedo overhauled by David Woods, to which he can only supply bright chrome (or brass). He will leave the bezel loose for me. 

However I will look into the bright chrome ammeter thing.......Although the thought is starting to make me itch

Regards Ron

More parts painted. Just the petrol tank and a few odds and ends to strip and paint now. Ron

With diminishing back pain (fingers crossed) and a mild, dry, sunny day today, I finished stripping more parts and got them all primered. The Amal carb parts arrived from Hitchcock's as expected, so I also finished putting the carb back together. The tyres were fitted yesterday. Ron

The headlamp still has it's original 'pre war' type reflector with the illumination slot for the ammeter. The original ammeter is long gone and Ben has provided a slightly later one. which of course has the wrong (flat) glass and bright chrome bezel. Roy from the Netherlands is going to send me the correct dome glass. Hopefully I can remove the bezel without any damage to change the glass and do something about the chrome.  Ron 

Today I stripped and cleaned the carb, rather than get involved in anything that might tweak my back again. 

The complete choke slide mechanism is missing so I've ordered new parts and some other carb parts and washers from Hitchcock's. Ron

Exactly so Dave! It seems that Nitromors has to be safe for a toddler to drink these days and I don't know how they've got the nerve to sell it as 'paint stripper'... I buy mine in 5lt bottles from the professional auto body paint shop where I get most of my paint products. This stuff stings if you get it on your skin.  Ron

I managed a couple more hours of fairly gentle work today in the form of paint stripping some more parts, welding a couple of holes in the lid of the triangle box and knocking dents out of the headlamp rim. Ron

Well I've been semi bed ridden with this buggered back problem for getting on for two weeks now but a 1 1/2 hour session with Pippa the Physio and extra strong pain killers from the Doc has got me feeling a lot better at the mo!

So a gentle hour the other day fitting the electro black fixings and another gentle hour today, wiring in the MCR1 regulator. I've got more heavy stripping of parts to contend with when I can and tyres to fit, which I'll entrust to my local friendly tyre firm as I just can't face tyre levers yet Ron  

Yes my sentiments entirely. A mixture of parts which is what might have happened in the field or REME workshops. It even looks like a nice early 8" Deluxe headlamp. Ron

I can't recall ever seeing a 'Balloon' tank with a Vokes cut off corner? And a car radiator hose is a cheap copp out. Ron

Aalbert it might well be from 1942 although it appears to have any early 39-40 deluxe petrol tank (with the wrong BSA transfers fitted) It also looks like the earlier forks that were changed to 1/2" longer by late 1940. Post war dynamo and regulator and Matchless type battery carrier. All the M20-M21's from 1940-45 had their frame numbers prefixed WM20. Personally I'd want to see clear pictures of both frame and engine numbers before I made the purchase.  

I'm not trying to piss on anyone's firework, just pointing out stuff as I see it in case you're not aware yourself. The bike could still be a good buy if the price is right and the numbers stack up.  Ron

Aalbert The frame number should have a prefix from the factory ie K,W,X,Y for the year and there is no such thing as an M21 frame number. They are all M20 numbers ie a 1939 M21 would have a frame number KM20 12345 a 1946 M21 would be XM20 12345. The engine however would be stamped ?M21 12345. Some pictures of those number would be best to identify the bike. Too many have fictitious stamping. Ron

The link. Ron https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C959823

My activities this week have been curtailed by pulling a muscle/joint in my lower back on Sunday. Gay Wayne the Chiropractic has wrestled me on his gurney and once I get over the experience I hope to return to normal service in the very near future. 

However I did collect the electroplated black items today, so at least the gearbox and cylinder head can be buttoned up. Ron  

That will be TEC 244 (Triumph Engineering Company February 1944.

Ron