First of all best I introduce myself, my name is Shaun, and I'm from Kent. Just down the road from Baza57 in fact, and I've been a member of the BSAOC for over 20yrs, had a couple of M series bikes, namely M20, M21 twice and an M33. In fact if some of you read Real Classic magazine, I'm the lad who filled the M21's cylinder head with weld, with Baza's help of course...
Anyway, enough of that old lark, I've just got me a very nice 1942 M20, and I'm trying to get it back to Army fitness, if you're lucky there might be a photo or two of it as found...
Stripped the tank down to first find it was once Maroon, then I found a nice Brown colour, which is lucky, cos that's the colour I'm going to paint it. So now for the first of many questions...
Where can I get them lovely metal panniers all these bikes were fitted with, and I have also found the speedo drive is broken, can this be repaired, or is it a case of simply buying one, if so where's the best place to get one, I also need the hex brass inspection cap, that fits on the primary chain cover. This bike hasn't been on the road for 13yrs, but it seems to run OK, and I LOVE it, with help it'll be perfect, then I'll ride it's wheels off..
Hi Shaun
Welcome to the forum, looks like the beginning of a good bike you have there.
Keep an eye on ebay for the pannier frames, auto jumbles etc - maybe even a wanted ad with the BSA OC? Some of the dealers sometimes have original and/or repro ones available. Again all the same for the other parts you mention, but some are harder to find than others. You may have to be patient. Regarding the speedo drive, it depends what the fault is as to whether it can be repaired. Only one way to find out - 
email (option): cruiserchooser@hotmail.co.uk
Hi Shaun,
About the brass hex inspection cap: If you want one you will also have to look out for the correct primary case as yours is a post war one which has the smaller hole for the aluminum cap.
And that is about the only incorrect part I can find on a quick glance. Very good starting point for a make over. Think you will find this forum very informative.
Good luck, 
Michiel / NL
Hi Shaun...Welcome to the forum...Yes, It doesn't get much better than what you have there..
I can see 'civvy' pattern rear footrests, incorrect pillion seat, no pannier bag carriers and pannier carrier support tubes..and of course the bags and Y straps.
The incorrect clutch outer cover..a worn fork spring, a missing sumpguard and field stand assembly, incorrect speedo mounting bracket and a few other small details....All normal things but a good sound bike by the look of it...
You'll also be needing about 5 litres of the 'green stuff'!...Seems a shame really as it's nice as it is...Is that a brass 'dealers plate' on the front mudguard?...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Ian, here just for you, is a photo of that very badge on the front of the mud guard, I'm told that Claude Rye was 'Famous' for selling Ex military bikes, seems if you wanted one in Black & Silver it was £25, and if you wanted one as it was de-mobbed it was £20. As you can see, I've got the more expensive Top of the Range model..
But you've got me a tad worried, you say the fork spring is worn, so what's the story of replacing it, is it a massive job, or something a Gormless moron like me can do..?
All the other Stuff you pointed out is just Stuff, and will get sorted as and when, but I could do with some help, like the Speedo bracket, where on Earth do I start looking for one of them..? OK I KNOW, E-Bay...
Ferg, see I TOLD you I'd be on here didn't I.. Book me a spot on the stand, I'll be at the War & Peace next year, I want to see if THIS bioke can carry three beefy lads, like Baza's did. Sorry but the wife is superstitious, and I can't have Green, so it's going to be Mud Brown, even in the 'Paint Police' pull me up on it, there's nothing I can do, it's out of my hands...
Frank lad, BLIMEY..! You didn't hang about did ya, so now you've got a fine M20 eh..? I'll be riding this thing up to Yorkshire next year, so get my Ale ready...
Douglas, WHAT..?!? Why on Earth would I want to do THAT..? I've already got a Silver & Black BSA, my 1950 M33, and anyway this bike was in a batch of 1000 that was sold direct to the Army, so I'm simply putting it back to standard..
Well when I say 'Standard' I mean that in the Biblical sense, it'll look right, from a distance with your eyes closed, and it might even sound right, but I'll tell you one thing, it'll get MILES put under it's wheels, I've already got a trip to Holland planned for it next year, then there's the BSAOC International in Belgium, and that Yorkshire camp I spoke about, BLIMEY at this rate I'd better get a wiggle on, there's rubbing down afoot...
