Did any of the WD fuel tanks come with a "twist off" cap, such as the one which came on the later civilian BSAs, instead of the hinged flip type?

email (option): jonny.rudge@verizon.net

John

Matchless G3 and G3/L WD bikes have twist of caps.

Reg

Hinrik

email (option): hsteinsson28@hotmail.com

Not in as much that they do twist off, but they are basically the same type as the M20 in that they have expanding fingers inside the cap.

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

This tank came off a WDM20 but I don't know whether a prior owner may have replaced the original tank. The tank itself looks identical to a WDM20 tank except for the filler collar, which is made for a cap which comes off (does not flip) and a round indentation for a tank badge. Pretty sure no WDs had these features, except perhaps the very early ones which were converted civilian models - and the frame number doesn't put it in this category. Unless someone can tell me that some WDM20s had this type of tank, I have no choice but to conclude that it is off a civilian M20 and that somebody just switched or replaced the original tank on this bike.

email (option): jonny.rudge@verizon.net

john does it have only one petrol tap hole and maybe 2 petrol tap holes up near the front underneath these are for a U shape balance pipe it may not have this and is the bottom flatish if it is indented this tank maybe off a early post war BSA B 31/33 they look very much like the M20 tank

email (option): roger.back@node6.com

John you have a post war tank. The type of cap you have is called a bayonet fixing. WD Royal Enfields had this type. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Hi John, You have a post war civilian tank. None of the WD models used that type of cap or had badge indentations. Military tanks have two petrol taps...the civvy type have one tap with a 'joining pipe' underneath at the front as described by Roger.(this fitting is not present on military types) If it was fitted to an M20 it will not be a B Series tank..these have a different tunnel pressing underneath and the front mounting brackets are in a different position so they do not directly interchange...Ian

email (option): julie@wright52.plus.com

Hi,

I also have a M20 that has a threaded type fuel tank. I am sure that the tank is not post war because it has the provision for the Vokes air filter (One side of the Tank is cut to accommodate the Air filter hose). My engine number is (WD20116371). Please do let me know your thoughts

Regards & God Bless
Pratap Henry

email (option): prataphenry@gmail.com

Thank you all for your thoughts. Looks pretty certain it's a post-war tank.

Pratap: the fact that yours has a Volks cut-out may not be determinative. I had a WDM20 which had TWO cut-outs, one on each side of the tank. Apparently a prior owner started with a standard WD tank which had a Volks cut-out but wanted to make the tank symetrical so he cut off the lobe on the left side and then welded it shut. Unless you inspected it closely, it looked stock. Yours may be a post-war tank that someone "militerized".

email (option): jonny.rudge@verizon.net

Here are some prewar (1939) BSA petrol caps, the first 2 are threaded, the last one is the bayonet type which carried on after the war.

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

i have b31 tank that looks very simialar and has twist of cap but only has 1 fuel tap apart from that looks identical

email (option): jockmcguigan@bigpond.com