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My Ariel W/NG

Hi , i am Luis from Buenos Aires,Argentina.
One year ago i bought this Ariel W/NG, but in Civilian Scheme painting.
According frame number my Ariel belongs to the 294/23/S.5514 contract.
At the moment I am completing missing parts, Once complete it will be disassembled and painted correctly.







Can you know in which british unit it served?

Regards

email (option): m606paz@yahoo.com.ar

Re: My Ariel W/NG

S5514 (originally for 3000 machines) was to have been delivered at 675 per month commencing September 1944. However, this does not seem to have been achieved as the contract records have a note dated 26/3/1945 stating "All vehicles remaining undelivered to be made suitable for the tropics" and it was then curtailed at 2957 machines.

Ariel WN/Gs were not much in evidence in NW Europe (except with the RAF). Quite a few went to Italy and the later contracts were mainly intended for the war against Japan so were sent initially to India. When the war ended (happily sooner than had been expected) many were supplied to friendly governments. We know that a quantity went to Norway direct from the UK but there may have been others.

There is also the possibility that machines as yet unissued were taken back by the factories and despatched for private sale to overseas customers - it is recorded that Royal Enfield did this on some scale.

It probably won't be possible to ascertain which units used your motorcycle. These records were all destroyed in the late 1940s. The first step should perhaps be to try to trace the history backwards. How did it come to be in Argentina (which was of course a large export market for Britain at the time).

It'll be nice once you have got rid of all the shiny bits ! :grinning:

Re: My Ariel W/NG

Hi Rik
Many thanks for your reply and comments!
Argentina bought a lot of Surplus Vehicles in Belgium after the war, former British army. It may have come along with Sherman tanks and CMP trucks, Carriers T16 etc etc..
Time ago i found this picture that by its registration number in the tank, it seems to be the same contract as mine. My frame numeber is XG44954

email (option): m606paz@yahoo.com.ar

Re: My Ariel W/NG

Parts Manual



email (option): m606paz@yahoo.com.ar

Re: My Ariel W/NG

Hello Luis and Rik. There are some strange things with these Ariel contracts and missing and mixed up information. Your bike is from contract 5514 which is the next and later dated contract after mine (4554) and yet they had earlier frame/engine and census numbers? (Mine is fitted with an earlier engine)

Yours also seems to have an earlier engine....Or at least an ally timing cover.....What is your engine number?

Buy the time of the very last contracts, the handlebar and controls were the standardized (M20) type and the steering damper and ammeter were deleted. Also as seen in you picture, the light switch under the saddle.....All economy measures! Ron

DSCF0825

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: My Ariel W/NG

Hi Ron Thanks for your comments!
My engine is BH21742 from 1942.
Here in Argentina it is difficult to find spare parts, so what little I need to buy in Europa.
Some things I will reproduce, like the pannier frame,field stand,etc etc.

email (option): m606paz@yahoo.com.ar

Re: My Ariel W/NG

My engine is also from an earlier contract in 1942. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: My Ariel W/NG

Ron, the reason for the out of order numbers seems to lie with S2601 which should have been for 4500 machines, then increased by 750 to 5250 (42001 - 47250) but for some reason they only delivered 2250 and the last one was 44250.

Before it was complete, they had already reserved 47251 to 51750 for S4554 (which was to have been 4500 bikes but only 4000 were delivered so it only went to 51350 !)

It looks as if they then went back with S5514 and allocated the unused block originally intended for S2601 (3000 numbers 47251 - 47250). Things went wrong again as they only delivered 2957 !

The demand dates all fit in consecutively. Presumably Ariel had trouble keeping up with the deliveries.

Re: My Ariel W/NG

Rik I'll have to sit down with my O&M and look at all this. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: My Ariel W/NG

Rik
What amazing information you have!!
The previous owner, found it abandoned and disassembly and could not know its origin.
But surely is coming from Europe.
Only one original part is missing from my motorcycle, the field stand lug.
But a Gentlemen from Holland gave me one that I rescued from an Ariel burned, to install in my frame.

email (option): m606paz@yahoo.com.ar

Re: My Ariel W/NG

Too much time spent in archives, on my part, Luis !

That lug casting will save you a lot of work !

Re: My Ariel W/NG

How lucky to have you and that you share so much information!

My parts manual does not list the Vokes filter. Could it have left the factory with that filter?

That Lug come from this Ariel http://pub37.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3155626639&frmid=16&msgid=1354350&cmd=show

email (option): m606paz@yahoo.com.ar

Re: My Ariel W/NG

Officially, only contract S6287 had the tank top filter - It seems likely that by then, all production was intended for the Far East. Prior to that, they were fitted 'in-theatre' as considered necessary.

Re: My Ariel W/NG

Ok Rik! Thank you for your time and comments! :clap: :clap:

email (option): m606paz@yahoo.com.ar

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