Rob I think some of these numbers are like Amal numbers and must mean something to someone.
A flick through some parts lists (Ariel, RE, Triumph) indicates that a fairly standard set up was used depending on what contract or model they all seem to use either the MO1/4 or MO1/6 anti clock with L/H pick up. Some parts lists only quote the MO part number instead of Lucas. As far as I know only RE adopted the more sensible slack wire advance system.....One Ariel W/NG list quotes MO1/4H3.
Hello,
RE 248cc WD/D partlist say:
MO1/4,L1/0 and there is a second line for magdyno type: MO1/4,AQ/4
need to look at my magdynos in the shed if i've got some others...
Arnaud
In the case of the Norton the 1946 VAOS list doesn't mention a M01/4/AG4 as shown in my wartime spares list, only an M01/6/AG4 so is it possible Norton changed its Magneto late in the war or just after?
The spares list don't appear to give part numbers for bodies or CB housings so it doesn't indicate whether this was a change from tight wire advance to slack wire.
Here are a few differences by part number M01/4/AG4 first then M01/6/AG4
Ron,
no it's "normal" maybe you've got the C 7374/5/1 or the C 7945/10/1 from May 1940,
but in April 1941 there is a part list for these 2 contract condensed in one book!!!
and they ad the carburetor and the electrical system...
the other pages are in photobucket..
find nothing about magdynos on the WD/G or WD/L part list or hints and tips books....
I have a photograph of an M01/6 plate on a 'post-war' style body but of course these things can be changed and I am not always sure that the LV7 lists weren't updated to include the latest spec - 1940 seems early for an M01/4 to me, based on tags that I've seen. I have copies on file as follows :-
Not a truly representative selection but perhaps some clues there. Unfortunately, the post-war Lucas master list only includes civilian models so the LV7 lists are our only real source.
Anyone got any more....I might start on MCR1 codes next.
This is what it looks like so far, please correct me if I'm wrong.
AC20 = BSA
AG4 = Norton
L = Royal Enfield
LI = Royal Enfield
AQ4 = Royal Enfield
H3 = Ariel
? = Triumph
Matchless and Velocette didn't use the M01 but what about Triumph
Norton magnetos run clockwise and there doesn't appear to be a specific number or letter to denote this, did any other military motorcycles run clockwise magnetos?
Norton Magnetos have the pickup on the side nearest the engine, BSA on the side furthest away, how about other makes?
It appears that changes were made later in the war which meant a change from M01/4 to M01/6, it may have been a minor alteration like a different type of Condenser or a change from tight wire to slack wire? and I have to wonder why there isn't an M01/5?
It appears according to some paperwork sent to by Jan that H3 was used by Royal Enfield as well as Ariel.
I assume that putting the date on the Magneto was more to do with a specific period guarantee, so if Lucas were supplying magnetos for a large contract that took months or even years to complete then their could be a wide variety of dates used, its also possible that electrical equipment could be delivered to a factory and kept in store for a period before being fitted to a machine and delivered to the War Office?
Then there is the question of spare magnetos, is it possible that the plates differed from those fitted in the factories?
There are also the base details to consider...Pegs (4)..BSA...Tapped holes (4)..Norton, tapped holes (3) Ariel.. and I've also seen bases with 5 tapped holes that could do both of the latter two makes..
Triumph used the MO1 as well...I think from memory they had the 4 pegs like a BSA but I might be wrong on that...Ian
That's a good point Ian, the dowels in the BSA magnetos appear to be fixed, but judging by these some Royal Enfields had removable dowels in a Norton style threaded base.
1946 Model C: Mo1/6 L1/0 46010B
1946 Model CO: Mo1/6 L1/0 46010B
On all these Royal Enfield magdynos, the spark plug cable comes out on the right hand side of the mag and the advance cable sits at the left hand side of the contact breaker assembly (both when looking from the left hand side of the bike).
I'm still here Rik and getting more baffled by the numbers. You and Jan are more than welcome to visit. Of course you will have to wear Ku Klux Klan hats backwards!!
The only one of my Enfield's that has a wrong type mag is my WD/C! But I already have one prepared and ready to fit.
I can only photograph My CO and G as the others D.C. and L are hidden by the carbs.
Of course the DC (Experimental Lightweight) is a totally different kettle of fish with a Miller 'Dynomag'
But I've also been looking at Triumph lists. Starting with the 1939 list for all singles models (about eight) is MO1/2 LO anti.
