Hello everyone. I recently acquired a 1944 M20 as a winter project. It appears to have mis matched frame and engine numbers. Frame is WM2038598 and engine number 104457. The PO told me that the gentleman he purchased the bike from 20 years ago told him that he had imported the bike to the States from Australia. I’m hoping that some of the resident experts can shed some more light on the history of this bike. Thanks in advance.

I calculate the WD serial number for WM20 38598 as C4355190. There were certainly some numbers fairly close to this that were sent to Australia. With a bit of luck, Rob Miller will be along shortly and can tell you from his databases if it had an Australian serial number, or if it appears in the post war British Army of the Rhine records which is the case with most of the WM20s in the U.S.



share images

Its in the post war key cards

591b 13YE18 38598 C7287 4355190 16 BVD BAOR B41 16/2/70

Can't see it in the Australian ledgers but that not surprising if it was sold off in Europe in 1970.

Rob

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

501 bikes further on the production line... (must have been about one week's production)



And here's 13YE38, both bikes must have stood in the same workshop sometime...

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Thanks everyone for replies. It’s good to know some background on these bikes that are steeped in history. Looking forward to getting it back together and riding it when the weather warms up. Thanks again.

A high res. digital scan of the relevant Key Card (591b) can be bought from me, for 20 Euro's, there's usually 15-18 bikes on one card.

Cheers,

Lex

ps, replace ** for ke in the emailaddress

email (option): welbike@welbi**.net