ferret Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I have just acquired this bike, it has been civilianized so I need to find lots of parts to return to military trim. I have already managed to find some original mudguards. I am hoping to match the bike up with the sidecar I already have. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retriever Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 w/ng is to sporty to use a sidecar with you need to buy a m20 or 16h as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 (edited) Sidecar looks Norton Big 4.......if original, worth a lot on its own...... I have a W/NG...owned for nearly 20 years....Frame XG 24366 and called "Nancy" (the name carved into her steering damper when found).....built on 10 April 1942 in the Selly Oak factory........ Contact Draganfly Motorcycles in Bungay (speak to Mick Holmes)...they have many repro parts for W/NG's..... Also try John Budgen in Gloucester for parts........ Russell Motors in London also still have a fair few original WD parts for the W/NG....... If you wanna make it go a bit better, fit a pre-war VB cam (used in the Red Hunter), bigger engine sprocket, and a 276 carb rather than the standard army 275...........mine will do a good 75-80mph.....! If you want a decent looking sidecar, watch the film "Nanny McFee and the Big Bang"....she rides a W/NG in the film complete with sidecar !!! LOVE my Ariel.........:-D Edited November 18, 2011 by wdbikemad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted November 19, 2011 Author Share Posted November 19, 2011 Sidecar looks Norton Big 4.......if original, worth a lot on its own...... I have a W/NG...owned for nearly 20 years....Frame XG 24366 and called "Nancy" (the name carved into her steering damper when found).....built on 10 April 1942 in the Selly Oak factory........ Contact Draganfly Motorcycles in Bungay (speak to Mick Holmes)...they have many repro parts for W/NG's..... Also try John Budgen in Gloucester for parts........ Russell Motors in London also still have a fair few original WD parts for the W/NG....... If you wanna make it go a bit better, fit a pre-war VB cam (used in the Red Hunter), bigger engine sprocket, and a 276 carb rather than the standard army 275...........mine will do a good 75-80mph.....! If you want a decent looking sidecar, watch the film "Nanny McFee and the Big Bang"....she rides a W/NG in the film complete with sidecar !!! LOVE my Ariel.........:-D Hi, thanks for the info. The sidecar is a replica! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 Hi, Can anybody supply a photo of the correct speedo bracket? Or description, dimensions etc. I have managed to source some of the hard to find items such as correct speedo, rubber knee grips, front mudguard stay, and rearmost tool box. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted December 2, 2011 Author Share Posted December 2, 2011 Have started to fit some of the new parts. Correct front and rear mudguards now fitted. I have made the stays myself. managed to find a speedo, but need to make speedo bracket. Does anybody have a pic of where it attaches. Will hopefully get the second toolbox fitted over the weekend. Also got a Altette horn on its way. Where should the horn be mounted on a 41 w ng? Regards Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Speedo is mounted on two individual brackets that come off the right side of the forks.......(very early WD versions have the speedo mounted on a single bracket on top of the forks)...... Horn is mounted on a special bracket fitting onto the front engine frame attachment....horn then faces forwards... Both sets of brackets are available as repros, probably from Draganfly.... A parts list is useful for the W/NG as it shows these brackets......and there are a fair few on the W/NG to mount the toolboxes, panniers, etc...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted March 2, 2012 Author Share Posted March 2, 2012 Hi, Now that the weather as improved I have started painting various parts of the bike, and getting it back together. Some pics of the bike so far. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 I also have a W/NG. Mine is from contract S4554. I must agree that it would be a shame to impede your sporty W/NG with that mock up Big4 chair. The only side-cars that I have seen on W/NG's are these home made looking jobs issued to home guard. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I also have a W/NG. Mine is from contract S4554. I must agree that it would be a shame to impede your sporty W/NG with that mock up Big4 chair. The only side-cars that I have seen on W/NG's are these home made looking jobs issued to home guard. Ron My own W/NG was built on 10th April 1942, Contract C.11103, Serial No. C4693514, Frame XG 24366...... I'm not certain that this well-known Home Guard photo actually shows W/NGs - I can't see the details clearly enough.... But what is obvious is that the front machine appears to be a pre-war civvy Ariel with numberplate and valanced mudguard....these may be side valve VA's, VB's or OHV NH's, NG's, etc........mind you, the Home Guard did receive official issues of the W/NG during WW2 although they were to the standard military spec of the time..... The W/NG is indeed a fine bike to ride, and a pleasure on today's roads with small modifications..........the original WD gearing provided a dreadful gap between 3rd and 4th gears, so if you change the gearing to civvy Burman equivalents it markedly improves the situation...plus change one of the drive sprockets for one with more teeth...... Other sensible mods include changing the clutch plates for modern bonded resin examples, and using a 2-plate instead of a 3-plate clutch which reduces the drag, weight and inertia from the heavy 3-plate version fitted as standard to the W/NG and actually intended for larger 500cc models.....this improves the gearchange and operation of the clutch...... Engine-wise, bin the 275 carburetter for the common 276 version (with a 150 main jet) as fitted to larger Ariels and many other WD bikes, otherwise the engine tends to run out of carburetter with power still remaining to be used ! Finally, try a pre-war side valve VB cam, used in pre-war Red Hunters......this improves the valve lift opening times, again all improving performance........ The W/NG, with its one-piece frame, good ground clearance, decent forks and superb brakes is perhaps one of the nicest WD bikes produced and unfortunately often overlooked today...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 I have been doing lots of painting and started getting the bike back together. I think its starting to look pretty good. