This is a very famous picture, but can anyone tell me what the two bolt heads are for near the back edge of the rear box?

Rob

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

Rob, thats for the inner steel reinforcing bands, can email pictures.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Hi Lex

I have some pictures of the internal steel bands and realised they were bolted at the back where the spares wheel holder fits but I thought they were only screwed to the sides.

Are there also two bolts on the other side?

And does the rear Bren gun mounting also bolt through the steel band?

Rob

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

Hello Rob,

The other side has the same coach bolts in the same position.

However, we're talking about bikes from appx. the 3rd contract onwards, before that they didn't have the reinforcing bolts.

Saying that, the reverse is for the Bren mounts, only the first and maybe the second contract had those!

But the rear Bren mounts were not attached to these strips, I know I had a hard time positioning the mounts, and had to resort to actually borrow a Bren to make it all fit, as there's not much room for error!



The 1938 picture shows a sort of a spacer/strip behind the bracket:



I think it's easier to chuck the bren in the sidecar, and fasten it with a canvas strap inside the front handhold, this was the usual practise, and the tripod was sometimes stuffed in the ammo box at the back, the lid cannot close, but who cares?



Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

what a strange place to put a bren gun its barrel will fill up with dirt as you travel alone these muddy tracks even with a cover on it not the best place for it

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Rob this is how my original looks. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Rob, just got a parts list in the mail from Contract 11297, and the gun brackets are listed there, but I was going from evidence on wartime B/W pictures, so who knows what happened?

Did they forget to delete it from the parts lists??

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

OK, went through over 200 B4 pictures, and came up with one with the front gun bracket fitted, C number C4385779 from contract C.7576

So it could have happened! At least on some bikes, maybe they came loose in the sidecar, to be fitted by the using troops?

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Dave Walters sent me this picture which seems to show a different way of keeping the rear box lid up?

Rob.

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

Yes Rob, that's how most of them were, Ron's system looks old though?

See here how the top lid was constructed, a 3 piece affair, wonder what the 4 holes? on the left bottom corner are for though??



Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Thats a usefull picture, is the key/lever removable?

And what does the lock look like and how big is it?

Rob

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

Yes, the lever is removable, and easy to make, will try to take some pictures later today.

The lock is availeble, some sort of universal Army part? a guy at Beltring had a couple, same for the wingnuts.



Lock may have to be modified slightly, it goes on the wooden ridge as seen on Dave's sidecar lid.

Have to fly,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Lex put me down for some of those larger bolts when you get some made.

Cheers Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Hi Lex

How big is the door lock?

I've found some on Ebay but they come in different sizes.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heavy-Duty-Door-Latch-Lock-with-Square-End-Key-Horse-Box-Catering-Trailers-ST-/200833831545?pt=UK_Trailers_Transporters_Parts&hash=item2ec2a11279

And are the bolts/wing nuts 5/16" or 3/8"?

Rob

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