Yep, i'm still trundling on with this 'project'.

Current help needed, please gentleman ...

1/ How is the front mudguard mounted to the fork blades - 'P' brackets round the tubes + fore & aft mudguard stays ?

2/ How is the TOOL-BOX mounted on the frame ? There appears to be no mounting lugs/brackets ?

In both cases a pix would be most welcome.....


Latest INDIAN nasty - the front-wheel;
As previously reported, the rim is pringle shaped and while trying to straighten it discovered many spoke nipples are stripped *!!??~~~###.

So ignoring the above, decided to sort front brake as i have had several brake shoes done by Villiers (various Enduro/Road and circuit linings).
Shoes nicely machined to drum i/d, back-plate now concentric and true, and ...... wheel turns/locks/turns/lock's .... b*****x - a distorted drum!!??

Much more Indian than that ..... remember - the taper bearings have been welded into the hub, as they were very good i was hoping to use these, but no ......
Yes, you've guessed, they managed to weld them in eccentric to the hub ?

Just walked out of w/shop in frustration .......... time for a drink!

The front mudguard has the special slotted Triumph 'P' clips on the rear fork tubes as well as the fore and aft stays. The other WD models 3S and 5S has those same 'P' clips but on the front tube. The civy models have riveted on brackets under the fork spring. I have no idea why they changed the fixings for the WD models?

The toolbox should have a lug at top and bottom. The top one is connected to the frame tube with a 'P' clip. The bottom one is held on by the pillion foot peg. I always slot the hole so that you can slide it in behind the foot peg before it's tightened up. The foot peg also holds the rear stand return spring and I find it's a bugger to try and put the foot peg through the frame and tool box whilst being under tention from the spring.
Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

PS. I just found another toolbox pic which reminded me that there is a third lug with P clip on the lower rail. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Excellent, excellent ... good man Ron.
Triumph did like those 'P' brackets, did'nt they !

Just got to make a few up (complete with slots ...eeek!)
.......... any NOS out there ?

NEW QUESTIONS;

Is that the correct cable run to the back light ?

Where does the Oil-tank breather pipe (i presume thats what it is from the top of the o/tank) terminate ?

Does the 'P' stand for 'pikey' ? It certainly is a pikey way of mounting tinware !

Never mind the 'Pikey' brackets - have a look at how the rear m/guard stays are finished off on the last pix.

I think i've made mine far too neat, with a properly engineered 'rounded' pressed bit !!??

its what makes these old bikes so facinating ..

Triumph seemed to love those 'P' clamps...Cheap and nasty and a pain in the a** to paint and assemble without damaging the paint...

A simple brazed or welded bracket would have done the job properly at minimal cost I would have thought....Ian

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

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Hi,when Triumph started production of the 3HW at the new factory near Meriden in early 1942,they started to fit WEBB girder forks these replaced Triumphs own made forks which were fitted to 3SW,5SW and a few 3HWs,the WEBB forks were slightly different and the mudguard had the riveted bracket omitted,and replaced by the P clips,the reason for the change over to WEBB forks could have been down to cost Triumphs own forks cost £9.17.6d the WEBB forks were over a pound cheaper at £8.17.4d a big saving over many thousands of bikes supplied,for us riders of today the WEBB forks are real good quality,but parts are rare and quite dear.

RON - good place for the breather pipe to go & yes a bugger when you fit a brake light - something everyone is thinking about since last weeks IOM colision (i have one fitted - smug smile!) - the two brothers involved would'nt talk for the rest of the trip......... Ariel owners ...

IAN - yes a right swine to fit without scratching everything - i guess the slots are to make it easier to bend round the frame (and also to fracture due to vibration?)

Steve S - figures, as everything else is so bloody cheaply made - as i've said before, its difficult deciding what is orginal and what is craply made Indian!

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Hi,maybe they omitted the riveted bracket on the military models to give a bit more clearance between the mudguard and tyre and the P clips were the easy way to solve this problem.

HHHMMMM! I think the standard length stays would limit that idea. I've often wondered why the 'P' clips on the WD models, but never really answered my own query.???

