Stefano

Looking at the VMCC machine listings, which admittedly can be a bit iffy at times, frame numbers around the 30,000 mark would date it to the early fifties. From what I've been able to understand however, the W prefix relates only to the engine. Is it a single speed or has it got the two speed albion 'box?

UNF/UNC? Ha!!, piece of cake. My Morris CD/SW engine had been in a field for 30 years and every fastener had rusted to hell. And what did Morris use? Metric Threads (thank you Hotchkiss) with Whit hexagons (thank you Lord Nuffield). Had to make every single bolt (and more than a few nuts) from scratch using imperial bar. Marvellous.... I suppose that it made the Germans happy though, seeing as they were the main end users.

Cute little things aren't they? In any case, if the frame number is between ML2 and ML 8500 it's ex War Department

Basically, the early postwar ML's were dead ringers for the wartime ones, apart from the electrics, speedometer and rear mudguard. Fact is that the final contract for 3000 machines was reduced to 1500 because the war was drawing to an end, and if the contract had been completed the WD frame numbers would have gone all the way to 10,000, which is just shy of your frame number. A large proportion of ML's never saw active service due to the fact that the 'Flea was a shade lighter and could be dropped by parachute, and after the war these were either disposed of or returned to the factory for refurbishing to civilian spec. So whilst it is true to say that the later ML's were a bit different to the wartime ones, I reckon that the one you're looking at would have been a dead ringer for a pukka WW2 model (apart from the frame number, handlebar lock, fuel cap and footrests (maybe)). Funnily enough, the same cannot be said for the civilian Flying Flea, because there were a whole host of modifications made to the civilian bikes, which means pretty major surgery to create an accurate replica. Whether or not you restore the James to military spec or not is up to you, I know that I wouldn't be able to bring myself to do it, but on the other hand you're not really doing anything that a lick of maroon paint won't cure...

Nigel, Referring to the Madden & Orchard book the evaluation prototype indeed had frame N° 11896, but the production military frame numbers start at ML 2 and finish at ML 8500, with quite significant gaps along the way, which means that in fact only 6140 bikes were built during WW2. The ML prefix was maintained for the civilian version until it was phased out in 1948, when it was replaced by the Cadet (Villiers 10D engine).

Daren, Frame N°10203 will put the bike well into civilian production, although check if the number looks like it's been restamped because this kind of thing happened only too often. The contract plate (they were mounted on the (abbreviated) rear mudguard, just below the "fag end" rear light. Engine and gearbox spares are available from Villiers Services, whilst sheet metal cycle parts can be found from Terry Roberts Metal Magic (check my restoration thread for details). As far as I know, unlike the Flying Flea, in the ML's case there isn't a great deal to differentiate WW2 from civvy production, apart from the rear mudguard (shorter), the headlamp switch (no "T"), speedometer drive (no speedo on the WW2 ones), footpegs (folding), and a few other bits and bobs such as the petrol tank cap and handlebar lock. Hope this is of some assistance, Stefano

O.K... Well, over the intervening months I've been painting up the various bits and pieces. After preparation, everything got sprayed with two pack filler primer, followed by a matt black guide coat. After being left alone for it to harden properly the bits got rubbed down with 1000 grit wet and dry (wet) and subsequently decked out in two pack S.C.C.2. This is the fuel tank going through the motions.

Ho hum, I might as well post a few more pictures up, just so that you don't think I've given up on the little James. Crankcases welded up where the cracks were and subsequently ground flush. Whilst I was at it I faced off all the crankcase mating surfaces. It's a shame that all this is going to get hidden under a coat of S.C.C. 2 but that's how they were.... More pics soon, Stef

Maarten, Here are a couple of pictures of what the fuel pipe looks like. Have you got the carburetter union? If you have it's an easy matter to make a new one up. Cheers, Stefano

Hiya, Really sorry for taking so long to get onto this. The screws you need for the flywheel cover are 2BA. The heads are countersunk slotted with a domed head. The length under the head is 6,5mm. Try villiers services because they should have them in stock. In any case, take a look at the photo below to see what they look like

My advice is......don't. Two feet is alot easier

If you've got room for it buy it! Whatever issues it may have (and I'll happily admit to knowing nothing about Matadors) it's way better than most that you see for sale. And my view is that if it's not RAF it's even better. Just think of it with Royal Artillery tac marks and mickey mouse camouflage...

