I'm getting down to some interesting details on my rebuild.

What levers and fittings are made of brass for my bike? When were they used? What type of brass was used?

Is there any commonality between G3l, Norton, Ariel, Royal Enfield for handle bar fittings?

Many thanks!

email (option): britool51@hotmail.com

Yeah, im here too. I know we've beat this dead horse over and over again, yet i still have some confusion. Lets narrow it down. What was the most common war time levers? Lets say from '42 on. Is there a "most common" type? Ive seen alot of gunmetal ones and then someone shows a dull chrome set. I have stamped steel levers on my bike but the clamps seem to be gunmetal/brass. Was it a common practice to swap the gunmetal levers for stamped steel and leave the brass clamps? Guess I need to be spoon fed this info I have searched the forum for hours and cant seem to grasp this bit of knowledge.

email (option): micran1234@yahoo.com

This is a minefield area. The trouble is most manufacturers had their own preference for style or make. For example they might have been Amal or Bowden or some other make. They could have been the piggy back type levers or individual type (separate clutch and mag lever etc) They could have been Brass, Bronze or Steele. The air and mag levers could be either two screw fixings or the single screw pivot clamp fix. Etc Etc Etc.
Also things changed as budgets or materials dried up.
Really there is no simple answer. What you can do is search the parts list and original photo's for your particular make/model/year.....and search for those correct or near as levers.
The only war time bike I can think of with pressed steel levers on brass clamps was a couple of contracts for the Matchless G3L. Also late Norton's used a different type of pressed steel lever. Both are unique to their make.
Personally I like the brass or bronze levers. Un-plated and un-polishished....something distictly military about brass. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Were the control levers painted?

email (option): micran1234@yahoo.com

As far as I know the WO called for dull plate, Cadmium/chrome/nickel. But some later war or post war parts seem to have been un-plated. Anything could have been painted in REME workshops, especially if some camo was required. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Those are Bowden levers, aren't they ? Did BSA use Bowden ? I had the impression they used Amal after they went away from their own pre-war type.

I do know that Russells have bead-blasted corroded NOS for years. Could the plain brass unfettled levers like this once have had a cadmium coating ?

These are certainly not Norton levers.

Nortons used Doherty levers pre-war and this appears to have continued into the early war years. They later used a sort of standardised air / ign. control, made by Dohertys again and I think that there is a good case for thinking that Doherty may have developed and manufactured the rather clever pressed steel levers used by Nortons later.

Doherty have a bit of a name for rather anonymous post-war pattern parts but their early efforts were quite inovatory.

As Ron says this can be complicated..The way to start is with the WD parts list for your contract..these will give some info on the parts used...for instance if only 1 screw is listed for clamping the air lever to the bars it will be the 'pivoted' clamp type. The lists also state manufacturer generally. Also search out original photos of bikes from the correct contract (with C numbers from the right series.)
I have had 2 NOS gunmetal and brass handlebar levers sets and both were unplated..likewise with the half dozen or so NOS valve lifters and adv/rtd and air levers I have had. (though with these the clamps were steel and they were plated). Screws have been either plated or chemically blacked and all of the above have been for 42-45 period M20s....Ian

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

How do I get the parts list for my contract? C4865636.

I know the Czech Vintage Replica amal levers are the same clamps I have, just with the stamped steel levers. I have a long advance lever looks pre-war. I'm okay with the pre-war lever but I'd also like to find a correct air lever as mine is a ball end pattern one. My valve lifter lever is also pattern. I think the parts list for my contract will help me narrow my sights on what I'm after.

Many Thanks for this help

email (option): micran1234@yahoo.com

I'd have to check parts lists to determine the Amal/Bowden thing Rik. I have the pre war BSA levers myself. But in this day and age and considering the chances of finding a complete set of NOS levers. Beggars can't be choosers Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com