Ron

Ben's wheel hubs have flip flaps also and several of my Enfield's have them on their hubs too. Since you mentioned your 16H front brake arm Rik the one on my B4 has a ball type oiler. Ron

Yes they're very nice little feature Rik, I don't think I've ever seen them on fork parts before, I've got them on a few Hubs. These ones were well protected by grease and the rubber doughnut buffers (which were rock hard and broke up when I tried to remove them) The oilers were made by 'Abingdon Works Ltd' (King Dick tools?) ............2/6 a Dozen! Must get some! Ron

I promise you, it's not neat Ian. I don't want you thinking I'm under the anfluence of ilcohol. Ron

Today I decided to check out the steering head races. Some degreasing of parts and cleaning up the races reveals that 3 of the 4 are almost unblemished with the the lower frame head race showing signs of distress, so I'll replace that one and a set of new balls......"You can not be serious man" .....There is more evidence of KG3 paint and the nickel plate on the flip top oilers is still near perfect Andy I took your advice Ron

I lived in Rhodesia for a time and saw lots of the African busses with steel discs on the outside of the wheels. It was an attempt at keeping the bus on the road after a puncture, which was quite common due to the condition of lots of the roads and even more so because the equally poor condition of the tyres. Lots of Africans have lost their lives through busses careering off the road. Ron

Yes I did realise that Andy "He who snoozes, looses!" Here are some shots of Steve's bike. Ron

Thanks Jan. I was just about to say all that Christmas will get in the way now, but I'm gradually compiling a list of engine bits and cross referencing the numbers with CO numbers. I've had to do this several times with other WD Enfield models and fortunately for us they all used quite a lot of the same parts. I'll have to wait until I get the cylinder bore measured before know what is required regarding rings or piston. Again it will have to wait now as I expect my engineer will want the whole day off .......What a way to pick a man's pocket..............Bah Humbug! Ron

Here is Ben's original silencer and underneath is one from a small batch that Armours have made to my specification. Unfortunately they are unable to reproduce the original oval shape to the main silencer, but at least from the side view it looks like the original shape, which is loads better than the normal 'common or garden' universal silencer that they have on their list for RE's. Ron

Steve I've sent you a PM with my email address. I belong to the 'Indian Riders'club, and our founder, Mike (now in his 90's) started buying Indian 741's straight from disposal depots after the war for 15-20 Quid each, and said they often had a switch under the saddle. He can't really remember that far back as to its actual use, but thought it had something to do with turning the power off to the coil. But again, WHY? as the bikes already have an ignition switch. It's one of those things that is not important but I'd love to solve. Here is the standard Lucas Bakelite changeover switch. The second picture is a switch like an ordinary household light switch mounted on it's plate that Mike gave me and said he'd taken off a 741 years ago. Ron

Steve as far as I'm aware, the bikes would have come from the US in one of their service colours. American vehicles seem to come in either Light Olive or Dark Olive but I've never research it enough to know when/why/how? It's possible that it could have been repainted during its military service, but I think it's very unlikely as they where all pretty well disposed of at the end of the war. Unlike some of the other British makes which sometimes saw service well into the 60's and were often over painted in post war colours. Most likely it's just be painted by a subsequent civilian owner. The Bakelite switch was applied to most British vehicles as a means to change over the tail lamp(s) for blackout convoy work. On trucks and tracked vehicles it usually involved shutting down the tail lamps and reverting to a flood-lamp underneath the vehicle which would illuminate a white plate or axle of play a pool of light on the ground. I have one on my 741 too, but have never seen any information to explain how it was wired in, and what it actually did, since the standard switch on the tank already has a similar facility....Something we both need to find out! Ron

Andy I can get used exhaust parts and petrol tanks plated in Coventry, but not sure he does dull chrome plate. I'll ask him, he might say yes, then after a 3 month wait it could come back not as I want it. I picked up this handlebar yesterday from my plate shop for my 3SW as I've recently realised it should be matt chrome and not painted. But they categorically refuse to have any contaminated parts on the premises. Apparently it stems from an episode some years ago when a member of staff did a homer with a friends parts which ended up costing them thousands of pounds in ruined plating and flushing and changing tanks of fluid. I'll photograph the exhaust system tomorrow, but I have some originals on some of my RE's. Ron

As in "ARRR He'da be a roight buggerrr my you" In the vernacular o' vold Darzet. Ron, who has mostly lost my original accent of Sarf Lonen.

