I was wondering if anyone can tell me what the headlight rim should be for a Sept 1940 WDM20? I am after a factory finish, so is it green, or the black that I have seen. I have seen the photo of one that's close to mine, and it looks green.
Thanks in advance.
Dave

September 1940 would be a C7287 machine presumably, with a serial number in the C434**** range ?

At that time, blackout precautions were primitive (the manila card with semi-circular aperture). THe headlamps were supplied assembled by Lucas and the rims were in "Service Colour". Black seems to have arrived with the purpose-made Lucas blackout masks. If you're going for the 1940 look then Khaki Green would be correct. If you're fitting a mask, then black is most likely...and if you're going for a later spec but with no mask for road use then you'll have to find your own compromise ! :grinning:

Hi Rik,

Thank you very much for your quick reply. Yes I am going for the 1940 look, which used the card, so green allover:grinning: The factory photo of C 4347637 looks like it's green, mine's 4343112.
Cheers,
Dave

This is the closest that I can get with an early-war photo. C4343426 with clearly a rim the same shade as the bowl, and with a good area of gas-detection paint on top.

This is a motorcycle with another close census number (C4343657). Looks like green indeed.

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

Thank Jan,

Those are two great photos, showing lots of details, including the rim. I saw something on the glass of the second photo, looks like, BDS could that be Bomb Disposal Squad?
Silly me, got my own Cenus number wrong, C4343114.
Dave

Jan, why was this different with the 1939/1940 6" DU42 headlamps/rims then? we all made the rims black on the WD/C models. I can see it in some period pictures that they are black, but not all of them.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbi**.net

Good question Lex! Just had another look at all my C/5107 WD/C pictures, and although the rim looks a tiny bit darker than the shell in some pictures (due to the light and the angle no doubt), it is clear in most pictures that the rim was indeed khaki green. So I had it wrong when I painted my rim black. Errare humanum est, I must have been inspired by the Rolling Stones I guess...

While we're talking about headlamps and colours, what does the forum think about the paper blackout mask? I've always heard it was made from "black manilla paper", but when looking at war time pictures I'm not so sure. It looks lighter, could be buff in my opinion...

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

I made a black paper mask some years ago and bought "black manilla paper", it was black right through so where you cut it there wasn't a white edge showing, plus it has a textured surface on one side.

Rob

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

There is certainly no doubt in my mind that the misformed rim on my damaged 8" lamp was original factory finish KG3. This would probably have been November 1939 production.







The mask inside my MT110 was of thin black card. I beleive that there are surviving examples of pre-cut headlamp masks in black card too.

It's difficult to be sure of the card colour in all headlamps, but it is the case that even with black card, reflection on the exterior of a 'Difusa' glass often gives a light colour in a black & white photo.

Thankfully, none of this is relevant to BEF as they painted the glass.:grinning:

Hello guys,
all very usefull information :relaxed:

Does any of you know if the same applies to a 1940 Triumph 5SW ?
OR did Triumph follow an other route for there lighting of the early WD bikes ?

Thanks, Y.M.

email (option): Yvan_mac@hotmail.com

Definitely looks like khaki green to me in these late 1939 - early 1940 photographs with brand new Triumph SW3s.



The SW5 may already have had a (black) blackout mask. These are later SW3s, more or less from the same period as the SW5.

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

I suspect that the two images with black-painted blackout masks show the bikes after retro-fitting.

This is a C7828 5SW (the contract was delivered late June - October 1940).



Clearly "Service Colour" (i.e. KG No.3 at that time) on the complete headlamp assembly.

The evidence is conclusive Your Honor! 😊

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

Thanks everbody, Green it is. It's great that it has sparked off another discussion about headlight rims, for another make of bike.

Cheers,
Dave