Adrian Dwyer Posted August 18, 2023 Author Share Posted August 18, 2023 Again, thanks Ron. A rich picture is emerging. On a point of detail, none of the posts in the saddle thread mention a wasps nest - see image attached! A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted August 18, 2023 Author Share Posted August 18, 2023 Just now, Adrian Dwyer said: Again, thanks Ron. A rich picture is emerging. On a point of detail, none of the posts in the saddle thread mention a wasps nest - see image attached! A Springs and bungee! No wasps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted September 3, 2023 Author Share Posted September 3, 2023 On 8/6/2023 at 4:36 PM, rewdco said: I think it could be worth contacting the MotoCiclismo d'epoca editor. When I was working in Italy in the 1990's I always bought this high quality monthly. It used to have (still has?) lots of in-depth articles. Definitely worth a try! No response from MotoCiclismo d'epoca. I will try and locate someone who can translate my question into Italian! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted September 4, 2023 Share Posted September 4, 2023 Google translate will do it, otherwise Jan is probably the man. Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted September 4, 2023 Author Share Posted September 4, 2023 Thanks Ron. I have found an ally fluent in Italian, so will try a more personal approach. It is, of course, entirely possible that the Italian nation is more than a little embarrassed about making a Benelli out of a Triumph! And, as a result, rather wishes these WD-elasticos didn't exist. As a clichéd character from an '80s sitcom once said, what-a-mistake-a-to-make-a. Vermouth anyone? All the best. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted September 23, 2023 Author Share Posted September 23, 2023 (edited) Under the Italian black, under the primer, under what's left of the green, '42 emerges! Edited September 23, 2023 by Adrian Dwyer crop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted September 23, 2023 Author Share Posted September 23, 2023 The other interesting discovery - to me at least - is that the material used in the 1940s friction dampers on the elastico is close-grain hardwood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 Yes hardwood, a common material for shocks of the time, my Big 4 has them too on the sidecar. Cheers, Lex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted September 23, 2023 Author Share Posted September 23, 2023 Yes, good material for friction: nice smell when riding over cobbles, too! I had assumed they were a man-made material - which I think is what the girders use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted September 23, 2023 Author Share Posted September 23, 2023 6 hours ago, Adrian Dwyer said: Under the Italian black, under the primer, under what's left of the green, '42 emerges! You may have to stare at this for a while until the 42 (the stamping of the 4 and the 2 still filled with black paint) emerges! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 (edited) If that's the stamping under the saddle. It will say TEC Month and Year ( TEC = Triumph Engineering Co) Edited September 23, 2023 by Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted September 23, 2023 Author Share Posted September 23, 2023 1 hour ago, Ron said: If that's the stamping under the saddle. It will say TEC Month and Year ( TEC = Triumph Engineering Co) Thanks Ron - a bit more application of the wire brush required to reveal all the detail! Did you take a view on the kick start issue? A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted September 23, 2023 Share Posted September 23, 2023 What is the kickstart issue? Did I miss something? Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted September 23, 2023 Author Share Posted September 23, 2023 Sorry Ron, I started a new post on Motorcycles. I'd be grateful for your view! A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted November 16, 2023 Author Share Posted November 16, 2023 Just been sent this monochrome image. I do not know where it came from - other than a continental motorcycling magazine of the 1950s. It shows the ARAMA workshop; and an elastico rear end a little less, er, agricultural, than the one on my 3HW! A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Sheds Posted May 6 Share Posted May 6 (edited) Good afternoon ( for those who might be in the time zone ), A few observations to various parts of this topic : The ARMA workshop image comes from me via Flickr or Sheldons EMU ( without any credit.... ) and was originaly provided by the nephew ( Sergio Gavoni ) of ARMA's owner. ARMA and STRAM were one of the the same operation owned by Albino Gavoni. ARMA was at Milan and STRAM at Rome. ARMA were Main Dealers for Matchless/AJS and one or two others. Pick up my article on Flickr, which is about to be updated; Matchless ARMA in Google will get you to both sites and comprehensive information. Edited May 23 by 2Sheds Added Image 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 23 Author Share Posted May 23 (edited) Thanks 2Sheds (is this a Monty Python reference or are you blessed with 2 sheds?). I have now had the opportunity to look at a couple of ARMA Matchless frames. They are sufficiently different to my elastico to make me think mine is either very early or, as was suggested some time ago, not made by ARMA. The immediate post-war efforts of Benelli may well be one possibility. Thanks again. I look forward to the update. While I think about it, you don't recognise the tool box, do you? Yours, A Edited May 23 by Adrian Dwyer image Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 23 Author Share Posted May 23 Great piece! < > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 Ah, forgot about this topic, here a Matchless G3L I bought in Italy in 2020, and it was even running! waiting in line now to be restored, luckily no major modifications to the frame, only the tank and rear stand made into a centre stand. Lex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Dwyer Posted May 23 Author Share Posted May 23 32 minutes ago, welbike said: Ah, forgot about this topic, here a Matchless G3L I bought in Italy in 2020, and it was even running! waiting in line now to be restored, luckily no major modifications to the frame, only the tank and rear stand made into a centre stand. Lex Afternoon Lex, No elastico? You don't know the fun you are missing! What year is the bike and was your purchase a result of the Italian cull of older bikes? All the best. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 (edited) Adrian, I only bought it because it was dead cheap! (and numbers matching) all the non original bits have been sold or thrown away, and it will be restored to WD configuration. Might be blasphemy to some!! Lex PS last month I bought a set of G3L forks from an Italian, at a German autojumble, he kept insisting they were Moto Guzzi! for 50 euro's I wasn't gonna argue too much! It only has some ears for the headlamp welded on. Edited May 23 by welbike spelling 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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