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 That's going to be a really nice restoration......! If it helps, Ariel used cadmium and/or dull chrome plating on very few parts, mainly fork spindles, fork damper, exhaust system, filler caps, push-rod tubes, tool box knobs, etc........but they seem to have used black-finished (Parkerised or Cosletised finish) on many of their nuts and bolts unlike other manufacturers.....when I rebuilt my W/NG I had a lot of NOS Ariel stuff in this finish......and a check of original close-up factory photos confirms this....... One other point.....if you have the alloy primary chaincase, this was also factory-finished in paint and not left in bare alloy...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milbike Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 hi,the wng looks great,could you let me know were you sourced your mudguards,toolboxes & speedo from as ive been having some trouble getting these parts thanks gareth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Looking good Chris. You should have it well run in and fettled in time for the big gathering in Normandy 2014 (70th). It's compulsory to be there! Gareth. Draganfly are probably your best bet for repro mudguards and other parts. Also try John Budgen. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milbike Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 hi , thanks for the info,i have already tried draganfly and got a few parts but they dont have any toolboxes,mudguards,handlebars,pannier carrier,etc.i bought some headlamp brackets and headlamp from them and a big bag of fasteners (trying to work out which ones are for what is fun-without having complete bike)and the headlamp brackets did'nt fit -they had drilled the wrong size mounting holes and i have had to rebend them as they were at least 1" -2" away from headlamp,to be fair they are sending me out a parts book free of charge.i think ive got a nos front mudguard to pick up from the ariel owners club agm on saturday and have managed to get original front mudguard stays -apart from the centre bracket on top of mudguard,ive got some 1944 pannier carriers but no pannier frame as yet.Ive found a steel timing chain cover but still looking for steel primary chain backplate and cover. chris,could you let me know what paint you used on your wng,thanks gareth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 Hi Gareth, Found most of the tin work on ebay, you have to keep looking! Got the paint from Warpaint on Milweb. John budgen is good for parts as well. Ask him for the number of the guy who does the magdinos etc, he his very good! Good luck with the resto. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milbike Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 nice one chris gareth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Try Terry Roberts at "Metal Magic" (metaltel@yahoo.co.uk) as he does a number of good repro parts for the W/NG, including mudguards, stays, toolboxes, pannier brackets, etc.... Careful with W/NG handlebars......early Ariel 'bars were peculiar to Ariel, and feature a 1" centre tapering to 7/8ths at the ends.......the larger centre section was to fit inside the early rubber-mounted handlebar lug. My own W/NG still has this fitted, and it was discontinued around 1942-43 due to instances of the 'bars rotating over particularly rough ground ! many earlier models had the later rigid handlebar clamp retro-fitted..........I had the original 'bars too, but they were becoming a tad thin, so I got a pair of standard 7/8ths 'bars, then had them bent to shape and a thin section of steel wrapped around the middle and welded and ground to shape making it up to 1" thickness...... Later W/NG's adopted the "universal" pattern WD 7/8ths 'bars......... John Budgen is a good source as mentioned, and he frequently has some good 2nd-hand stuff in........Russell Motors in London also have a fair few original W/NG parts, mainly small stuff though...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I didn't know that about the standard 7/8" bars Steve? Mine has the clamp on type (not the troublesome rubber mounted type) But has the strange 1" in the middle tapering to 7/8" for the levers. Then there is that hard to find double mag/valve lift lever!!! Gareth, I might be able to sell you a pair of original pannier frames. PM me. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milbike Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 hi, thanks for the info.ive just come home to find that i've got a fieldstand delivered,i rushed to the garage to fit this-as i thought this is going to take a couple of minutes,after 10minutes of buggering about it occured to me that the lug on my frame has got the flats on the half moon facing upwards so if i turn the bike upside down i'tll work,ahhhh!!!any ideas? it doesnt look like its been repaired/welded at any point,but i guess it must have been damaged at some time and welded onto the stub upside down, this part looks cast,but im not sure and i cant decide how to rectify this problem.can i weld it? mig,tig,arc,gas? any suggestions/advice would be very welcome thanks gareth:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I didn't know that about the standard 7/8" bars Steve? Mine has the clamp on type (not the troublesome rubber mounted type) But has the strange 1" in the middle tapering to 7/8" for the levers. Then there is that hard to find double mag/valve lift lever!!! Gareth, I might be able to sell you a pair of original pannier frames. PM me. Ron Last one (or two) late '44 onwards W/NG contracts had the universal 7/8ths 'bars fitted, along with universal controls (Amal pattern, no double lever and a decent trigger-type valve lifter !!), saddles and Vokes air cleaners.......according to the illustrated parts lists.....:-D Pressed steel primary cases and timing cover too...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Sounds a bit boring Steve! Bit like my 44 3HW.....all down to economies! Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grease monkey Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Hi Ferret, can you tell me if the back part of the frame is equal to each other. I mean, if you stretch the frametube(the one under the tank) to the end, is the distance of the rear frame part on both sides the same? Or has the LH side more distance to the center frame pipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 My Sriel is now up for sale on eBay. Very nice bike. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 eBay 300978083602 Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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