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Bit of a 'could'nt get on with' weekend meant i spent some time today playing with 'De-rusting chemicals'.

as one who dont believe anything on the internet unless i've see/done it, i had a try with Critric Acid (saturated solution) and Hydrochloric Acid (~10% Brick-Cleaner) - the intention being to do my Fuel and Oil tank.

Anyway i tried the Battery 'box' in neat (10% by vol. Hydrochloric Acid) Brick cleaner.
Now this had +50% surface rust + 50% spidering rust under the paint (removed with Nitro-mores) - at today's ambient temperature of ~22degC after ~ 2 hours, the item was largely shiney steel with ~10% blackened corrosion remaining.
Not certain what the black was (Iron Oxied/Chlorite or something?) i ignored it, washed and primed and painted it.

The Citric acid was tried on my indian rear foot-rests - again surface rust + paint. In thsi case i left the paint as it seemed well attached and dumped both 'pegs into a saturated solution of Citric acid.
Again it cleaned the metal done to bright steel - but it was a much gentler action and slower.
Intrestingly it attacked the bright plated nuts/bolts and removed the brightness without stripping the plating - looked much better than than the bright new originals ...

Would i use an acid inside the the Petrol-tank - yes, thats tomorrows job - using the Brick cleaner.

Would i use it on the oil tank - well the oilflter is firmly stuck and the tank paintwork is good.
I suspect that if the oil filter gauze is non ferrous, i.e. brass, I suspect the acid would atttack the zinc in the brass mesh.
So in the case of the oil-tank - no i won't use acid.
Instead the remains of my brake-shoe cleaner will be used, to clean it out.

Now i need to get on with 'P' brackets.

email (option): ginantonik@tiscali.co.uk

Finally cut/welded/brazed the rear rack, to fit.
Followed by hammering rear mudguard to fit better/concentric with rear wheel - followed by heating and hammering mounting brackets to line up........

Seems the Indians have two level of metal preparation -
None, with a blow-over of top-coat from about 2 meter.
Or 1mm thickness of hi-build filler - followed by 2m away 'blow-over'.
The latter causing endless choking smoke while 'adjusting' m/guard to 'fit'.

Anyway, after a daft quote to sand-blast the above, by a local coating company - i managed to negotiate a substantial discount by allowing him paint the exhaust system (mat/silk black) ....?
A bit weird, but anyway - 'nowt so queer as fow'k' (said with a Yorkshire accent).
So that's in hand.

Tomorrow, i will looking through the ... square window ..... and starting on the front mudguard and all those 'P' (pikey) brackets ......

God i hate this bike ....


Anyway, more of Andy's 1939 Ariel R-H - seems he felt the b/end nip up as he climbed up the 'mountain' while were were doing a lap of the IOM course - didn't stop him steaming past us @ +80.
Only for it to fail completely 20-30 miles later ?

Cleaning out the 'sludge trap' before sending crank off to uncle Ron's for rebuild - found most of the b/end cage in said trap - no surprise then!
What was a surprise was the crank sprocket - 17T as opposed to the STD 19T ....

This bike had been grass-tracked, and breathed upon - but no wonder it revved well ....!!!!

Well, got 'fleeced' by shot-blast man who "had to charge more because of amount of filler on everything" - including the silencer - b*****x!!!!

Oh well, about par for course really .....

Anyway mudguard a REAL state, endless holes, welding, ripples later - have now produced something that looks worse than before - but very 'original'.
Seems matt paint dos'nt cover ripples/dents and things, despite copious amounts of filler.

Summoning up all my faculties to make the 'Pikey' brackets for the mud-guard, complete with slots.

May do the tool-box ones first as they are not so visible, i can cut corners/practise ...

How to stop ripping off paint when fitting P brackets;-

From practical experiance, yesterday, i suggest that mylar (thick drawing film) or in my case some clear PVC packaging from a box of sweets - the type thats thin, flexible and damn near impossibale to tear without scissors - is cut into strips slightly wider than your P bracket, wrapped inside the P bracket - or wrapped around the frame where the bracket is to fit.

Then position P bracket over the plastic and give it a tap, so it clip's over the frame - while protecting the frame with the plastic.
I then closed the P bracket as much as possiable - then fitted the clamping bolt and test fitted the T/Box or M/Guard - BEFORE REMOVING THE PLASTIC (i needed to remove the bracket for adjustment several times beofre i was happy).

