Have just treated myself to a Matchless 41,G3L.
Hoping you kind gentleman could help with obtaining a "C" number for the bike. Frame : 5028
Engine: 16795
Help appreciated
Regards, Scott

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

Looking at the O&M tables, your frame number tallies with a 1940 G3WO and the engine number numerals also indicate a 1940 G3WO, although your number seems to occupy a gap with no records.

Tele's have often been fitted to G3's. Has it got a sidecar lug on the front down tube?

Pictures!

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

sounds very much like a 39/40 G3WO fitted with teles, no problem with that, makes for a lighter machine and welcome to the fold!

email (option): barryrapley@sky.com

Hi, Thank you very much for comments, here's the other markings for engine number 40/SU G3 I'm collecting this bike next week so identifing it as g3 is a big plus for me, are there many g3's around with teles on??. If i changed over for girders what's the average cost. Who's the source for a "C" number. Regards Scott

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

scott you can,t always go by the numbering system in the early days of the war, even my G3WO would just have had a random number from the batch it was in according to those better informed, so although yours appears to be in a gap between numbers, dont worry, just pick a number from that batch, the chances of you having the same c number as someone else would be like winning the lottery!

email (option): barryrapley@sky.com

Thanks Barry, maybe I'll incorporate my lotto numbers into the my "C" one, probably heighten my chances of running out of fuel though!!
Any thoughts on what the SUeams on the engine number?
Cheers.

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

No idea what the "SU" means and I cant find any reference to that. However, interestingly O&M explain that in the transition from producing the G3WO to the G3L, ".......the last fifty Model G3WO machines produced became something of a hybrid, being fitted with, among other components, the engine and teledraulic front forks of the new Model G3/L".

PS, presumably if your frame IS a G3WO, it will retain the sidecar lug. Does it?

Will let you know in a couple of days, when I've got it home, obviously this lug is on the foot brake side, have you a pic of one?

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

Scott the main lug is on the front down tube under the tank. A G3 Rear frame will also have sidecar lugs by the rear wheel and no pillion foot peg lugs, but that part of the frame could also have been changed to G3L. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Scott......here is a photo of a G3WO (that I think Ron sent to me originally) and you can see the round lug clearly on the downtube under the petrol tank at the front and then in the rear frame, you can see a vacant hole in front of where the axle pin goes through and no pillion footrests.

That's a great reference pic, is it common for the lug to be removed or is there evidence that this has happened. If the frame number tallies with a g3 but has no lug what's the verdict.

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

I would say that if it's a G3 frame number and has no lug, then either the lug has been removed or the frame number has been tampered with. Best get some pictures when it's in your possession. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

The bike is now in my hands, will post pics tomorrow, all looks legit, numbers good, have its Dutch 1956 dated, original log book with frame and engine still matching present. Definitely no lug.

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

Scott, the simple answer is that if you have a frame with a low number consistent with a G3WO but it has no sidecar lug then you have a post war frame. In 1945 the numbering system went back to the start again and this frame continued until 1949 when the sidecar lug was reintroduced. Therefore your frame would have been made between 1945/9 and because of the low number I would suggest in 1945/6. Cheers, John

Hi John, thanks for info, so the presence of a g3 engine would be a replacement? And the teles would have always been there?

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

Bit confusing, so am I to believe then it's a g3l with a g3 engine in??

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

Scott, the best thing would be to post some pictures and then you would get some accurate details from the forum members.
Regards Gary

Scott, I agree with Gary as we really need to see some photos. It is not unusual for WD Matchlesses to be a mix of G3WO and G3L parts as they all have the same dimensions. When bikes passed through the REME workshops they just fitted what was to hand to get the bikes back on the road. I have seen this with several bikes I have had and they have been a complete mixture of both. For WD bikes this is not really a problem because it proves they were used , repaired and used again. Better this than a bike which spent its life in storage ans never saw any action.

In affect it is really an original Matchless Metisse. Metisse being the French word for mongrel.

John

Yep sounds like my jeep typical ex British army, 43 willys chassis. with script ford tub
Will take some pics, can I send to your email as I have no got the know how to go down the Flickr procedure!
Cheers Scott

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

Happy for you to email photos to me. Cheers John

email (option): Tinley@btinternet.com

Thanks John, for your help.

email (option): scottgpw42@btinternet.com

Scott's bike. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Very trim G3/L. Only non kosher bit thats obvious to me is the civvy style exhaust downpipe that runs below the footrest, rather than the kink on the military pattern to take it over the footrest.

Yes I already pointed that out to Scott Ferg. G3 type front pipe and riders foot pegs.

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Anyway, it looks better than the WDG3/L I saw at the National Motorcycle Museum on Saturday, which was sporting control cables fastened up to its handlebars with nylon ziplocks! Even I draw the line at that!! Still, its a good museum and well worth a visit. Maybe because I am an AMC man, I thought the Matchless display missed a trick........they have several marque displays that show development year by year......fascinating....but on the Matchless one, they left out the WDG3L which was a key motorcycle for the company, really setting the standard for postwar singles for AMC at least.