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Date and census number

Hello everyone I’m the proud owner of a m20 and totally new to military motor bikes . I tried to email the Dutch bsa site with my frame and engine number but it was returned as not sent , is it still running?

email (option): mark.lofthouse@ntlworld.com

Re: Date and census number

Hello and welcome Mark. This is the Dutch hosted, but international WD BSA WM20 and military motorcycle site, So ask away. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Date and census number

Yes sorry I’m getting confused!!
The frame number is wm20 22947
Engine has a small number stamped to the left of the barrel 72074 but under the barrel there is a larger stamped number that’s scratched out that is 145(m) 653 the (m) could be a 1 but it’s hard to see . Thank for your help

email (option): mark.lofthouse@ntlworld.com

Re: Date and census number

Best you post pictures of the frame and engine stampings and the bike, or email them to me and I'll post them up. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Date and census number

Ok I will do

email (option): mark.lofthouse@ntlworld.com

Re: Date and census number

Mark sent me these small pictures. Frame WM20 22947 is obviously from contract C6654 in 1940.
Would others agree that the engine is a replacement with some sort of workshop numbers? Ron
image
image

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Date and census number

The frame looks like it might have been restamped at some point...Ian

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

Re: Date and census number

Hmmm! He's just sent me better pictures. Ron
Mark-1
Mark-2

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Date and census number

For as far as I know, 145 MS 531 (not sure about the 531) would mean that the bike with this engine went through a rebuild in January 1945, at the Ministry of Supply workshop 531 (or so...)

Jan

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Re: Date and census number

Definitely a restamp with a couple of identifying details...It doesn't matter if you're not worried about that though....Ian

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

Re: Date and census number

Would the 72074 be the original engine number ?

email (option): mark.lofthouse@ntlworld.com

Re: Date and census number

I shouldn't think so. its very unlikely a number would be removed and then the same number stamped on in a different font.

The rebuild date of January 1945 happened when the war was still on. It appears another used donor set of crank cases was altered and stamped to keep the identity of this machine correct, something they didn't always bother about over the next decade or so in Military service.

Was the frame stamped at the same time or during another rebuild? there doesn't appear to be any flattening or file marks under the frame number so it may have been a new replacement front frame section, there are still some of these floating about today so you will probably never be completely sure when it was done or even when this frame and engine were put together.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

Re: Date and census number

I've calculated Marks census number to be C4198459 if anyone wants to confirm. I've suggested he contact Henk for one of his nice dating certificates.
Some nice early features about the bike. Ron
image


email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: Date and census number

I agree with your calculation Ron, but the number on the tank adds to the mystery, its very close to be a guess?

I can't see any of the numbers on the machine in the post war key cards except for WM20 22901 which is the original number that goes with the census serial painted on the tank.

Nice looking bike though.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

Re: Date and census number

Hank confirmed the c number should be 4198459 . Apparently the man who put it on ( the owner before the person I bought it from ) worked out it would be 4198413 so wasn’t far off . But that’s as much as I know about it’s history.

email (option): mark.lofthouse@ntlworld.com

Re: Date and census number

Ian Wright
The frame looks like it might have been restamped at some point...Ian
I agree with you Ian. The framenumber has been restamped. Look at the '9' that is definitely not a type of fond used during the war. You can also see that there is a different shade of green paint in the area of the framenumber, probably to mask the work which was done to remove the old framenumber.

The bike looks nice though, a bit of a mix of early and later M20 parts.

Bastiaan

email (option): wdmotorcycles@gmail.com

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