The military 5SW is also MO1/2 LO anti
Nothing listed in my 3SW list but since it shares nearly everything with the 5SW and 1939 models, I'll assume the same mag. But the WS manual states magdyno as MO17 type L541 ??
The 3HW lists (early and late) quote MT/LU/46009.
Maybe you can make something of these Triumph numbers?
Is the cam different in a tight or loose wire or clockwise anticlockwise mag, I'm thinking the cut out for the advance retard cable would be on the other side?
Yes Rob. If you look at this cam block from say an M20. it has a small 'L' on the cam plate for Left hand (anti clock) rotation from the drive end. The slot for the tight wire cable is on the right of the cam.
A Royal Enfield mag will have the same cam but with the cable slot on the left for slack wire advance.
These cams will close the points at around 6 0'clock and reopen at around 10 o'clock
A Norton cam with clockwise rotation will have an 'R' stamped into it and the points will open and close on the opposite side of the clock.
Hence some of the host of numbers. It's a bit like Amal carbs! As long as you have a correct body with the right bits, any configuration of mag can be built, despite what number is on the body. But unlike a carb, you can at least change the plate with the numbers on. Ron
This would sound quite logical Rob, but I don't think you're right though... The S/3357 contract was built from June 1945 onwards. The date 10 43 seems far too early for this contract...
But I agree that M01/4 L1 46010B looks like a Royal Enfield mag number. Question is: which model / contract? Another thing that we have to consider is the fact that Lucas may have changed the mag specification somewhere halfway a contract. Could this have been the case here?
These production dates come from the factory ledgers Rob, so they're definitely correct.
By the way, I have now come to the conclusion that the copper plate on my WD/CO mag (M01/4 AG.4 - 465110 dated 4 41) comes from a C6127 Norton 16H. Is anybody interested in a swap for a Royal Enfield plate (preferably 1941 or 1942 dated)?
Also looking for a Royal Enfield cam block. As in Ron's picture above, but with the advance mechanism on the left hand side. I do have the "L" stamped cam though...
I would be happy to swap my 1943 LI plate for your Norton one if no one comes up with an earlier one, I have a 1942 Norton plate on the mag that is being serviced at the moment but my Big4 is 1941.
These production dates come from the factory ledgers Rob, so they're definitely correct.
By the way, I have now come to the conclusion that the copper plate on my WD/CO mag (M01/4 AG.4 - 465110 dated 4 41) comes from a C6127 Norton 16H. Is anybody interested in a swap for a Royal Enfield plate (preferably 1941 or 1942 dated)?
Also looking for a Royal Enfield cam block. As in Ron's picture above, but with the advance mechanism on the left hand side. I do have the "L" stamped cam though...
Jan
For Information :-
The C6127 LV7 pages are dated May - July 1940. Have we seen any reference to an M01/03 ? It seems that they may have jumped from the /02 to the /04 in 1940 and then to the /06 in 1946.
This Lucas list from August 1946 refers to a 'Redesigned Magdyno' It would make sense if this was the change to the post-war style 'cutaway' body and if this was the /6 version - or did the /6 designation appear earlier ? Later 1950s list refer to the M01L and I had an idea that this referred to left-hand i.e. anti-clock mags but the 1950s lists indicate that this was simply the Magdyno when fitted with the Long dynamo.
I also turned up a photo of an M01"1 (odd that they sometimes have a single ')
The M01/1 seems to have been the original face-cam magdyno with the nice but rather fragile 'scalloped' end cover. We then have the /2 and the /4 with no apparent visible differences other than the change from aluminium to silvered brass identification plates, followed by the /6 with the later type body.
I've just checked some old mags in the workshop, and Rik's conclusion appears to be spot on:
- found a 1937 M01/1 with scalloped cover
- found a 1949 MO1/6 with cutaway body
- found a pair of 1952 - 1953 M01L mags.
I'm guessing that a 1936/7 MO mag would have a ring cam instead of the cam plate that we know as usual for our WW2 period bikes?
Today I changed the post war tight wire mag on my WDC for a correct type. Fortunately, unlike my CO i didn't have to remove the exhaust to get the timing cover off
Ron
I'm guessing that a 1936/7 MO mag would have a ring cam instead of the cam plate that we know as usual for our WW2 period bikes?
The 1936 and 1937 mags that I posted earlier both had a face cam. I think I read somewhere that the M01 mag came out in 1936. Good question: when did they use a ring cam?
I'm just correcting this post as I had wondered if the M01/0 had a third brush dyno but I've just found a photo in my files of a 3rd brush unit (with ring cam) marked MSLV...The pre-M01 mags don't seem to have had detachable plates but rather were stamped along the flange edge.
