I have a question regarding the headlamp ring.

I have seen images of people's bikes with the entire headlamp painted green and also images where the headlamp ring is painted black, as below.

In both below examples these are described as NOS. So I am assuming this is the correct paint scheme.

Can someone clarify please?




Cheers

Al

I would guess that these NOS headlamps with the black rim are late or post war when black out restrictions were relaxed, and the black mask was just replaced with a black rim. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

The brown paint would indicate 1942 to early 1944 production.

The blackout wasn't universal in every part of the world where British troops and our allies operated.

Rob

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

What happened to stocked headlamps at the end of the war? I'd have thought there was a good chance that the masks were removed on the first occasion that the lamps were checked and re-packaged.

Years ago you used to find boxed NOS DU42 headlamps with blackout masks, but they got snapped up and used first, these with a glass lens and the MU42 types are the last dregs here in Britain, but maybe there are still unfound stocks overseas somewhere?

Rob

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

I think Rik is referring to the fact that although the headlamps might date from mid war, the black rim was added after the mask was removed.?? Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Its possible

Rob

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

Yes, that was what I meant...Most NOS WD spares that I've seen in dated boxes have been subject to 1950s re-packing, even the KG3 stuff...Presumably at some point in the 1950s they'd have stopped storing them all with masks and converted to full glass ?

One of the images I have seen is this one.

Which I understand was taken early on when the G3L was first built (pre-production version) at Lincoln's Inn Fields, London. It has the Blackout shroud and the black rim.

Black was common for the BO mask. Here's one Lucas and one Miller. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

I have boxed NOS Lucas Du42 retaining rings with glass and circlips to secure the glass in the ring. The retaining rings are all painted green.

I can post a few photos here later.

Regards,
Bastiaan

email (option): wdmotorcycles@gmail.com