Sorry, a bt off topic, but I am looking at what purports to be a 500cc 1946 Matchless G8L. Not a G80.......a G8L. The number stamped on the crankcase is 46/G8L. 955. Frame is 3667, which checks out for 1946 heavyweight. I have seen mention of these before but not mentioned in books. Were prewar 500 engines held in stock over the war and then used in the early production of what would be G80s? Any information gratefully received! Pic below is of a "G8L" motor currently on eBay!

email (option): fergusanckorn@icloud.com

One story I am trying to track down the source of is that these post war 500cc G8Ls were put together by a dealer using prewar engines and surplus WDG3L bicycles that were presumably not yet stamped up with a frame number.

email (option): fergusanckorn@icloud.com

When researching always go for the most convoluted explanation; its like that old one about the R on the roller main engines folk always hope mean 'racing.'

I expect the real explanation is just mundane and is that the bloke who stamped on the number went sick for two weeks and took the 0 stamp home with him. Either that or it was some time and motion nonsense to save 30 sec on asembly time.

When I worked at AMC numbers were stamped on the frame on the line, probably the same in the engine shop, I'm also pretty sure that no dealer had stocks of pre-stamped pre-war crankcases, which were ribbed like WD cases, I think possibly the later case like yours may have been for 1940, not 100% sure.

So G8 nothing to get excited about. Nice bikes though.

Ken, the story I related came from someone's recollection of an old magazine article! I repeated it in case it jogged someone's memory, but I am hoping to lay my hands on the article. Anyhow, the frame number on the one I am looking at matches with a 1946 heavyweight and not a WD bike. Thanks for your input.

email (option): fergusanckorn@icloud.com

I realise your frame and indeed engine are 1946,but I was not disputing the year. Just the dealer idea. probaly AMC would not have stood for anyone doing that to a new bike as it would have undermined the market and the export drive of those days.

Got any idea what magazine, what year? I have still got a long run of some.

As someone who used to contibute to the glossies I wouldn't attach a lot of weight to anything post Bob Currie era. I used to get paid for any old stuff thing that filled space. A lot of the later contributors were jobbing freelancers who knew little about their subject, described a dynamo as an alternator for instance and always wrote in americanese, mufflers, foot pegs and so on. Lots of rehashed misinformation.

Ken, I hope to find out more tomorrow. Watch this space!

email (option): fergusanckorn@icloud.com

I once owned a '46 Matchless G80. It appeared superficially to be a pretty much the same as a war 350 sans racks. Including, I suspect, the crank, as the bike was smooth up to nearly 50 and then vibrated like a road drill. It was completely original down to the John Bull tyres. I got through three pairs of jeans before realising that some previous owner had stored a battery on the seat.....

Well the G8L is now sitting alongside my WO ans WDG3L and its interesting to see the gentle progression (?) .........Jez, yes the '46 does indeed retain much of the WDG3L's bicycle and fittings although I am pretty sure the motor is a normal G80. I was discussing this with John Tinley and he knows of at least another four "G8L" stamped 1946 G80s. No other reason for the designation has emerged and the best guess is that it was merely an aberration or mistake. Anyhow, it is an interesting product of a factory changing over from wartime to postwar production.

email (option): fergusanckorn@icloud.com

I put this question to the AJS/Matchless club forum, and received a reply from Ron Harcknet who is their prewar advisor, you can join the forum as a quest should you wish to see his views, I cannot recall exactly what was said so won't hazard a comment! kind regards

email (option): woolnough@mchenry.plus.com

Thanks, Richard. I did find a post by Rob (no thanks to the AMOC website which is useless.....I found it by using agoogle!) which I have pasted below. Long and short it just seems to be a model designation aberration with confusion over what to designate what would become the postwar G80.

[Rob Harknet]
"Note some parts with prewar numbers starting with the first two digits of the year 37 -G8-E** etc. even 37-G9-E** The number gives the year the part was introduced, the second letter + number being the smallest model the part fitted when first introduced. G8 = G80, G9 = G90. As the part numbers omitted the zero of 80 & 90 , it did not seem to matter if the engine number prefix was stamped just G8 or G9. Perhaps the argument on what to call the new 500 c.c.model is because its forerunner was the D 80, then they change it to G8 as seen in the part numbers. The practise of stamping some G80 engines G8, continued post war until some one said STOP, they must all be stamped G80. So those that wanted the new 500 to be an 80, like the old D80 won the argument. I assume parts still got the G8 or G9 within the pt. no ./ castings, and continued until they were replaced or given new pt. no's circa 1952"

email (option): fergusanckorn@icloud.com

Ferg, was the article in RealClassic Magazine a little while back? There was an article about a bike with various unusual components and apparently assembled soon after the war by Joe Francis? Of course I might be imagining the whole thing as I ate a lot of cheese yesterday...
REgards, Mark

You are the second person to mention this! The PO thought he recollected an article in RC but could not locate it. I will be seeing Frank Westworth at the Stafford Show later this month so maybe he will recall. However, most AMC experts I have heard from have said they thought that the dealer-issued G8L theory was very unlikely.

email (option): fergusanckorn@icloud.com

Here are a couple of pics of the Matchless in question. As noted, at this stage this model still retains many WD features such as the flat pressed steel headlamp and mudguard stays and layout/design of headstock, speedo, etc.. Wheel rims are black and the lower front fork legs should be painted black as well.

email (option): fergusanckorn@icloud.com

as my father, who was in the eighth army through north Egypt would have said,
'did they all come arse uppards ?' er kind regards

email (option): woolnough@mchenry.plus.com

I know a song about that..........

But google has failed and I can't find the lyrics,all I got was...

"Beneath this marble tablet lies. R Suppards Alas poor Richard's life was ended, By falling from a beam he'd mended,.."

as you'd expect the last line was along the lines,

"...and here he lies, R Suppards."

Yes my old man was 8th army too , "gertch you cowsun gertcha"