MSLV from April 1936 :-
What was the change then from /0 to /1 ?
I find it hard to believe that no pre-war (or even early post-war) Lucas catalogues seem to have survived and that we are forced to rely on the 1957 supersession catalogue which has lots of gaps in part numbers for magdynos which clearly existed as the details are in the WD literature (and the data plates survive).
Even the VMCC library lacks any pre-war Lucas motorcycle part number info. Maybe Beaulieu is worth a try ?
I'm just correcting this post as I had wondered if the M01/0 had a third brush dyno but I've just found a photo in my files of a 3rd brush unit (with ring cam) marked MSLV...The pre-M01 mags don't seem to have had detachable plates but rather were stamped along the flange edge.
What was the change then fro /0 to /1 ?
I find it hard to believe that no pre-war (or even early post-war) Lucas catalogues seem to have survived and that we are forced to rely on the 1957 supersession catalogue which has lots of gaps in part numbers for magdynos which clearly existed as the details are in the WD literature (and the data plates survive).
Even the VMCC library lacks any pre-war Lucas motorcycle part number info. Maybe Beaulieu is worth a try ?
The dynamo looks completely different on the M01/0. It doesn't look like the 3rd brush dynamo that I have in the workshop either. No idea which dynamo this is:
Regarding dynamos and to further confuse the issue, there were European 'copies' of Lucas dynamos...I had one a while back with metric threads and an aluminium end cover rather than Bakelite...Don't forget Lucas sold electrical components to a lot of users and not all in the UK...
These users could and did add their own components to make up units...Ian
The MSLV above is a ring cam mag as indicated by the low bakelite points cover. Although the face cam points are nice and easy to work on, they do make for a longer unit with a taller cover that can be quite a fiddle to remove on Nortons at least. The points have to be in just the right place.
According to Edgar Franks' Norton guide in the Pearson series, the change to face cam came in 1937 at the same time as the CVC regulation. However, there is quite a possibility that both types were available for a time, in order to fulfil existing contracts and as Norton tended to be a little old-fashioned, they may well have not been the first to change.
There is a clue on the Draganfly site as to the change between the M01/2 and the M01/4....
"The points end bearing changed from 35 to 37 mm outside diameter in 1940..."
I'm a little concerned now as it may just be that I have a 37mm bearing on my 1939 motorcycle.... ...I shall struggle to sleep at night
Took a few photos of the loose mags I have,three of them have AC20 on them,but the photo below is the only odd one,the Triumph 3HW original maintenance manual that I have states for the mag Model MO14,Type L541 anti clockwise. v
This latest photo rather demolishes my new theory that the M01/6 had the cutaway body and shows that it was in fact a wartime mag - It has an April 1945 date.
According to Jan's listing, this is a late Enfield C and CO instrument, although he had information that it was used from 1946 and it appears to have been in use a year earlier.
The change to the /6 therefore must just have invloved the small changes that Rob listed earlier.
I have found another earlier edition of this book, the Chilwell Vocabulary Of Army Ordnance Stores (VAOS) Master spares list LV6-MT8 dated Nov 1943 to compare with the Jan 1946 list.
I have added part numbers where shown and the schedule numbers.
The content of the earlier edition is all the same except it doesn't mention the M01/6/AC20 which therefore must have been introduced after Nov 1943, in the later edition spares were still available for the M01/4/AC20 but if a complete unit was needed you were told to indent for (Demand) the later type.
In the case of the AG4 Norton magneto it appears to indicate the M01/6 had already become the standard type by Nov 1943 and spares were no longer available for the earlier variants which are not mentioned.
I'm just correcting this post as I had wondered if the M01/0 had a third brush dyno but I've just found a photo in my files of a 3rd brush unit (with ring cam) marked MSLV...The pre-M01 mags don't seem to have had detachable plates but rather were stamped along the flange edge.
MSLV from April 1936 :-
What was the change then from /0 to /1 ?
I find it hard to believe that no pre-war (or even early post-war) Lucas catalogues seem to have survived and that we are forced to rely on the 1957 supersession catalogue which has lots of gaps in part numbers for magdynos which clearly existed as the details are in the WD literature (and the data plates survive).
Even the VMCC library lacks any pre-war Lucas motorcycle part number info. Maybe Beaulieu is worth a try ?
Rick the MSL magnetos seem to have been used from 1930-36. They are also numbered MSL 1though to 10.
