item #171162538041

The seller (non biker) initially had it listed as a BSA, until I pointed the badge out to him. In fairness he seems to want to list correct detail and asked me what model/year/ etc it is. I am unfamiliar with the non-tele Matchless models but plenty on here will be able to I.D. it. I said if an answer came up I would pass it on. Over to you fellas :-)

Just a 1940 WD G3.

reasons

you can see its the alloy rocker box
small exhaust pipe so not 500cc
no panel in tank
speedo cable is the later thinner type
WD prop stand
CVC unit under seat, earlier ones had it on the back of the oil tank

interesting footrest I've not seen before
someone has nicked the tyre pump.

Of course on my past form Lex will be along in a mo with a parts book showing its a 1945 Norton

This is a Imperial War Museum photo of a G3WO. John

Wonder if he pays royalties to the IWM?

Otherwise he's heading for a spank.

And obviously a later version without the panel tank. Mine is 1940. I'm not sure at what date they deleted the panel? John T??. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Cheers fellas. I will pass the info on to him, somehow I don't think he will want to hear all of it :-) Mind you I think they become 'public domain' after 50 years - unless that system does not include resale. But I've learned a bit about Matchless machines even if it is old hat to the rest of you. Not a brand I've ever studied, so thanks. I take it the only real difference between this girder model 350 and the tele-fork one is the teles?

The panel tank was probably left over civilian stock from late 1939?

you also have the older type of speedo cable, and spindle drive speedo so I'd say yours is 39/40 manufacture.

pretty sure that the silencer with the turned out end is 39/40 as its a hangover from the 1930s range.

what does your engine number say?

Now for a starter for ten is that an early panel tank or a late one?


" I take it the only real difference between this girder model 350 and the tele-fork one is the teles?"

oh what a can of worms don't go there.



All the stuff I have had from the IWM is copyright to them, or at least they own rights to license reproduction.

Copyright on written work is for 75yrs after the death of the author.At least in UK

Many of the images in the IWM were syndicated in the day to various publications who were allowed to use them on the basis that it was good for public morale. They were 'Crown Copyright' and I've never seen anything to suggest that the Crown in some way assigned rights to the museum. The game that they play is, as Ken says, that of licensing reproduction rights to the images in their collection.

Quite how this affects period copies (or indeed duplicate negatives) in the collections of archives such as 'Stilltime' or Mortons publications is not completely clear.

The puzzle with this particular seller is where his huge range of images have come from. He says they are modern copies but I suspect that someone has access to the images used by a publisher such as Odhams who published 'The War in Pictures' more or less at the time.

email (option): 79x100@gmail.com

To say that they were the same apart from the tele forks is way off the mark. The frame, wheels, mudguards, cylinder barrel, head, rocker box, petrol tank, exhaust, handlebars and levers, mudguard stays, chain guard, headlight, rear number plate were all different. The G3L was paired down to the minimum to tale 56 pounds of weight off it, which means they very different in character to ride. The War Office then added weight back on with the panniers and bags, a front stand and many cast iron parts as aluminium was diverted to the aircraft industry. Cheers John

email (option): tinley@btinternet.com

John is right to say 90% of the bike is different to a G3L, but almost all parts are interchangable!!

This particular bike, (have more views of it), has engine number 20050 or 20070, so one of the first batch of contract C8934 frame number cannot be read, as the earth cable is in the way. But think John calculated it a while back.

Still looking for a cast iron gearbox shell, if anyone has one??

So Ken, not a late Norton after all

Think Rik is right with the IWM theory, I did ask them at one time, but never got a good/clear answer, have many pictures that the IWM have too, but were used by newspapers etc. on the back it only says "when publishing give credit to Ascociated Press" or "Crown Copyright, give credit"
That will do for me.

Cheers,

Lex

ps paneltanks were used as late as late 1940/early 1941, contract C8078, the one before abovementioned contract.

email (option): welbike at welbike.net

Anyone have a link to that photo, or a copy they might email me? The ebay number posted isn't of a motorcycle at all.

Thanks, Mark

email (option): wingco40@hotmail.com

I don't know what happened there? It's changed to a railway station pic. A search through his other pictures didn't reveal it either. I think the pic was the other side of this bike. I wouldn't mind a copy myself! Ron
PS and again photobucket or Bravenet have chopped off part of this pic??

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Have asked the seller, but have the Matchless pictures anyway.

He probably read here about the copyright!

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike at welbike.net