Hi all,

The late war m20 fuel tank has a cut away on the off side to accommodate the Volks filter hose !

1. Is there a way to date this type of tank ?

2. Were they manufactured post war ?


Many thanks,


Mark Towers

email (option): towersmark84@yahoo.co.uk

The 'cut off' type M20 tank was fitted to the last three contracts of the war.(though the filter itself was only fitted to the last two contracts.}.

So all fitted to bikes completed in 44/45 basically...

Tanks may have been supplied as 'spares' after the war for fitment to the existing stocks of M20s which remained in service until around 1970...

No complete military spec. M20s were built post war though...

The Indians currently replicate the late tank....

Too late for yours Mark..or is that what is fitted to it at the moment?...Ian

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

There are tanks in existence that have the cut off corner put back on, we don't really know when this was done but it could be that the bikes cancelled from the last military contract were completed as civy bikes so BSA could get back into the peacetime market.

So I suspect that when the war finished production of the cut off tank finished as well

Rob

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

The 'Civvy' M20 retained the WD tank (and many other WD parts) until production of the girder fork models ceased at the end of the 1947 'season'...

Unless there were sufficient stocks of non cut off tanks at the end of the war this may well be the origin of tanks that had the corner 'reinstated'..

45-47 civvy models didn't have a chrome plated tank, it was finished in 'semi matt silver' with black coach lines etc..So disguising the alteration would have been straightforward...

Chrome and silver 'civvy' tanks returned in 1948 with the introduction of the tele fork M20s...

When I restored my 1947 Civvy M21 I put the corner back onto a late WD tank as it was easier to find the cut off tanks than the earlier type...Ian

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

Hi Ian,

Interesting Info...

Yes the late tank is the one currently fitted on my bike (my M20 arrives on 17 April)

My frame was manufactured 31/12/1940... And I have a late war tank ... I'm just trying to scratch an Itch, and work out when the late tank may of been fitted . (Impossible to know.... I know)


Thanks,

Mark

email (option): towersmark84@yahoo.co.uk

Hi Rob,

Thanks for your reply !!!

Very helpful

Cheers

Mark

email (option): towersmark84@yahoo.co.uk

(Impossible to know.... I know)


Your right Mark...Any time during a REME or civvy sub contract rebuild either late in the war or post war...

Most bikes got the 'wrong' parts fitted during this process...Ian

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

Ha! My '40 M20 came to me with a late cut-off tank. My '44 came to me with an early "fat" tank. I suppose they used whatever was next on the shelf at the REME workshop.

email (option): m20wc51@yahoo.com

The "Colonial" M20 was shipped out to the colonies in significant numbers after the war. These were intended for government duty and were painted black, much like the RN bike. Sulplus military parts were used including cut-off petrol tanks and steel footpegs.

email (option): pvlietstra@gmail.com