Spot-on Lex.........all G3's should have ribbed mudguards, and G3L's up to at least 42-43 the same................there may exist even more variants however, as the first couple of G3L contracts had a rather short rear mudguard fitted, and as for the front, no stand on the very first production so no central hole either at the lower edge to acommodate the securing bolt, only holes for the stays..........
Someone should write a computer programme with all the Matchless variations, so that a definitive figure can be put on the maximum possible number of permutations.. It could be thousands...
...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Ian, there actually is one!!!!
Look here:
http://www.matchlesswd.co.uk/db/views/search.php
Have posted this about 5 times before, but oh well....
It's acompilation of all known parts lists, and you can figure out any changes made during the contracts, 5 or contracts are not available, if someone has one of them, please, please let me know!!! (contract in pink)
This was a tremendous amount of work, and I've only helped a tiny little bit, Simon Warner and family have done the bulk of the work.
Cheers,
Lex
email (option): welbike@wel***.net
Based on the understanding that there were something like 18000 G3/WOs and 60000 G3Ls made, plus spare parts, and that no two seem to be alike, that would suggest around 41000 mudguard variants....
Cheers,
Lex
If you're talking about Norton, Lex then I'd suggest that you need a heavier hide mallet ! Some parts just need gentle persuasion, that's all !
['There is no evidence whatsoever that Matchless had more parts differences during the war then any other make, and best thing is, whatever year, model or contract, everything will always fit! And that cannot be said of some other makes.'].....
Don't be silly Lex... ....Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Ian, I was actually semi-serious, and was talking about the interchangabilaty of parts on Matchlesses, in the range of say 1938 to 1948 most parts or parts assemblies can be swapped out, for example you can substitute a telescopic fork straight away onto a Girder forked model (and vice versa), and most if not all small parts can be fitted to any model year.
Re. parts differences on other makes, take Norton 5 different lever setups in 5 years, BSA had 3 or 4.
BSA M20's had over a period of 5 years 3 different rear mudguard styles, 3 different tank styles, 2 different petrol caps, 2 different girder forks, 2 different speedo drives, 3 different saddles, 2 different rear racks, 3 different side stands, 2 different speedo mounts, 3 different horns, 2 different headlamps, 3 different timing chests, 2 different gearboxes, and so on and on....
Every make had it's updates, often pressed down their throat by sub-contractors like Lucas, Terry's, Amal, or the client, the War office, etc. etc.
But that makes it just more interesting, to get a bike so, that the specs are ok with the contract, the times that every WD bike HAD to have pannier bags, blackout mask and canvas grips are long gone!
Ok, so I might be silly trying to point this out, but I do it anyway!
No hard feelings
Cheers,
Lex
email (option): welbike@wel***.net
No hard feelings Lex...
I didn't suggest BSA (and others) made no changes...
However, I'd be happy to bet money that Matchless made more than BSA...Unlike the M20 it's impossible to discuss the Matchless it seems without mentioning the multiple versions of many components....
Regarding the fit of the components themselves Matchless were no better than most others in my experience (yes, I have owned some)...
There's no point arguing the numbers though, so I promise not to mention it again... ...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com