I have just purchased a WD M20 that had been off the road for several years, after getting it home discovered that it does not have a frame number also the engine is blank, its definitely a WD model in military green and it has the early style bash plate on it.
Any ideas as to why this should be lads? looking forward in anticipation at your replies.

Kind regards TTJohn

email (option): Jomichael@aol.com

Hi John

Is it possible that the numbers have been removed, or are you sure there have never been any numbers?

Spare frames and engines were supplied by BSA, Chris Wilkinson used to have some NOS unstamped front frames.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11(a)yahoo.co.uk

Rob, No there have never been any numbers stamped on the frame, it is black under the military paint and the engine just has WM20 and that's it, the frame may be a replacement frame from that source as the forks seem to be a replacement also.

email (option): Jomichael@aol.com

Nearly all the WD contracts refer to 10% spare frames and 10% spare engines (as well as 5% spare gearboxes) and there is absolutely no evidence after 1940 of regular large gaps in the supplied machine numbers to suggest that they were delivered with engine and frame numbers.

I suspect that many of these components were used up during the post-war rebuilds and would have been stamped with the donor number but some have clearly escaped on to the private market and I can imagine that few owners in the 1950s would have had a set of number stamps.

Quite true Rik, I guess I will have to borrow some stamps and put on it which year I feel appropriate. I think the bash plates with the lugs were the earlier type, not quite sure that they were replaced with the wrap around type, I think it was about the 1940 mark.

email (option): Jomichael@aol.com

I think the bash plates with the lugs were the earlier type, not quite sure that they were replaced with the wrap around type, I think it was about the 1940 mark.

John, I think it was a bit later than that. I think that you can tell early and late frames, by where the petrol tank and seat bracket is. Henk posted some photos awhile back. He may be kind enough to post again

Dave

email (option): jeepfinger@blueyonder.co.uk

Hi,

The main difference between early and late war (front) frames are the saddle lugs. Early bikes had a one piece part that supports both tank and saddle. This is a constructed of folded metal. Late(r) war frames have two separate parts brazed on the frame one folded metal construction as tank support and one forced piece of metal for the saddle.

Greetings from sunny Crete,
Henk

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl