Questions? Looking for parts? Parts for sale? or just for a chat,

The WD Motorcycle forum

WD Motorcycle forum
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
Anyone with a known original G3L?

I'm looking for some advice on which oil tank to fit to my G3L, I thought they were all the same with the piecrust type filler cap (how wrong I was!) I've put the photos below as you can see they are all correct for the rigid frame and all have the pie crust filler cap type neck.
Picture 1 shows one with a flat front to it and a large oil pipe fitting
Picture 2 shows one with a more rounded front to the tank and a small oil feed pipe
picture 3 shows one the same as picture 1 but it has a small oil feed line.
Tha main question is, which one is correct?
I'm also aware there is another type with the oil drain pointing more to the floor is this the correct one?
I have the parts lists but with them jiust being line drawings it's hard to tell which one it is. I'd only like a reply if yours is definately correct as I've seen all types fitted to ones I've googled.
I also came across a different type of rear brake pedal that is the same as the WD one in shape but the pedal is a lot wider where your foot sits, I know it's not the correct one for my G3L but what model does it fit, it has traces of green paint on it and has the early style part number, but I can't quite read it it is in the same format of part number as the G3L's but I just can't quite read it. The spare ones that are incorrect will be up for grabs if anyone wants them
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket
Photobucket

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Hi Dave, my G3L had the same "owner" from 1943 until 2002, when I got it. Though I can't guarantee its 100% original, I know it hasn't changed much. I've had a look and the oil tank look most like no.3. No.1 is post war, with that large connector on the feed filter. No 2 looks a little odd, I once brazed a crack up in the back of one, it went pop and looked just like that!
It also has the larger foot on the brake pedal, certainly the condition and paint shade gives the impression its always been on there. I have heard the larger foot was added to lessen the chance of a squaddies boot slipping of when wet. I'll leave that one up to you. Ive found the bigger foot lets you stand harder on that small brake.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Hi Dave,

Here is one of them. Have others that are similar. G3L from the war year as I best know. John Tinley should have the final say.
PhotobucketPhotobucket

email (option): unpob@yahoo.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

One thing I have noticed whilst doing this Matchy is that not a lot of people know a lot about them and will fit any parts as long as they fit on, even the "so called" experts at the AJS Matchless club seem to get a little dismissive if I take parts that are all similar but slightly different and ask them which one is correct and quite a few of them have WD G3L's!
If you find the oil tank on the online parts list on http://archives.jampot.dk/Book/Spares_lists/1941_=M=_Spares_List_G3L.pdf You'll notice that the oil lines have male threads on both the unions (jeez this is getting confusing now there is 5 types!!!)
I notice that yours seems to be the 4th type with the drain plug pointing to the ground with the small oil feed pipe, Francis kindly took some pictures and his has the same type, but We'll wait for John Tinley to have the final say

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

I agree with you there! The differences can be very subtle though. The oil tank on myG3 looks the same as the G3L, but the drain plug "tube" on the L is noticably longer than on the earlier tank. I have G3L front guards with both riveted and welded centre stays, also the guard mounts on the sliders vary. I have four different '42 type bottom yokes, as well as the '41 type. The list goes on! Madness!
Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

I now have visions of every Matchless owner ripping his bike apart to find the exact part!!!

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Took some better photos of the bottom side. I think all of those are similar.PhotobucketPhotobucket

Correct observation on the drain plug, two of those tanks, are shorter and also have a steeper angle to compensate for it.

email (option): unpob@yahoo.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Hi Dave, my view is that number 3 is the correct oil tank for a WD G3L. Part of the problem we have is that AMC often changed designs slightly from year to year. A friend of mine came around resently and he has 5 rigid frames and they are all slightly different. I have identified 5 different types of fork yokes and still do not know if I have a complete set. Added to this surviving bikes have often been through the REME workshops several times and come out with a mixture of G3WO and G3L parts. I am in touch with somene at the moment who has a G3WO but actually it has a very late G3L frame. The answer to him was ride it and enjoy it. Cheers, John

email (option): tinley@btinternet.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Dave my G3L seems to also have your option 3! But has a longer drain spout.
Like Mick, the previous owner had owned it for a very long time and it came to me with all the correct WD bits in place.....Who knows?? Ron

Photobucket

Whereas,next post.....

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

My G3 has a straight down drain spout. Both tanks have the same 1/4" BSP fittings, with a female nut on the rear pipe screwed to fitting and a male nut on the front pipe directly into the tank.
Photobucket

I need to learn up on posting multiple pictures

Ron Next post.....

