Hi There

I have an engine bottomend with number WM20 166. Is this a very early engine and is it more expensive than one with a higher number.

Looking forward to hear from you.

If the number is original it is a 1940 season engine.(August39 onwards)..It's early for a 'W' prefixed motor but has no particular additional value because of that...Ian

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

I'm a little reluctant to go into too much detail without seeing a photograph of the number, but engine number WM20 166 is not as early as the number might suggest. There were some odd batches of non-matching engines and frames for overseas civilian markets.

-Where abouts are you located ?

Rik is spot-on........."W" was the code adopted by BSA for the 1940 year.......this started in September 1939 after the August bank holiday............

Right up to mid-1940, despite the outbreak of war the previous September, many manufacturers were still offering a civilian range and exports, despite military orders and production increasing..............

After mid-1940 however, this changed dramatically...............

Thangs.

The engine is in Denmark.

I don´t know have to get pictures on this forum.

Photobucket account..........

Are there any military marks/codes on your engine ? Maybe what looks to be an "arrow" mark ?

Engine WM20 166 was fitted to frame WM20 824 and it left the factory 10-1-1940 and it went to Copenhagen as a civilian motorcycle.

Henk

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Thangs Henk, and you others.

That was nice to know. I have 2 others M20´s both from 1939. Can you also check theres numberes?

First one is a project: frame no: KM20.666 and engine no: BM20. 798 this must be too new.

Other one is up and running all original: Frame no: Km20. 1923 and engine no: KM20. 800.

This is what I can find about frame no: KM20.666 with engine engine no: BM20. 798.
The original engine was KM20 235 and it left the factory 20-12-1938. Hard to read where it went to seems like A. Hadson Copenhagen.
Engine BM20 798 was fitted in frame BM20S 1466 and went to Denmark and left the factory 7-7-1953.



Frame no: Km20. 1923 with engine no: KM20. 800: Original engine was KM20 1323, this one left the factory 25-04-1939 and went to the War Office in London.
I have no info on KM20 800.

Henk

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Henk, I'm pretty sure that KM20 666 was supplied via Nielsen Copenhagen (a name which recurs as a pre-war BSA agent. The engine book for 235 shows delivery to BSA Motors Copenhagen...Were Nielsen and BSA Motors one and the same ?

I'm not sure why you're having trouble with KM20 1923 - Did you look up frame 1323 which was a matching numbers War office bike ? As far as I can see, KM20 1923 was a de Luxe which left the factory 7/3/1939 paired with engine no. KM20 800 and was sent to BSA Motors Copenhagen.

I already knew it and it's proven again, I shouldn't do two things at the same time.

Henk

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Yes, Rik that sound right about KM20. 1923. Nielsen Copenhagen must have sent it to Jysk motor Lager in AAhus from what i can see from my old paper.
It is the de luxe in the pictures above. I am glad to hear it has its orginal engine.

Many thangs for yours help.