Also it will have to be in military condition if you're thinking of joining us for the big one in Normandy next year Ron
email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
Hi Shaun...Changing the girder fork spring isn't too bad a job..a bit fiddly that's all.
As a matter of interest JGP 340 is a South West London registration so fits in nicely with Claude Rye's dealership....Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Ron, don't know about Normandy..? I don't think I'd fit in, being a tad 'MAN' sized, and having a liking for Real Ale, the Army uniform hasn't got a chance.. And you wouldn't want me there in Civis now, would you..?
BLIMEY, it gets better Ian, S.W London eh..? Well I'm from the South, so my next question to the pannel..?
Where does one get that fiddly spring thingy, and what's the proper name of it..? Can I make a guess at, Russell Motors, it'll be good seeing that lad Les if it is, he makes me laugh with his customer service, ask him too many questions and he gets the right hump.. Just wish more people were like him that work behind a counter...
Ron I'd LOVE to be there, but there's so much going on next year, and I've got a stupid job driving trucks over to France everyday. I had a look at the photos on the site, and see that my dutch chum Frans Hendricks is on here too..!
And if you lot can put up with HIM, you'll get along with me just fine..
Unless I keep pestering you with stupid questions, sorry about that, but sometimes my brain isn't up to much, as I have to be awake at silly hours of the day..
AWESOME!!!!
I'll trade you one of mine for yours. I nicely turned out "civvie" would be cool over here. PLUS..... you would be the first to work on it in decades.
email (option): britool51@hotmail.com
Robb, don't get too excited, it's not DECADES it's about 13yrs, and there's plenty of good stuff that's not been used in that time, like a Gel battery, new regulator, and a brand new tyre that's still got the sticker on..!
I'll give it a proper good looking at, but I don't think I'll find anything to much to worry about, when I fired the bike up it sounded sweet, everything works on it, it's just cosmetics. So once that's sorted we'll be good to go..
If it wasn't so damn expensive I'd ship it over to NYC and ride across America on it, to the BSAOC International Rally in California. BUT it IS that expensive, so a loaned Trial type Gold Star will have to do..
Hi Shaun, what a lovely looking bike
If I had it I wouldn't turn it back to WD spec, as you said, someone paid an extra £5 to have it in civvy spec and the dealers plate etc is as much part of it's histoty as it's years in the military. It would be a shame to lose that. I bet someone was very pleased to buy that just after the war
email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk
Horror, as I said before, I've already got a Silver and Black 'M' series in the fettling shed, me M33, so why have another..?
Worry not, the dealers plate on the front mud guard WILL be kept safe and sound, and IF I sell the bike on, the next owner will get it. But you'll notice that's a big *if* there, and the chances at this moment in time, of me selling it, are next to zero..
Got home today from Headcorn, it was the Combined services show, BLIMEY..! Never saw one M20, where were you all..?
Anyway, once home I finds a letter from the BSAOC, and it's all good news, that bike in the photo, is in fact a 1941 machine, and the contract number is... C4753642...
Making slow progress on the refurbishment, simply cos I don't want to bugger it up, it's all coming along nicely though, and by the looks of things, it wasn't used much when it was restored about 13yrs ago. But I can assure you, it'll be used once I've finished painting it..
Can't see any point in having a fine machine, just to leave it in the fettling shed, where's the fun in that..?
Just to update you all, OK my progress MIGHT be slow, but what's the rush..? And I've got a stupid job, which sees me kipping in a lorry in the middle of France every other day, so THAT'S my excuse...
Anyway, here's the proof of what I've done so far...
And LOOK a little bit of Brown, so that's it then, I DID get the right colour...
Found some more proof that this is indeed a War machine...
As I say, progress is slow, but it'll be done and done right, eventually...
Anyone got the swivel thingy that fits in this..? I'm after the short type field stand for it...
And a Speedo bracket like this one, would be very nice...
All in all a very enjoyable time spent out in the fettling shed, just wait till I try to get it all back together again..
Shaun boy,when you delivered that load of scrap iron to me for painting you forgot the chaingaurd/upper and lower,also headlamp shell, get that down to me and I,ll give you ten bob for the lot!
Mine is also an early bike that has been brought up to a later war spec. I decided to leave the field stand lug where it is. I doubt the army ever bothered to remove them. Ron
email (option): ronpier@talk21.com