I've found the photo online with a Polish National Archives reference but I can't track it any further. Our forum poster Ewok may know more....



Henk has it captioned 'Goodwood' !

I work like that on my bike and the oil usually end up on the floor.

Henk

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Too hard on the knees anymore! And the mechanic is certainly making it more difficult on himself; a bit of lean to the left would make the process quite a bit easier...! And a bit more lean would preclude the need for an oil-catching cream bottle

As per Ian, noting the finned muff on the exhaust pipe...Interesting.

email (option): teladeluji@msn.com

email (option): petethejeep@hotmail.co.uk

It looks like the front mudguard mounting has been altered..Perhaps just by having the lower part cut off...

It certainly isn't as 'trumpet' shaped as normal..That might explain the spacer..Ian

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

The air filter and the sand,could be middle east,the carb could be off a captured bike,is that part of a C number partly visible,or could be post war in service with an Arab army Jordan etc.

Good spotted, Ian.

I have just checked my own short forks and it also has no 'trumpet' and looking the same as in the picture. I was under the impression that it was sawn off by someone but now I think it is correct from factory.

I think that, what we call the 'late and longer" fork is actually the STANDARD fork, as it has the same length as the forks used on most PREwar M-types I have measured.

On the prewar models, only the M24 had the shorter lightweight forks. And I now think the 'trumpet' on the M24 forks had to be removed to compensate for the shorter legs in combination with the 20" frontwheel.

And it was this fork together with the lightweight M24 frame which was used for the early WDM20's.

And using this M24 fork in combination with a 19" wheel could explain the distance piece you see in the picture....... Michiel

Hi

I have 2 pairs of short forks. One set is on '38 M22 and with the "trumpet", other set were bought separately from the local jumble and were under WD paint. WD fork has shorter "cut off trumpet". M22 fork is original for sure. Both sets are appr. 630mm from top spindle center to front axle center.

Kalle

Sorry, I can't help with any more info as I got my picture from a source with just a number. I can't help noticing how many IWM pictures are now on Ebay as 'Genuine' private pictures. I am aware that the copyright has probably expired but they must be copies of originals and not originals in their own right. This is where so much information is lost because they are sold as 'Grandad in the war' or whatever with no real provenance.
When I started collecting pictures I was really only interested in the bikes but I do, now, try to put as much info as I can, though some early pictures had the info cropped as the amount of letters you could use was very limited.....

I am always happy to share a picture if anybody want's anything particular, if I have one.

Looking closer at the picture, the front number plate looks to be the same as a standard UK plate...That is pressed steel with silver lettering on black or flat plates and white paint with UK style font (for want of a better word) I don't know of any countries other than commonwealth countries or dependencies that would use them. The reg looks to be a civilian number which would make it,possibly, either early war (civilian registrations were later dropped) or an impressed machine.

Is it not a WD C number? Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

It could be, Ron...C10249?...101586 - 150000 was allocated to 'Middle East & Captured'

Maybe sold pre-war to a friendly government such as Egypt and then taken over ?

Funny how such a foto is carefully examined.
To the smallest detail.
Sherlock Holmes could'nt do better !