When happy, slacken everything off, remove the plastic, clamp everything up tight and touchput any damage - worked for me!



Talking P brackets - i'm working in the dark on their size and thickness;

Started with 3/4" x 3/32" thick - mistake!
Cut nice slots into them, but they were the devil to form round the tubing - have eventually used them on the tool-box, where their 'chunkyness' is not so obvious.

Have used 1.7mm thick strip (from B&Q of all places?) for the M/Guard brackets - look much better, have made up a set with no slosts in them - for now. Need to get something wider (3/4" ?) so it can cut the slots and make then look 'correct'.



TOOLBOX - !!??###***!!! - Indian s**t!!
Silly me, though the brackets on the T/Box - could have been correct - but NO!
1st attempt had the bottom brackets in place, but could'nt open the tool-box lid because of the rear foot rests - and the top bracket seems to want a bolt through the frame tube!

Having to get creative, as clearly the tool-box is oversize - as wherever you place it, it fouls the rear wheel adjuster, the g/box or you cannot open the lid!

In many ways, its much easier starting from scratch making a chopper/bobber/special than working with a load of disassociated parts!


Oh well .. Settle-Carlisle steam chuff chuff this weekend

Decided to take cam cover off the engine, yesterday (stripped thread) - that will teach me!

The cams are a right old state - pitted corrosion - amazingly the engine was very quiet, so after killing some rust (pickling in citric acid ?) to prevent the oxides causing lots of wear - it intend re-fitting them.

Engines a bit dirty inside, but a bit of running with cheap diesel oil, will flush her clean.



Still trudging on with P brackets and mudguards and stays ..............

HI All

I am just rebuilding a 3HW also, Can anyone help with the front mudguard stay lengths, as I have a mudguard but don't thing the stays are correct length

Regards

Carl

email (option): carl.chezz@cwgsy.net

Hee hee .......

I'll measure mine for you, but would'nt guarantee they are correct - i'm just crushing my (round) indian one flat - as per Ron Pier pix.

Got the odd engine bit spare, if you need anything ?

Realised i'd screwed up yesterday - been making nice slotted P brackets to hold Tool-box on frame - just noticed they did'nt need to be slotted - bugger!
Anyway knowing Triumph they would have done two versions - slotted and unslotted !!!

Hi there

If you could measure them would be great.
I have just been using standard P clips which seam to do the job

Regards

Carl

email (option): carl.chezz@cwgsy.net

FRONT M/GUARD STAY'S -
Front; 290mm from fork screw hole to EDGE of mudguard.

Rear; 350mm from fork holes to the back of the mudguard where the fixs to the mudguard rib.

Usually i would fix m/guard at top, to the fork (2 x P brackets in our case) then arrange m/guard until there is an even gap between m/gaurd and tire - using foam/wood/etc as packing.
Then cut stays to suit.


Started rain ing here so more time in the shed - retimed cams/ignition after removing timing case side as one hole was stripped - easy.

Thought i'd do some painting, roughed up chrome rocker covers and painted them, then had a go at the heavily filled/welded primary case.
Sprayed on some thick primer (rattle-can) ran out, used some cheap stuff (UPOL) - whole lot reacted - bugger again!

Dare'nt shot-blast it clean, IT WILL fall to bits .............. lovely.

Nigp send me a email I might be able to help you
Jwoosterom@hotmail.com

email (option): Jwoosterom@hotmail.com

JAN - i'll email you

The Primary case is now looking good after attacking with sanding disc and hi-build primer - looks as if the (Indian) red-lead primer was enamel or something? The synthetic primer i use has'nt attacked it - just the cheap cellulose stuff.

Not sure how oil tight it will be, after spending much of last night making gaskets don't fancy making a P/Side one - so good old RTV on one side and silicon grease on the other and i may be able to get it apart when i want?

Now that the timing side of engine is back together, i've sorted the oil lines and can fit the exhaust.

The exhaust has a non-standard extra mount from the header pipe to a front engine mounting bolt - i've noticed all the 3HW heads i have/seen all have fractured exhaust stubs - i hope a little more support will help the CI welding, also i want to try different exhaust pipe lengths when she is on the dyno.