Ah that answers that about the ammeter Ben! Hi Andy, good to hear from you and Rik has answered your query. We just need to see if the exhaust can be re-plated? My own plate shop here in Poole will not touch any used exhaust system as the carbon buggers up the solution in their tanks. I've just ordered a small batch of the unique RE front number plate mounts to be made (copied from an original -3 per bike) . Ron

I must admit that I hadn't taken much notice of the headlamp, just removed it and put it to one side. Although I did think the ammeter must have been replaced as it looks like a genuine CZ27 but with a bright chrome bezel. It has a correct 3 position switch but isn't that style of lettering, post war? The shell just has the markings DU42 (no Lucas). I'll ask Roy VD (NL) if he can perform his magic to the ammeter if he has a spare dome glass. Chris there was evidence of chrome to several of the outer edge 1/4" crankcase nuts as well as the bigger ones. The bigger ones are 5/16" but with an increased hex (5/16 Whit spanner size) and these all have that internal sloping chamfer. Yes the timing cover has screws and not the usual studs with nuts. Studying Jan's research and looking at original pictures reveals that all the gearbox fittings and screws , the cylinder head nuts and the frame and engine studs were chemical or electro blacked, apart from the main frame studs/nuts which were painted with the frame........Open to additional info or corrections. Ron

I haven't discussed the markings with Ben, maybe he'll want it as escort to his Scout Carrier, but buggered if I can remember the unit? The main activity today was washing down the engine and taking it apart for inspection. Apart from a little bit more play in the small end bush than I'd like, it all seems remarkably good. I think the piston is the original but I will get the bore measured to be sure, but I reckon a new set of rings a light hone , new small end bush and valve grind might be all that's required. I've removed the numerous nuts that hold the crankcase half's together and on close up inspection would now agree with Jan that the finish for the fasteners (engine at least) was dull chrome. For those who don't know Royal Enfields, these models are the same dry sump principal as most of the other bikes, except that the oil tank is combined in the crankcase......Hence the multitude of studs and nuts that hold the two crankcase half's together. Ron

Thanks for that Rik and especially the handsome pictures. Jan has supplied the correct shape front number plate, just need to sort out the correct fixings for it. Ron

I spent today stripping the rest of the bike and taking lots of reference pictures. These frames are not as straightforward to assemble as one would think! Especially with the centre stand to contend with. There are different shaped studs and spacers everywhere and the main frame is in three parts. I'm also trying to get everything together that needs plating so that it can all be dealt with in one go, but Sods Law, I'll miss something. Ron

Yes Chris. My thoughts are to repaint the top and sides of the number plate and leave the face as it is and get a magnetic plate made up for its civy reg number. But it's up to Ben.......No hurry to decide. I'm quite sure that the bike has been rallied in its life and been reasonably well maintained. The clutch and primary chain have definitely been replaced and the bike has been re-wired , new tyres fitted, modern petrol tap and battery etc. Ron

And Ben has cleaned off the rear number plate to expose the original census number. C68153. Ron

I can't measure mine now but it looks the same. I wonder if your outer case is dented in a bit. I expect if you put the screws in all the way round and gradually tighten them it will pull it in to shape, Especially when a cork gasket is in place. I bought my gasket from Brian Tillin . Ron

Chris to answer your questions:- Yes it has the ally rear brake plate, and yes census number and inspection stamp in place. I've cleaned up the inner primary case which still has its original paint both sides, which I'll leave as is for reference. I've already mixed 3 Lts of paint matched to some KG3 in my own collection and very pleased with the match here, painted on the clutch sliding disc. Ron

Hi Chris. Yes quite right. It's really quite remarkable that it is so unmolested. It's been rewired and some sort of foreign regulator has been fitted inside the original housing and the battery tray has been bodged to accept a large modern 6V battery. A poorly fitted lifting handle for the centre stand and a clamp on side stand......All to be junked. I wish this bike had come my way.......Maybe Ben will forget who's got it? Ron

A very complete and original Royal Enfield WD/C has been found on the continent by forum members Jan and Rik and has been acquired by Ben Hawkins here in UK. The bike is a very early example and was probably left behind by the retreating army in 1940, but I'll let Jan or Rik chip in with the historical facts. (The previous owner obviously got some facts wrong according to the number plate?) Ben is busy with much bigger projects and has asked me to give it the once over. Not sure if he meant 'rub it over with an oily rag' or 'stand it in the lane and chuck a bucket of paint over it'? But in any event I've decided to strip it right down. The bike is remarkably complete with most of its original parts and was still running until Ben sent me the magdyno to be professionally overhauled. The saddle which still retains its worse for wear Rexine cover was crudely raised up by over an inch with some 8mm studding and Dexion. Fortunately the threads in the saddle spring mounts cleaned up ok with a correct BSC tap. I've also found some original Khaki Green paint on the inside of the chaincase and on the hidden side of the regulator lid. I'm saving all the original fasteners to be hopefully cleaned up and refinished as original as possible. I'm chucking the inevitable few metric fasteners over the fence, never to be seen again.......Until of course they get tangled up in the neighbours lawn mower!! Ron

Yes that is the correct type of toggle fastener. Designed to not swivel itself undone. Somehow yours has an Asian about it? and the thread has snapped off. Ron

Duke I have all three of Nigel's books but will need some time to go through them, but you would definitely find loads of advice and information and blokes with UC CAD drawing on here http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/index.php Ron