I am in Australia, my M20 has a brass plate on rear mudguard with a C 7287 number, catalogue 24. according to this site numbers were total of seven. is this number on the brass plate the C number that I should put on the tank? were bikes sent to Australia given there own numbers here.

email (option): tknalder@iinet.net.au

Hi Kim
The first number refers to the contract number that the bike was built for, the second number is for the parts book which relates to that bike. I'm sure somebody on this site will be able to tell you how to calculate your census number for the tank. Barry

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

Kim post your actual frame number (taken from the bike! not any documentation you might have) or send it to Henk via his dating service in the main menu on this site. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

I thought Australia had their own numbering system?

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

Hi Barry
My 1941 WM20 matching numbers 40775 started life with the tank number C4357367 and on arrival in Australia was given the number C13709.
Currently it is painted desert yellow with the original C number in black and a silver fern in a black square to represent a bike serving with NZ in North Africa.
Henk was able to provide this information.

Cheers
John

email (option): jsaft1951@xtra.co.nz

This image from one of the on-line Australian archives shows recently arrived M20s with War Department serial numbers at the rear. The machines in the foreground show that this number was roughly sanded off, an irregular black panel applied (with runs and sags) and then the Australian census number applied on top.

If you're looking for authenticity, then this is how it has to be done.

Much of the Australian records have survived so with some detective work, it should be possible to confirm WD number and Australian serial.