Still at it ...

Just spent best part of two days making 2 sets of rear stays - should'nt take that long, but did'nt factor in ***##!! indian rear-stand getting in way, or the bent brake lever, doing same.

Anyway, some 10mm tube from B&Q flattens nicely into a 1/2" oval section, and a bit of creative joggling + attacking the stand with angle-grinder, have made things fit!

Problem is i dont really like them - so made another set, this time left them round.
Yes i know, its not 'correct', neither is anything much on this bike !

I'm about to fit a (repro ?) 8" h/light, mainly because i don't like the look of the 'correct' 6 1/2" unit.

Managing to ignore front wheel problem, till the last - as previously described, the hub bearings have been welded in, eccentric to the brake drum - of course!!
So will have to start thinking about how to sort this out, as all attempts to find/buy anything vaguely appropriate seem to have failed.

Back on my 'baby' - been progressing quietly but have reached - handlebars and controls, which pose a couple of questions for anyone who knows ...

1/ LEVERS - should they solid - like pre-war bikes, or are they 'folded' metal like 1950's levers ???

2/ CABLE RUN - any pix or advise on cable runs - particularly the CLUTCH-CABLE ??

Apart from Matchless G3L's and later Norton 16H's both of which had their own unique pressed steel blades. I think all the rest had various brands of solid levers in either steel, brass or bronze.

I generally run my cables (except throttle) between the top links and most will then follow the tank tube. But I'll always find the route with the least line of resistance for the clutch. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Tah for control info, was'nt sure which to find/fit.

CABLES - yes, more or less where i always place them, but the clutch cable giving me some head scratching as apart from across top of primary-case then diving under battery bracket, theres nowhere obvious.
The parts list show it as being 54", so i wondered if it went under the primary case along the bottom frame rail?

Both my 3SW and 3HW clutch cables take a route along the tank tube and over the top of the saddle tube and down the rear of the saddle tube to the gearbox. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Oh?
i'll give that a try, at the moment it looks wrong and i can see the outer chaffing through on the top edge of the primary case.

RON - thank you for your close up pix - very very useful and has given me much info.

My bike is plagued with Indian parts but your pix have helped with id'ing what is and what isnt indian - I had presumed my head light shell was indian, because it dosnt have the indentation where the switch gear fits - but it seems (from yr pix) that the WD shells did'nt have this.

Also 'plate' top link and cast bottom links for the forks ... i though that both would be the same (cast or plate) - that solves a problem i have fabicating new ones !

Also the noticed the headlight stays are oval same as the mud-guard .... hmmm

Sad git that i am, its now my screen saver.

Final question (for a while) ...

Anyone know the length of the Headlight stays please?

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

RON - of course i did, font of all 3HW knowledge !

Thank you very much, am now about to finalise cabling up, stip another B25 9get the bits off to machine shop) then off walking Dartmoor for a week, so you wont be pestered for a while.

Watch out for wild boar! Or even worse, "the beast of Dartmoor" (his name is Ian). Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

i'm looking for Grimpen mire .........

Well when I've ridden there, we stay mainly on the black tarmacy bits. Still dangerous enough with horses,cows,sheep, pigs......and the HOUNDS!! Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

'Grimpen mire' as featured in the Sherlock Holmes story is based on the 'mire' in the Swincombe valley near Princetown...

Like Ron says though...don't be going there when the Dewer hounds are out.. ...Ian

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

What finish have you used on the engine cases? did you paint them to match the push rod tubes and carb? Cheers Barry

email (option): deadhorsesdontgetbackup@hotmail.co.uk

I assume you're asking me Barry? The push rod tubes are mat chrome or nickel, I can't remember now. No paint on the cases. I sand blasted them with medium aluminium oxide grit and then a rub over with fine wire wool to give a bit of sheen. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Thanks for that Ron, I couldn't make out what had been done from the pictures and it looked good. Cheers Barry

email (option): deadhorsesdontgetbackup@hotmail.co.uk

I se we have another barry on the forum.

barry

email (option): mrsbfuller@hotmail.co.uk

we have started blasting MX frames, then simply polishing with wire-wool then a coat of WD40 to stop them rusting.
Any paint you apply simply wears off anyway - and they look good - had many people asking what we've done.

