Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Where is that old bike?
Ivesy_boy
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Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Post by Ivesy_boy »

HI There i am trying to identify the model of an old Matchless it belonged to my Birth father the registration of which was GEW 889
GEW889s.jpg
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clive
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Re: Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Post by clive »

Difficult to be sure whether it is a 350 or 500 because it has legshields which turn back and obscure the engine barrel. I would suggest it is a Matchless G3L (the 350 but it could be a G80 the 500) Telescopic forks suggest it is after 1941 whilst the WD type small front brake hub and the absence of headlight "ears" suggest it is no later than 1948. Could be a WD machine that has been civilianised but more likely to be 47 or 48 model sold to the home market. Someone may be able to date it from the number plate.
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Rob Harknett
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Re: Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Post by Rob Harknett »

GEW issued by Hunstanton Jan 1948 to Dec 1949 GEW 888 suggests 1949 ? but could be a 48 model
Reynard24
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Re: Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Post by Reynard24 »

GEW would have been a Huntingdonshire registration Rob not Hunstanton.
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clive
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Re: Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Post by clive »

Rob Harknett wrote:GEW issued by Hunstanton Jan 1948 to Dec 1949 GEW 888 suggests 1949 ? but could be a 48 model
49 model 7 inch front brake with chromed brakeplate and the two bolts through the slider and thinking about it so was the 48 so it probably makes it a 47 model. I thought there was a shortage after the war and pressure to export so unlikely a bike would stand unsold for a couple of years. I wonder if it is a civilianised WD bike sold off and registered in 49?
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Rob Harknett
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Re: Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Post by Rob Harknett »

Reynard24 wrote:GEW would have been a Huntingdonshire registration Rob not Hunstanton.

I often get that town wrong. The book say's Huntingdon. The local office Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire.
If you really want to confirm year, I understand records are archived with the kithead trust.
https://kitheadtrust.org.uk/
Reynard24
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Re: Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Post by Reynard24 »

I don't think that the Kithead trust holds the Huntingdonshire records but does suggest the Huntingdon County Records Office in Huntingdon but you would probably need the frame number.
It might help if you had the supplying dealer - I'd suggest Hallens who had a branch in St Ives Hunts at that time and were AMC dealers.
Ivesy_boy
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Re: Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Post by Ivesy_boy »

Thanks to everyone who contributing to this..

Cliff lived around Cambridge.. so the bike could have been Huntingdon registered etc?
im probably guesting the bike itself isn't about anymore but my goal is to buy as closer model to this as possible when eif something becomes available

so my question wood be what would the best guess be..

Thanks to you all
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Rob Harknett
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Re: Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Post by Rob Harknett »

Reynard24 wrote:I don't think that the Kithead trust holds the Huntingdonshire records but does suggest the Huntingdon County Records Office in Huntingdon but you would probably need the frame number.
It might help if you had the supplying dealer - I'd suggest Hallens who had a branch in St Ives Hunts at that time and were AMC dealers.
I checked as the kithead trust will tell of surviving records, seems all records are still at Huntingdon. You need the reg. no. You can discover where a reg. no. was issed via the last 2 letters of the number. Frame numbers are used to discover bike details via factory records.
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clive
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Re: Looking to identify an old bike model - GEW 889

Post by clive »

Ivesy_boy wrote:Thanks to everyone who contributing to this..

Cliff lived around Cambridge.. so the bike could have been Huntingdon registered etc?
im probably guesting the bike itself isn't about anymore but my goal is to buy as closer model to this as possible when eif something becomes available

so my question wood be what would the best guess be..

Thanks to you all
DVLA returns no record for the registration number so it probably is no more. If you want to buy a lookalike I would go for a 46 or 47 Matchless G3L and you will probably get something very close to the photo. There is a 47 500 AJS for sale on the club Kettering Classics website for 5k, a 350 would be a bit cheaper.
clive
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