Hi Guys
I've just acquired an WD M20 that was put in a cellar in Normandy in around 1946 and has been there ever since. Its got military identification and was never registered in France. Its in fairly good condition, too good to break. I was wondering what the value of it would be, any thoughts?

email (option): andyclarke@live.co.uk

Gday,

Photos would be awesome havent seen many in original unmolested condition..if you intended to restore a good photographic documentation of it would be good to see how wartime bikes were set up. No idea on value without seeing it

email (option): sterlingmilitaria@gmail.com

If its really in unmolested condition from the war DO NOT restore or alter any of it. Post pictures (as many as you can) on this site as it is as rare as rocking horse poo! And very valuable.
Any messing about ("restoring")with it will reduce its value.

A bit of a dilemma for the end user (perhaps)...
If the bike is too far gone to use but that is the intention, then a restoration, or at least partial restoration will be on the cards...

In that case (if it is in fact original) record everything fully for posterity before commencing the work..

If the bike is original and good enough to use with minimal recommissioning then it is indeed are real rarity and should be treated as such...

Value as always is based on condition and originality...Often the bikes recovered from Normandy etc. aren't as original as the background story would infer...

A few pictures here would soon verify that one way or the other and produce some opinions regarding potential value....Ian

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

A bit of background to this. A mate has just bought a house in France. The previous owner is an old boy in his 80's that told my mate that when he was a lad they lived on a farm near Falaise and he remembered his dad coming home just after the war had ended with two Harley WLA's and two army M20's. He said that his dad put them in a cellar for safe keeping [maybe hiding] and there they stayed until they moved to the place my mate has just bought. The old boy has sold up to be near family and my mate bought them from him and I have one on the way to me.

If a new set of tyres and an oil change is enough to get it sorted then that's what I'll do. I wont restore it if it's anything like usable in it's present condition.

I'll post pics when I can.

Cheers

email (option): andyclarke@live.co.uk

I had a Norton 16h that had been stored unmolested since it left the army in 1948. Unfortunately the paint had all but disappeared but new inner tubes to replace rotted ones and an oil change and I thought I was good to go but..... The magneto had lost its magnetizm over time and I had to get that sorted first.

Hi Andy,

You don't happen to be the Andy Clarke that lived in Keighley in the 80's?

Dave

email (option): jeepfinger@blueyonder.co.uk

email (option): andyclarke@live.co.uk