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Sorry about this! Can someone explain how to post multiple pictures? Ron

Photobucket

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Tank Number 3 was the one I bought originally, it just happens to be the nicest one too! Any Ideas about number 2? It is definately made with the more curved front. If anyone needs any of the other tanks they are available to buy.
Ron you just need to copy and paste the HTML codes one ater the other.
Thanks everyone
Dave

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Hi,
Hope this snippet is of use as a piece of information.
My father was born in South London and knew a couple of people who worked at the plumpsted factory. They always said that the production process at the factory was a bit hit and miss when it came to assembling bikes. They would fill up a bin at the beginning of the day with the parts they needed to bolt on on the production line. If the correct parts were not available they would just use the closest item. Hence post war singles would come out with oil tanks from the twin, etc. Also if they hadn't filled thier bins up with enough parts in the morning then a trip back to the stores in the afternoon was in order and again mis matched parts could easily be fitted.
This admittedly was post war but I can not imagine it was much different at any other time.
I have heard simmilar stories from other people related to the Plumpsted factory so it could be that the factory were producing 'unoriginal' new bikes off the production line.
Regards
Clive

email (option): cliveandjo@lineone.net

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

My M20 has the same oiltank as all the other M20s.. ... ...Ian

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

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

The Matchless disigners just couldn't get it right first time Looks like they made a different one for each day of the week

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

thats a bit of a bind to drain the oil and change the oil tank every night well it get a regular oil change then

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

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

It's starting to look like someone who is into Matchless's to start a website about the correct parts as there is so many similar but slightly different parts fitted to them. The AJS Matchless owners club dosen't seem too interested, I joined them to try to find out and a week later I'm still waiting for them to confirm my membership and allow me access to their technical articles! I don't get the impression that they are a pro-active club, I've found that I get quicker more enthusiastic answers about Matchless's from this forum!!!

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

I joined the matchless owners club when I was restoring my G3L and I have to agree that they are more interested in 60/70s machines. I think they have a couple of members with WD machines but you will get a lot more info from this site than the MOC website.
I dont imagine a website dedicated to Matchless WD machinery would get very far, especially when this site tends to be so successful. I appreciate that this site is aimed mainly at M20s but get the feeling that any WD bike topic is welcome.
I hope you M20ers out there dont mind us others mixing things up a little?

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Tim it is for that reason that Henk altered the tital of this site from WD WM20 to WD Motorcycle. So all WD motorcycles are welcome......even Norton Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

That way of thinking isn't peculiar to the AJS/Matchless Club.
The BSAOC seem to be mainly interested in the later bikes as well...ironic really as BSAs products got progressively worse through the 60s into the early 70s...Ian

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

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

It would be a good idea to start a website like for the Norton 16H and the Triumph 3HW site (on the links page) just for the reference material and refer everything else with regards to any questions to this forum, as the people with the Norton and Triumph sites use this forum anyway

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Sadly, among the computer-literate enthusiasts at least, there seems to be a major backlash against the much despised rivet counters at the moment and most WD motorcycle owners seem to regard it as a badge of honour to say "There is no such thing as a standard service motorcycle, they were all modified" and use this as an excuse to use any old part that'll fit.

Quite why they should resent so much the existence of those who wish to ride a museum exhibit, I don't really understand.

Mind you, I got caught out last week as my Dad was here (Royal Signals 1943 - 47) and we sat outside where the 16H was gently cooling off and sank a few beers. Eventually, he stood up, walked round the Norton and said "Do you know, that's only about the third clean army motorcycle that I've ever seen !"

I was thinking that it looked quite dignified and dusty. It's not my fault that it hadn't rained !

Ron, if like me you tend to find that you lose the lot if you go back to link a second image then the best thing to do is to post the first one and then go back in under 'Edit' to add the rest. If you're quick, no-one notices.

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

The thing is, I'm not a rivet counter by any means, and on my M20 have mixed and matched parts from different wartime years, but it would be nice to see some definitive reference material so that at least I'd have a point of reference when it comes to looking for parts.
Ron ,you should open a new window with photobucket on it alongside the forum and just flick between them copy and pasting as you go

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

Thanks for the information on pictures chaps. I'll keep practicing. I must admit I use the edit feature at times, but never thought of that Rik Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Anyone with a known original G3L?

There is no doubt the WD 'mixed and matched' parts from different production years as a matter of course when so many parts were directly interchangeable.
The arguement for a bike built in this way does make life a little easier when sourcing parts and the result can be said to be representative of a typical machine somewhere in its WD service.
Once again though this is entering the area of 'ex factory' versus 'in service' spec.territory. Niether way is really more 'correct' than the other.
However, if everyone chose the latter path the 'as built/designed' specification would soon be lost in a world of 'REME specials'.
It is important therefore, that at least some bikes are built as closely to an ex factory spec. as is currently possible and that those specs. are recorded.
My view is that a 1942 M20 started off with a 1942 set of parts and that was the intended specification, so I tend to want to put the bike back visually into the approx. format it was in when it left the BSA factory. That was a 'fixed point' where the specification was known and recorded.
Without a detailed history of any particular machine, both in service and afterwards it is impossible to say who altered what and the final spec. becomes a guess at history.
I don't expect many to agree with that view however, by far the majority of bikes are not rebuilt using that theory!!.....Ian

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

Nieuwe pagina 1