The V is for V twins. There seems to be some over lap with the dates for the earlier MBD type that appears to have run from 1927 to 31. All are ring type and ran a 3 brush Dynamo.
Cheers Darren C
just a last question, maybe a stupid one?? but what is the original finish of the mag plates either brass or alloy, blackened like the replicas we see on different website or bare metal????
Arnaud
The pre-war and early war tags were aluminium and this was used again after the war. The brass tags used for most of the war appear to have been silvered...it was certainly a thin, fairly soft and not very durable coating. The best-preserved tags usually show some signs of it.
Certainly the alloy ones had a balck anodised detailing. I suspect that the brass type didn't have this.
I'll post some photos tomorrow but Photobucket is down.
I've been learning a lot here the last two days on Magneto's. Am still a rooky in this field.
What I haven't found is my own 2 Magdyno's I have. Am not sure, but maybe I can add up to the confusion:
My two Magneto's say the following on their brass plates:
MO1'4 46012B
AG4 145
MO1'4 46012B
AG4 943
Both come from a Norton 16H with serial numbers W91327 and W92487, contract S5161 (1944/1945).
Now I assume that 145 and 943 mean Jan 1945 and Sept 1943.
What strikes me is the fact that 46012B is not mentioned in any of your listings here above, whereas year of build could be 1943 and 1945?
Did see Rob's comment, but that is a MO1/6:
M01/6/AG4 LU/46012 LU/MAGDYNO/2689
And I see Rik's, but that might be a typo, 8 vs B:
M01/4 AG4 460128 11/42 (Brass)
Xandre, rather than a typo, my use of the '8' rather than a 'B' is due to the fact that I don't have one of these later magdynos and am relying on photos of grubby labels. The Lucas stampings are sometimes a little indistict and I've seen examples of dates with a 'I' in rather than '1' - In the same way, it looks to me that the correct designation is M01 and not MO1.
Lucas seem to have started out with 6-digit numbers for magdynos then gone over to 5-digit with a suffix letter. This is perhaps more logical as it allows for updates without changing the whole number. 46012 seems to have been a Norton type and can be found with suffixes from A to E.
However, these are purely catalogue parts numbers. The important thing is the AG4 code which indicates a clockwise mag with cylinder-side pickup and Norton four-screw fixing....the latter two are really the only things that can't easily be changed.
Any AG4 with a wartime date that you find acceptable is OK on a WD16H.
I bought this humble little item from John O Brian at Beaulieu on Saturday, I have never actually seen an M01 condenser before even though they have caused me several breakdowns and a fair amount of exercise over the years. Like all wartime Lucas spares its dated, and the Lucas CAV Rotax device is nice, I wonder if the box is period or could it be a post war repackage for the Irish Army?
I bought this humble little item from John O Brian at Beaulieu on Saturday, I have never actually seen an M01 condenser before even though they have caused me several breakdowns and a fair amount of exercise over the years. Like all wartime Lucas spares its dated, and the Lucas CAV Rotax device is nice, I wonder if the box is period or could it be a post war repackage for the Irish Army?
Rob
I've only just seen this picture, is this a mica condenser? As far as I know they stopped using the mica type about 39-40 then changed to the paper insulated type. Unfortunately the paper breaks down over time causing the short we are all aware of. The mica type doesn't fail as it is a sheet of mica. My mag man said they're better than the modern replacement so he always leaves them in if possible.
I own Lucas Magdyno M01*2 463957 L6 79, which based on this thread is from July 1939, and supposedly came from an imported M20 to the U.S. with other M20 parts that I purchased. The aluminum bottom section is painted dark green, consistent with post-WWII refurbished motorcycles. The data plate is steel.
An M01'2 is certainly early and would normally have had an anodised aluminium label. To save resources, they changed to brass. As Lex says, they had a silver coating...it could be a flash of nickel or some from of silvering. It was very thin and quickly worn away.
I've failed to come up with an answer as to which manufacturer used the L6 magdyno and I can't trace 463957 either - it's very close to a number of known instruments but is missing from the post-war supersession listings.
I've asked Darren who posted above if his older list can shed any light.
I've gone through the pre-war listings in some detail with Darren's help and find no trace of the L6 variant, nor of a part number 463957.....I wonder if it was a spare part supplied separately, perhaps to upgrade earlier magnetos and therefore doesn't appear in the machine-specific listings.