Ian ... and i thought it was real .... so here's no hound either ?????

Grimpen mire was fictional, but the idea came from the mire in the Swincombe valley. The Baskerville hound was also fictional, but stories of this sort of thing are common in English folklore...There is even a village called Black Dog in Devon.....

The Dewer Hounds are the result of another Dartmoor legend based in truth...but I'm not committing myself on whether the ghost hounds actually exist....Though you'll hear them before you see them on a misty day... ...Ian

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

After failing to find any mire or dogs, back on 3HW.

Thanks RON for the cable routing idea - clutch cable much less obvious and the old girls is nearly fully cabled after a full day of cutting an measuring - boy is the handlde bar cluttered!!
(the ES2 has the valve lifter and choke removed)

Alos a thanks for the H/Light stay measurement - much less 'storky' and i think i'll stay with the 61/2" haeadlight for now ..... talking of which ..

!!**%%##?? Indian s**t !! Ok, take a deep breath;
The shell itself is basically sound an very close to a Lucas one - the problem is the switch panel which has needed considerable persuasion to even look vaguely right (thank you school who thew out all the planishing equipment and Mr Burrows - my secondary school teacher .....) - but at least now it does fit in most places.

The switch though ..... WOW !
As is, it cannot work - really a pix is needed, but when i looked on ebay for alternatives, all the repro. tat out there looks just as bad !!!

In my case the cam does not have enough lift to move the contacts - and there's so much slackness, what little lift there is, is lost.
I may try and make something out of it as i only need on/off, but it really is a short-circuit looking for a place to happen.

I really need to try and get some pix on the forum as it starting to look rather good.

QUESTION - my nice new nuts/bolts - do i leave as bright or do i paint everything Kahki ????

The correct WD switch has four positions OFF. T. L. H. From the factory all the fixings would have been cadmium or mat chrome/nickel. To my mind there's nothing worse than working on a bike with painted nuts and bolts, especially when the threads are painted
Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

I find painted fastners pretty horrible and they wouldn't normally have occurred in the standard wartime rebuild process, simply because they were completely dismantled.

However, I have seen some photographic evidence which makes it appear that BSA frames were bolted-up prior to painting.

Tend to agree with everyone, nothing worse than damaged paint on a nut.
They will stay as is - shiney until they dull off.

Re switch - given up on authenticity, unless i drop on the right bit - want to get her on the road.
The Indian 'replica' is marginally better than a 'flick' switch ....... hence trying to make it work.

dropped on a nice, genuine 7.5" headlight over weekend - so that's going on instead of indian crap .... switch bits now in bin, where they belong.

P/Tank off bike for a final rub down, fill and then finish - need to get some stencils cut for the WD bits - probably as a R.E bike ... my dads old regiment.
got a stika machine, just need to crank-up 1998 laptop as its only one with a serial port to connect to stika.

Rear rack bottom rear mount solved (see other thread on forum) - new bit bought @£24 dear for a bent bit of 1/2 x 1/8 but at least its bent in the right places (?).
Given me time to spend last few hours making a slotted P clip for the head-steady, need to crank up the oxy tomorrow to get a nice sharp bend.

Then wiring time .... a pair of large wires from battery to/from headlight switch and a pair of smaller to/from rear light - via rear brake switch.
An a series of wires to/from dynamo/electronic-regulator/battery/inline fuse .Like to make things simple.

7 1/2" headlamp sounds wrong/post war. Should be a 6" headlamp. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

RON ... i know, looks nice though and i've now painted it Kahki ... may go for an early looking bike (its a 7" not a 7.5-8" mores the pity) or may rob it of parts and reinstall the correct 6-6.5".
I'm yo yo'ing - she (the 3hw) seems to becoming more original and a full restoration as time goes by - i blame this bloody site!

Anyone would think this was my first restoration - its not by a long-chalk - but over the last few years i've become 'oily rag' - find something very original, rebuild the mechanics and keep the 'patina' - not repaint.
This thing has become such a ground up rebuild/repair/make - been quiet a change really and am now enjoying the rebuild.


The current heading picture shows a real collection of headlights and h/light hoods - must be 39/40's as XXX (Peace in our time) seems to be doing the honors.

