Splendid photo of the WD 16H - C4194154 - observations no side stand, no sump shield, what appears to be the low level toolbox on the exhaust side, plated rear brake pedal and rod - hooded blackout mask, knee grips and rubber footrests.

Handlebars in the racing position!!...:laughing: ...Ian

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

The specification is spot-on for an early-war 16H. This would be W15852 from contract C6127 and would have been delivered around July 1940. It's certainly missing the field stand but is too early to have the additional pillion footrest lug.

The only real difference between this and the first wartime production (or indeed the 1939 bikes) is that the formerly central speedo had been moved to an offset bracket.

Crankcase protectors were quite late coming to WD16Hs...maybe because with them fitted, the didn't meet the minimum ground clearance requirements ? A version had been fitted before the war to India Office 16Hs and they were on the SWD Big 4s, a puzzle really. Wartime photos suggest that up to W50000 had no guards fitted.

Still lots of dull chrome and all the pre-war style rubbers at this stage of 1940.

I've pasted the photo below so the thread continues to make sense when the photo is changed.



Anyne recognise the coloured Field Service cap ? Could it be Signals ?

Do you remember Rik, that I borrowed an original clamp on footrest lug from the councilor guy in Kent. These were obviously used for pillion upgrade before the extra lug was built on at the factory. I had a small batch cast in Bronze and machined by a mate. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Inns of Court regiment?....Ian

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

It could be Signals...Ian

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

I have one of those original clamps which came in a box of Norton stuff years ago and often wondered what it was all about.

On the photo of the machine I thought the bracket on the mudguard stay for the field stand looked a bit high up compared to the position on my 16H which uses all original parts - may of course just be my eyesight!!

Definitely not the first Norton parts I've had reproduced Keith. But if you don't need that original lug?.....



Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Good Heavens - that is one substantial production of rebound units - did you source the rubbers to go in them?

My clamp by the way is somewhat unusual so if I remember I will put it with some other things when I see you in May.

No problem with the rubbers Keith! Jeff the rubber man now makes the correct bump stop rubbers. jeffalanhunter@aol.com

Before anyone asks, those castings are all long gone!

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Ron, I certainly remember the footrest lugs...I had one from you. It's been on a couple of times but no-one here really likes riding pillion on a rigid so it's only ever been a temporary fitment.

The fitment of the second lug is difficult to pin down exactly but it definitely appeared mid-way through contract C7353 - it is a very small items to see on an old photo but it seems to be there from about the time that they stopped fitting the pannier tool boxes. Somewhere around W33000 during early 1941 would seem likely.

The full pillion kit with panniers seems to have been fitted from W45000 or so. There must have been a lot of those clamp-on lugs produced, tens of thousands but presumably with the removal of the field stands for post-war civilian use, there would have been no need for the extra bracket. It's a well-supported thing, with the boss against the brake torque arm. Not as quick and easy to fit as it looks.