I've been looking at my records again with recent additions and been able to confirm that the code letter for Triumph is simply 'L'
The pre-war fitments list shows parts numbered 463821 (1937) and 463951 (1939). The former is an M01'1 and the latter an M01'2
The M01'2 is likely to have been fitted up until the end of 1939, but by February / March 1940, the M01'4 had appeared and I don't yet have a part number for that. It should though still have the 'L' code so I'll know it when I see it. The M01'6 from Late 1944 / Early 1955 is also unknown as Triumph had no post-war singles that would enable a cross-reference.
463951 is also listed for 1939 Cotton, OK Supreme and Sunbeam. I also have a photo of an L6 with a slightly unclear part number. If it is indeed 463827 then it is New Imperial.
The MO1/4 AQ/4 465115 which appeared for RE WD/D contract C/7945 appears in the civilian lists for 1940 150cc and 250cc models. This makes sense as C7945 was the composite July 1940 contract made up of various models and having the appearance of using up factory stock and spares.
It seems to have been interchangeble in all respects with the L1 type. The difference may have been as simple as the length of A/R cable or HT lead fitted to the complete assembly
As so often, once one starts looking there is often more information available so I've attempted to correlate evrything that I can find. It's from multiple sources and is based as far as possible on definitive links, but E.&.O.E., of course. The lists commence with the pre-war MO1/0 as although not generally used for 'our' generation of WD machines, they may help identify one that's fitted. I've included the ring cam MSL1 for Norton as these were initially fitted to machines which saw wartime service.
The 1950s Lucas documentation clearly refers to 'MO' and not 'M0' although a zero is what appears to be stamped on the plates and the ' mark is shown as a full stroke.
In general, it's all quite logical and straightforward, with the exception of Royal Enfield and their plethora of models and variations. Although Triumph are shown in Lucas literature as 'L/0', the few plates that I have seen are stamped simply 'L'
The next task will be to try pinning down the dates of the changes and whether aluminium or brass plates were used.
Rik, Are you any further down the track with a list. I've 39-57, 50 Lucas parts manuals, the main bit that was giving me problems was the 'Type' info ( AC AG L etc.) I had originally come to think this was either 'Manufacturers Spec' codes or 'build operator' code. I think you are getting close to some understanding.
The /4/6 appears to be 'update changes' for say 1944 (4)and 1946 (6), these may not have occurred each year hence no /5's
The contract books look interesting as these may be the basis for the original variances ... i.e. agreed fitting for each unit/bike maker.
Unfortunately I have no access to these, are they available digitally somewhere ?
( have tried to open some of the links in these discussions but don't seem to link up properly)
With regard to the Type info. Could it be something to do with the fixing procedure? ie
"3" is quoted in the Ariel code and they have a 3 bolt fixing
"4" for Norton which have a 4 bolt fixing
BSA--RE--Triumph are fixed with a clamp.
So some have tapped holes and some have press in pegs in the base, if it's relevant at all Norton has a clockwise rotation and RE are all slack wire advance
Here's my original plate on the magdyno of my first contract WD-C Enfield, Think it came from the factory like this, as it's a numbers matching bike, left behind in France. I have no reason to believe the magdyno was ever changed.
Roy mentions brass inserts for the peg on a 1936 mag, my 1937 dated mag also has brass inserts, my 39 mag does not.
When did they change to full alu version 38 or 39?
Hello everyone, my name is Aumkar and I'm from India. This thread has been a massive resource and I want to thank everyone for all the information. I'd like to contribute as well.
My bike is a WD Royal Enfield 350 Bullet. Dispatched from the Redditch factory on 18th December 1952 to London based freight forwarders Hales Bros. It is one of a batch of 750 dispatched in Dec‘52/Jan’53 to Hales for onward shipment to Madras Motors that were destined for the Indian Army. The bikes of course were WD spec as can be traced in historical photos, furthermore my Ammeter and Smith's speedo all have the chrome delete like the WD bikes did.
My MagDyno : M01L 46030...6/8/0? the last digit's stamping is pretty much destroyed.
L1 1153? <----
The Plate is Aluminum. I don't have the option to upload an image or else I would have attached it.
There would be a market for the magneto which would fit most Enfields and the specification plate would certainly be desirable to someone building a late 1940 WD/C.
Yes, brass plate.
It is just the mag, no dynamo.
Not sure where I'd track down someone rebuilding a WD/C, it would be better on the motorcycle than on the Lister engine it ended up on.
I'd suggest a post in the "Sales" section here, preferably with a photo or two (it requires a separate photo host though but we can talk you through that or post a photo for you).
With a bit of luck, someone with a contract C6215 WD/C will be looking for this very magneto.