FUGLYONE Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 (edited) Hello, have been away from MV's for a bit but now have a Ariel 350, which appears wartime. It all in pieces, but the frame and engine numbers are correct for a batch that were desptched between April and November 1943. It spent time in Greece then ended up with the Greek Post Office post war , then into civilian hands. I am interested to know if the bike would have been black or military green when it left the factory? Also what finish is correct for the rims, handlebars, engine and gearbox casings etc? Thanks Edited March 8, 2020 by FUGLYONE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 All bikes despatched under WO contracts were painted in service colour. The colour for 1942-4 was specified as SCC2 Service Brown ( paint code BS499) . Here's my later W/NG in Olive Drab. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_allison Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 It might well be worth fitting a civvy camshaft . The WD/NG was fitted with the sidevalve one . With the civvy one , either NG or NH you will have a very usable bike . I think that my NH was one of the best bikes I had . The Carburettor may also be on the small side , and an upgrade to a civvy bore would not be detectable . I have figures somewhere . There is a very active Ariel club . All threads on Ariels were BSF , except for studs into ally , which were Whit / BSF. On today's roads it is neccessary to have a reasonably competitive performance . Even the NH was an extremely tractable bike . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUGLYONE Posted March 10, 2020 Author Share Posted March 10, 2020 Thanks Ron I have looked closely at the parts and cannot see anything really other than black, but brown might be hard to differentiate? I will have a better look min daylight. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 No Ariel W/NG would have left the factory painted black. Anything could have happened over the last 78 years. It could have been stripped and repainted several times by now. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUGLYONE Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 Started r to strip tank and found some original paint. It's a light olive colour. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo.T Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 The sand colour maybe original ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
79x100 Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 The brown should be the original and it looks as if the Light Stone is on top of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUGLYONE Posted August 16, 2020 Author Share Posted August 16, 2020 The light olive colour/ light stone is the base layer, then there was a layer of black, and the the bright green ( was that when the Greek post office had it after the war ?) and then it had another layer of black. The bike was made I'm 1943, and ended up in Greece being used by the post office, then it went into private hands. Stripped down in the 90's and put in boxes and stored. The frame etc was shot blasted in the 90's and painted in red lead before storage. Mudguards, stays , brackets are all really solid. May have gone to Greece towards the end of the war with the British forces, or may have been bought as war surplus by the Greek post office.? Probably will never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUGLYONE Posted August 24, 2020 Author Share Posted August 24, 2020 (edited) There is a number stamped vertically in the headstock, see picture. Not sure if is on any other W/NG frames? Is that top letter , the letter Sigma, or just a M on its side. Anyone else seen one of these? Bottom mark looks like a crude crown shape? Edited August 24, 2020 by FUGLYONE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
79x100 Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 I believe that is a Greek marking...with the Hellenic crown below. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted August 24, 2020 Share Posted August 24, 2020 Yes I've seen similar Greek stampings on 3HW frames. Even with Greek/Arabic numerals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUGLYONE Posted August 24, 2020 Author Share Posted August 24, 2020 That would all make sense, so maybe the bike was sold as surplus at the end of WW2 , and a batch went to Greece, then the new owners (Greek Post Office) restamped them all, so if this one is number 450 , there may have been a lot over there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrarakias Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 (edited) Definitely a Greek marking "Σ450" and a crown. Have seen such markings on quite a lot of motorcycles of different brands. Attached a picture from a 3HW with such a marking.... Kostas Edited August 25, 2020 by Ferrarakias 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 Hi Kostas. I think it was you, sent me those Arabic numerals? Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrarakias Posted August 25, 2020 Share Posted August 25, 2020 19 minutes ago, Ron said: Hi Kostas. I think it was you, sent me those Arabic numerals? Ron Hi Ron, No it wasn't me! Don't know Arabic at all! Kostas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Probably one of the Maltese guys?? Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUGLYONE Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 (edited) The numbers have also been stamped into the engine casings, and it certainly appears that the Greek government did a professional job of registering the bike into their system. I have been speaking to the family and I have a pic taken in the early 60s. By this point it was leaving the Post office and becoming civilianised. Edited October 11, 2020 by FUGLYONE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUGLYONE Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 Bike is progressing. Also bought a Ferret basket case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 Although the bike in the B&W picture is not an Ariel! It's a BSA M20. Very strange to see someone working on a bike in bare feet🥴 Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUGLYONE Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 Sorry, wrong pic 😘 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUGLYONE Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 And then it went rusty again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUGLYONE Posted October 11, 2020 Author Share Posted October 11, 2020 9 hours ago, Ron said: Although the bike in the B&W picture is not an Ariel! It's a BSA M20. Very strange to see someone working on a bike in bare feet🥴 Ron Yes you are right, wrong pic. 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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