Well flip-me ......... (or more extreme expletives!)

Only found a twin plunger EWART fuel-tap in the bit box - same as in RON's pix.
A bit of re-corking should get it sealing again (???).

Another 'authentic' bit.

Jammy! Just for interest. I'm quite sure there was no such thing as an early 3HW with an 8" headlamp Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

I think some of the early 3HW's were fitted with 8 inch headlamps,maintenance manual book no.101/T.C.1 page 3 shows photos and in Ivor Davies book Its a triumph there's a photo of one coming out of Warwick with 8 inch fitted.

I stand corrected. Using up some saved stock after the bombing I guess. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

i suspect triumph dumped a lot of 'old stock' onto the MOD, worse than any other supplier ???

My nice 7/7.5" headlight looks better, and has original switch-gear - sadly the wrong type which requires a separate dip switch.

Fitted a separate switch on h/bar but not happy with all the wires - will have a go with a pair of diodes to enable the headlight mounted switch to do as i ask.

Well they all would have required a separate handlebar mounted dip switch, until that is of course they deleted them altogether.

Most of the early war bikes seem to have been fitted with 8" headlamps and were gradually changed to 6" probably for economy reasons. I've seen original pictures of 3SW's fitted with 6" headlamps, so strange that they went back to 8" on any 3HW's. Hence my assumption of just using saved stock after the factory was bombed. I gather also that even after scrapping the 3TW project after most of the tooling and stock was lost, they did still build a few from saved parts. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Ron - i'm refering to the H and L switch on the headlight itself.

I assumed that it was Hi/Lo headlight beam - but when i think about 3 brush dynamo's - i guess it actually means Hi/Lo charge (there was no legal requirement for dimming headlights) ?

Just wanted to tidy up the already cluttered h/bars - had'nt noticed dip switch on wartime bikes ... only a horn button.

I image that, parapharasing my dad;
"anyone coming towards us, we tended to fire first, then ...... dip the head light?"

Nige a WD switch has 4 positions OFF T L H. T=tail light only, L=pilot bulb, H=headlamp, which would then have had a separate dip switch if required. My understanding is that when the dip switches were deleted, (especially not needed inside a black out mask) you would still have a twin filament bulb, which you could simply turn round if a filament blew.

Obviously a civy switch doesn't have the 'tail light' only function.

Here is a 3SW (armoured!) You can clearly see a dip switch. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Hi Ron
so I get that the 8" headlamp on my 42 3HW might be correct ?



Regards

Carl

email (option): carl.chezz@cwgsy.net

Carl I haven't got the benefit of an early 3HW parts book. The books I have all list a DU42 (6" headlamp). So far I haven't seen the evidence that Steve S has seen. But I don't doubt they would have fitted them if they had some left over or that's what was at hand from Lucas. I'd like to get a parts book for those first contracts out of Warwick, to clear a few things up.

But it's your bike and a single picture gives you carte blanche at artistic license.

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

I'm coming to the conclusion that early bikes are all 'carte-blanche' as companies use what they have + impressed bikes, etc.
Only later, did order reign.

Now have the H & L working hi/lo headlight beam using a pair of diodes + my ultra simple wiring loom (two wires from from to back).

If that a BAR or a Bren without magazine on the SW sidecar?

There's a photo of an early 3HW in British Forces Motorcycles 1925-45 book with 8 inch headlamp and aluminum chain cases,I would say by 1942 they were using 6 inch,I have an early parts book 13948/20/1 but its strange that there's no headlamp parts listed in it.

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Quote from O&M:
"... The Model 3HW shared virtually the same cycle components as the earlier 3SW and 5SW models, the early Model 3HWs very similar in appearance to the late 3SWs having two toolboxes fitted, a small rear carrier with no pillion facility, full rubber fittings and the large 8in headlight. During 1943 the rubber fittings began to be withdrawn from new machines and the headlight was specified as the smaller 6in variety. ..."

Jan

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

Strange....on the other makes, the DU42 appeared to supersede the DU142 around the middle of 1941. Probably Edward Turner threw a wobbly about the small lamp ruining his styling and someone at the Ministry of Supply wanted a quiet life.