Interesting thread this.. My (personal) take on this is that I will always use an appropriate uniform on any of my (or my mates') vehicles, indeed, I can see little to differentiate living history from a Military Vehicle - all too soon there will be no more Veterans, and the vehicles (plus the world we live in today, thank God) will be one of the few remaining testimonials of their passing. I remember when I was 11 and my father elected to bin his battledress during a clear out - I made it clear in no uncertain terms that this was not going to happen, and as a result I've still got it, and seeing as it fits, am proud to wear it (one of my elder brothers got his demob suit, much to my chagrin). My father was surprised but happy that I was so interested in the war and the vehicles of his youth, and the other Veterans that I've come across have had similar reactions. Historically speaking, military vehicles are supremely important - one day nobody will remember Geoff Duke and his antics on Nortons, but in school they'll still be studying WW2, and a 16H will be forever part of it (although admittedly like 79x100 I'd prefer a spring frame International!). Reenactors are a different matter, but I admit to being mightily impressed on the effort that they put into their endeavours, and I'd give them a lift anytime. It's true that you can occasionally come across a sort of hidden political intent occasionally (sometimes not too hidden), but it doesn't mean that everyone should be tarred with the same brush. My principal objection being that wild horses wouldn't make me sleep in a tent, let alone a ditch (three years in the Cadet Corps plus one of National Service means that I've seen quite enough of that, thank you). But, as others have said, the main thing is that "a good time was had by all".

Before the creation of the REME it would have been RAOC, presumably in a L.A.D.

Another Italian! Have fun, it's a great place

Lads, Here's food for thought.... Our sherman is an M4A4, so it's supposed to have a multibank. Unfortunately, after the war the Italians binned these for C4 radials (which are wrong anyway). I want to install a multibank and hang the consequences, and if we keep the radial the tank should be finished off in postwar Italian colours, whilst another says that the radial stays and it gets it's proper British livery. Just to add some spice to the mix, another wants to keep the radial and do it in U.S. colours.....Seeing as I'm the one that would be doing most of the work I've told them to go away and have a good think about things and to come back with a different mindset. If you've got any sensibility it's the vehicle that tells you how it needs to be done, and in any case, if you want a U.S. Sherman I suppose that there is always the option of buying one... As an aside, thanks to a fair amount of ear bashing, a mates' Grizzly will soon be resplendant in Canadian markings!

Sorry Hanno, but I think that Cobra King should go to Bastogne to stay - period. I can't believe that they're taking it back to the USA

That's the spirit, keep the pressure up...............

I was on one of the bikes following your Ward out of Arromanches! I'd noticed that you'd got the beers in and you did seem to be enjoying yourselves..!

We were lodged at Saint Honorine, and managed to slip through the net on the morning of the 6th with only minutes to spare. Ah yes, the Harleys...I'd been trying to forget about them. I suppose that I'm being harsh, but I did get the impression that they were missing the point somewhat..

Well, another Normandy celebration has come and gone, and as usual, everything was an awful rush until the last minute, and I ran out of time trying to finish the WOT2 (and the James, and the 'flea....oh well). In the event, we brought up the Stuart, a M3A1 Scout car, a WC52, a G3/L, and the 3HW. We kept the vehicles at the Jeepest site at Englesqueville, and very nice it was too - Thanks Georges. As always there were some wonderful vehicles, but sadly not as many as there used to be I fear, their ranks being taken up by what seemed to be an endless procession of Jeeps (and M201's, M38's etc..). The record breaking DR motorcycle run was magnificent, it felt good just being there, and my thanks go to Ian Wright for his efforts, I'm sure that they were appreciated by everyone who was there. It was wonderful to meet so many veterans and a joy to hear the (often very funny) stories they had to tell, although the way that they were herded about in the rain at Arromanches for the greater glory of a few important chappies was less impressive, as was the fact that the Bayeux parade seemed to be made up almost entirely of American MV's - am I missing something here? Finally, I'd like to say thank you to the crew of a Bedford MW that supplied me and a mate (a very soggy pair of DR's) with tea and a canvas roof over our heads whilst we waited for the VIP's to depart Arromanches under the downpour, and how sorry I am not to have been able to meet any of you whilst I was there - I'll have to get myself better organised in future.

Hanno, Just in case you missed this one

In Italy it's illegal to take any vehicle that has a top speed below 50mph on to a Motorway. The only time you can breach the regulations is if you've got an escort and are driving a wide/long load, and you have a mountain of permits. Seems sensible to me, as I can't see the fun in having Artics blasting past you all the time. In Normandy we drove the Stuart from Bayeux to Isigny via the most God forsaken roads we could find. Over the last few miles it played merry hell with it's fuel system, but we managed to be of as little inconvenience as possible.

At least part of him would have been used as an ornament over London Bridge I would think..