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New 1939 M20

Hi, new to the forum.

I just bought a (as listed) 1939 M20. It was restored about 25 years ago and has had the same owner for 40. And well cared for by the looks.

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The frame number is WM20 45171 and the engine number XM21 3073 so I'd say its a M21 in a 1941 frame. Can anyone help with dating the engine?

I don't take delivery for a few weeks but bet on there being some questions then...
I'm in Melbourne, Australia.

Cheers
Murray

Re: New 1939 M20

G'day Murray,
Welcome to the forum.
I'm in Melbourne also, Nice find. If you scroll up and click on the forum photo it takes you to the M20 web site, click on Civilian M20 then the what year tab. X denotes post war 1945-47 but for M21 it's 1946-47. 3073 seems like a low number so I'd say '46.
Nice to find you have an extra 100cc's how ever this is only equates to about 2 hp.

Re: New 1939 M20

Thanks Matty

Looking at Model Recognition Points it doesn't look like they changed very much 39 to 46. I'm not sure where the claim of 1939 for this machine comes from but I may learn something when I get the paper work.

Re: New 1939 M20

I'm afraid that I can't tell you anything at all about your post war engine Murray... The frame on the other hand is definitely military. The BSA with frame number (and also duplicated frame number on the engine) WM20.45171 was despatched from the Birmingham factory on 15/9/41, destination Ministry of Supply, London. It was part of contract C/9310. This was a contract for 9.000 bikes (frame numbers 44213 - 53212). The census number on the tank would have been C4554680.

Scherm-afbeelding-2024-09-20-om-09-30-46

The bike was transferred to the Australian Army, where it received the AMF census number 9411. After demob it was apparently sold to "Page Cycles Motors".

Scherm-afbeelding-2024-09-20-om-09-35-35

Here's a contract C9310 sister bike:

C4554827

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

Re: New 1939 M20

Thanks Jan, that was way more information than I was expecting.
So I guess its the frame that sets the date. I'll call it a 1941 model then.
I found 'Pages Motor and Cycle Works' in Townsville in 1913. Perhaps they were still around two world wars later.

Re: New 1939 M20

Good to see another M20 on Aussie roads! Looks nice. It has a later pattern gearbox, others could tell when these were introduced, sometime post WW2.

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