WD James ML owners............thanks to my long-term friend John Tinley I have today examined and measured the marking positions on an original James ML fuel tank............
"The Famous James" logo is applied to the tank-top centrally exactly 1/2" down from the front-edge of the tank bridge cutaway............note that the decal does NOT feature "Model ML" below....this was a post-war thing.......
The lubrication instruction decal fits opposite the filler cap, and the top-left corner is positioned exactly 1/4" below the base of "The Famous James" decal and the corner sitting directly below the centre of the "S" (in the "James")......
The original "C" number that looks to have been originally decals too, rather than painted, comprises letters and numbers 1 & 1/2" tall..........the "C" in the number is positioned, in the case of all ML's, above the centre of the serial rather than before, and is followed by a 1/4" "full-stop/dot" after the "C"..............
The actual serial starts 1/4" from the front edge of the fuel tank and the bottom line of the first number is exactly 7.7cm from the bottom edge of the tank..............halfway along the serial number (the 4th number) the bottom line is down to 6.6cm from the botton edge of the fuel tank.........
As for the "C", the bottom of this is positioned exactly 1/4" above the top-line of the centre digit of the serial number, the "full-stop" sitting over the top-left corner of the next digit in line.............
Hopefully, this will assist in marking-up tanks correctly, and thanks to this tanks owner JT 
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email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk
Well done for compiling those measurements Steve. Mine are not far off from those measurements and I can't remember where I got my measurement info from.
Ron
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email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
Mine is about the same! no C number (yet!)
Cheers,
Lex
email (option): welbike@wel***.net
Ron, you seem to have the incorrect lubrication decal there compared to Lex's original !!! Classic transfers have the correct one however.....
email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk
Well that's not fair! It's the one Bob told me is correct! Have to see if it's possible to remove without damaging my paint work
Ron
email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
Only odd thing is I obtained the correct lubrication decal from Classic Transfers back in the early 1990's when I first restored our James.......so in their catalogue way back then..............in the last few days I've obliterated it prior to the recent re-spray in SCC NO.2 brown....and very nice it looks too.......
email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk
Bob and Marcia at Classic Transfers are possibly two of the nicest people you could ever deal with.......nothing seems to be too much trouble for them.......I would highly recommend them........
Remember, they can do "C" numbers in the correct size (non "stenciled" type) ready to apply in one.............but I am also certain that they could do the stenciled type if required.....all in the correct 1 & 1/2" size at £5 per side............
email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk
Yes Steve I've had several stencils from them in the past. I've sent them pictures of both JT's and Lex's tank with your dimensions.
I don't know why I had that wrong lube transfer, but I thought Lex had recently given them correct ML information?
Anyway My engine is rebuilt and painted, so I might as well re-paint the tank.
Ron
email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
That's good news Ron....but have you sorted-out that gear-change issue ??
email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk
In fairness Ron, the ML's tank change is sloppy and imprecise on the best of days !!! The RE Flea is much better...........
email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk
Yep. But it's no great problem in the grand scheme of things. However, spinning my rebuilt engine over by the mag wheel, isn't producing a spark I might need a new ignition coil. Ron
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email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
Ron, apols, but looks like you have a post-war gearbox end cover too ? WD versions do not seem to feature the "flat" section with numbers applied......
Not sure if there are any actual casting or other differences, but here is a WD original still with traces of olive-drab paint remaining.........I will have a spare for you if needed
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email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk
Ron, also have a decent selection of Villiers 9D engine ignition flywheel assemblies here, several still fitted with coils that may be good.......the other thing to check/replace on these is the condensor, though get an original Villiers one rather than one of the copies...........I again have several originals that may still be good..........
email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk
Already put aside for you Ron
email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk
While talking about Villiers engines, when was this cast iron primary chaincase used:
Must be something late war?? will use it eventually on my James, if I can ever find a suitable Original frame.
Cheers,
Lex
email (option): welbike@wel***.net
Never seen a wartime ML fitted with that strange screwed-on plate at the front of the casing Lex...........cast-iron does indeed suggest 40s, but not ML in my humble opinion.......and "Iron" and ML ("Military Lightweight") seem at odds here..........
email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk
Gone through a pile of these Villiers primary outers today, mostly ex-WD, some still bearing traces of SCC No.2 brown and a couple late-war (post-April '44) British olive drab..........all are alloy Lex, no sign of steel/iron anywhere...........are we sure this is James or something else fitted with a 9D Villiers engine ? Pre and post-war, the 9D unit was fitted to a number of other bikes by various manufacturers............
email (option): sjmwdbikemad@aol.co.uk