Hi all,

Two weeks ago I went to France to pick up a new project, not a BSA this time.

email (option): wdmotorcycles@gmail.com

Lovely project! Lucky you!

Allan

email (option): allanmatchless@yahoo.com

Another great project.

I guess those are the impossible to find early Norton or Doherty? combination levers?

Rob

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

Yes, you are right Rob but I like a challenge :wink: I only have the right side, the left side is missing. Later levers are fitted on the left side.

This Norton still has it's engine, gearbox, forks and frame as how it left the factory. Tanknumber is not readable at the moment due to amount of dirt, I hope it will still have the original matching number. Funny thing is that this Norton is from contract C3139, this was a combined contract from 16H's and KM20's. My matching numbers KM20 is from this same contract. I now have two different WD motorcycles from the same contract.

email (option): wdmotorcycles@gmail.com

Gents,

This machine is really a very good example of an early 1939 WD machine.
The wiring is mostly still there and more remarkable not cracked or hardened.
Also many wiring clips on it, I will make a detailed description of those for the website.
A Ni-Fe regulator still attached so it was never "adapted" to lead-acid.

Although it has been civilianised after the war there are enough clues to regard it as very much in the configuration as when it left the factory. Unfortunately it was cannibalised on the rear end.
Also unfortunate that the previous owner could not tell us where it came from other than "Northern France".
He told me he had it for 18 years already but living near Strasbourg, not really the surrounding to expect a most likely BEF machine.

I am glad it is saved to be ressurrected in its original form.
It was first advertised in relation with June 1944 !!

cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Bastian,

Very nice find, it's good to see an example like that going to a good home.

At last after all these years of messing with inferior brands you were blessed with a Norton. There's no turning back now... :)

Kostas

email (option): Ferrarakias@hotmail.com

New from Norton for 1939!!!...the 1935 model...:laughing:...Nevertheless, a great find and I'm looking forward to seeing another one of your quality restorations...Ian

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

1936 pattern, Ian...Don't exaggerate ! :grinning:

Hope to see it for real soon, a real time capsule!

I got an unrestored September '39 16H all matching numbers bike from Belgium some months ago, not had much time to do anything with it, but it did start up, But had some unidentifyable wheels in it, but found some nice ones in the meantime. More about this later I hope.

Bastiaan has yours also a matt chrome carb, with raised lettering for the model number? difficult to see on the pictures.

Cheers,

Lex

Lex,

That is indeed the same carb as on yours!
With raised lettering and painted silverish.

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Rob, is right as he already visited me and took a very close look at the Norton.

@Ian: thank you for your kind words. The idea is to restore this Norton as how it left the factory. First I have to find the few missing parts.

These are 2x photos with Norton's from the same contract (thanks Rik!):

email (option): wdmotorcycles@gmail.com

That's excellent, great to find them like that.

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

Those pictures are of the 1st Battalion, Queen Victoria’s Rifles (QVR), a TA regiment affiliated to The King’s Royal Rifle Corps, training as a motor-cycle reconnaissance battalion in the New Forest near Beaulieu. I bought the top picture off ebay :relaxed:

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

Rob, Much of the 3 Corps logistical support for the 'Saar Force' units on the Maginot Line headed south towards the Swiss border when 51st Division withdrew to the coast. It's not impossible that British vehicles were abandoned anywhere along that route...but we'll never know who operated it unless Bstiaan can find markings.

Rik,

Unfortunately there are no original markings to be found on the bike.
We had hoped to find anything on the tank but the only things visible are some left overs from the Norton name and service green in the dent on the right hand front of the petrol tank.

BEF very likely but impossible to prove, just like any other bike of the period found nowadays.

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

That's a shame, Rob...so annoying too that the complete tail unit has been lost.

We know that it was supplied to the British Army in 1939 and it has not been subject to a single service modification (carrier, Ni-Fe reg ulation etc.) It simply couldn't have remained in service after 1940 which doesn't leave any option beyond BEF.