When meriden closed in 1983 and everything was auctioned off they still had some NOS 3HW parts cylinder heads,rear mudguards and other smaller parts,also was a complete set of Webb girder forks that had never been used with a bent Speedo bracket it wasn't till years later that l realized that someone must have dropped them before they got to the drawing room because in all the later parts books with Webb girders the Speedo bracket is shown bent.

i wasn't going to light the pilot light .... however a powerful LED 'running light' may be a good idea.

I'm not really happy leaving the battery permanently collected to the Dynamo, via an electronic regulator (there must be be some drainage) so i may fit
a small battery idolator switch ...

I'll have a think......


Armored solo bike .... interesting, assumed it had a sidecar ?

Personally I'd rather not bother with a dipping bulb. For the amount of times I actually ride at night and then with the chance to use main beam which only increases your already poor ability to see by a fraction

I have quite a bit of info on that armoured bike and a friend has made a replica. I think the original was probably a 'one off' Designed for airfield protection and a means to get a Bren gun out on the field. Heavy as buggery and my friend has confirmed what I already suspected.....An absolute bugger to ride! Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

From my experiance of 'uprated' pre-war electrics (LED's, 12V, QH bulbs, etc) even a new reflector doesnt give brilliant light and as you say, you rarely get off a high set dip.

A friends 1920 Acetelyne set-up was MUCH brighter - something said at the time.

I regard a headlight as something to stop some idiot from driving into you as he overtakes coming from the other direction.

Hmmm - actually impressed by the armoured bike idea, something to hide behind , not what i expected.
Clever use of a pannier to act as a prop - no wonder we won the war .......


memories of firing off two Bren magazines (in a police firing range ?) and a sten-gun, before dad handed in his arsonal in the 60's gun armistice.

He always joked that there a a'sand-bank' of weapons off Southamption, where soldiers dumped their booty when told they would all be searched before disembarking.

Actually the bike is leaning on it's standard field stand and the pannier is actually a Bren magazine box with the lid hanging open. The other toolbox that is hanging out near the engine is filled with lead to add to the weight of the ammo box to help compensate for the weight of the armour on the right of the bike.

As every wanabe Yank will tell you "It was the Harley that won the war" and it couldn't possibly have been done without a waling sireeen and baseball bat. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Start a new thread..This one's getting too long... ...Ian

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

Realized that its approx one year since i started this project and first started asking questions on this forum .... don't time fly!

Been a long rebuild for me ... but, nearing the end!



Anyway THE QUESTION ............

TANK SIGNAGE ................. what colour blue should i use for the Royal Engineers SQUARE on the tank ?

Also, would it be same as the 43rd Wessex blue?

'Cobalt Blue' for the Engineers as on my WB30 below....The Wessex blue is darker...Probably standard signwriters blue (more like Royal Blue)...Ian

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

Hmmmmm lighter than i thought - thank you Ian.

I have scanned the 43rd Wessex sign from the 1945 end of war Prayer Booklet (my dads as well as his letter given to him when embarking on d day) - significantly different than other 'dragons' i've seen - i presume this is more accurate ?

Just need the number for 584 RE's - which i am currently working on.

The 43rd Wessex mythical creature is a 'Wyvern' Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Wyven .... sorry.

So, are you saying that ALL RE Fld Prk Coy would be numbered 48 - for example?

Or would the number change according to which ever company, corp, whatever - they are attached to?

I am struggling to remember/understand the army 'management structure' being non military myself - in the UK dad seemed to be attached to the 15th Welsh, then in Normandy i presume he came under XXX Corp attached to the 43rd Wessex @ Vernon and presumably 9something in his records) the 50th Highland Div @ Nihjmejen (sorry for the spelling...) - then Belsen, then ....?

Anyway - back to question - are all Fld Prk Coy numbered 48 - irrespective who they were attached to?

I don't know? Here is another plate, dedicated to 43rd Div. I must admit that I also struggle to understand British markings. I usually copy a picture or something that is known or published in a book. Failing that I will ask Rik....And then sometimes end up even more confused than I was to start with Ron

PS. This thread is getting very long! Time to start 3HW (part 2)

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

('This thread is getting very long! Time to start 3HW (part 2)')...

('Start a new thread..This one's getting too long... ...Ian ')


Definitely.. ....Ian

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