New Matchless Project

[t7ommy]

Hello im Tom 36 from Ashbourne derbyshire.
Im just trying to gather a little information on a matchless bike ive been to look at, The frame has been identified through the online dating form as a 1947 G3L 19735, but engine number is hidden on the information that came up, as fits with there being only what i think is just a casting number in the crank case that is 9777.

Many Thanks Tom

[clive]

Those numbers on the engine do not look like the font used at the factory. In addition the case has the two holes for the brass plate fitted to WD machines. My guess is that this was a spare crankcase either sold off later or replaced during use and the numbers were stamped later when it was brought into use. The Alfin barrel fitted was an aftermarket alloy item fitted as an update, often on machines being used for trials. Its quite sought after.
A correct engine number for the frame would be 47/G3L/.....

[t7ommy]

Thank you for you’re reply Clive I’ve bought the bike and pick it up Thursday need a lot of work and parts so I will be calling on the forum again for sure. For info. Also I will post pictures when I get the bike home.

[SPRIDDLER]

Welcome to the Club and Forums, Tom.

I agree with Clive about the holes for the WD contract plate, plus the desirability of the alloy ALFIN cylinder. It looks as though a 3/16" compression reduction plate is also fitted at the base of the cylinder which would tie it in with trials use although they were also fitted on the WD bikes with the standard iron cylinders to make them more suitable for the low octane pool petrol..

Looking forward to seeing photos of the bike!

There are several WD issued manuals in the archives for this model.
Here's one:

http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Workshop ... ndards.pdf




Service replacement engines were introduced by Matchless in May 1942. Complete engines were then given the part number 41-G3L-E701. These engines had a pressed-steel plate where the engine number would normally have been stamped on the primary side crankcase. It is not normal to find a number stamped beneath this plate. There are examples where the plate has been removed and the original engine number stamped on, the absence of the plate being marked by the two fixing holes. Sometimes the original engine number was stamped on the plate.##

This is the sort of engine i.d plate that would have been fitted..........

WD g3l engine plate.jpg

[t7ommy]

Thank you I can see that I’m going to enjoy this project with the amount of knowledge you guys are sharing, it also has a high level exhaust and apparently a competition magneto (yet to be confirmed tho) so may tie in with the trials/competition theory. I will post detailed photographs on Thursday for you guys to scrutinise. And hopefully shed some light on it’s history

[t7ommy]

so....... as promised ive got the bike home, got the horrors slightly, thinking this is going to be a lot of work!! and finding out parts, finding the parts i think is going to be tedious to say the least as im still learning alot about working on old british bikes, but the challenge is what i wanted so im sticking to it.
After an hour or two hours of cleaning before i closed up the garage for the night this is the stage i got to. i think what ive been battling with is denso paste a real sod to remove but also great that in its past the owner wanted to preserve what is here. any good tips on how to remove it efficiently would be brilliant,
Here are few photographs i took for you guys to have a look at, please don't hold back tell me what you see (good if any) and bad, and any information and help you guys can give me will be massively appreciated

many thanks Tom

[clive]

So this has the makings of a nice bike but it is far from a standard 47 G3L so go down the route of continuing to make a special. A quick check of the photos shows 5 1/2 brakes alloy petrol tank the alfin barrel an alloy top yoke (fitted 48 to 50 i think.) an alloy cylinder head (47 would have been iron) and of course the drilled gear change! All suitable for a trials or off road bike. There is quite a lot missing but if you go for ally mudguards a comp style single seat, new or secondhand carb should all be fairly easy to track down. Good luck.

[Duncan]

i think what ive been battling with is denso paste a real sod to remove but also great that in its past the owner wanted to preserve what is here. any good tips on how to remove it efficiently would be brilliant

I've never tried to remove Denso but as its a petrolatum based product I would try white spirit/petrol/brake cleaner and see what works best after scraping off any large lumps.

As Clive says you have the makings of an interesting trail/trials bike there, you will need quite a few of the small bits to link all of the big bits together these are often available at auto jumbles and/or friends at your local section may have some parts under their bench looking for a new home.

[Duncan]

A couple of places to look for non standard trail parts:
https://www.feked.com/trials-bike-parts/
https://www.terryweedy.com/
http://www.progressiveclassicproducts.co.uk/index.html

[century]

gday mate ,what a nice bit of gear,building a 350 from bits this way ,no concours job I'm impressed with yours,love the upswept pipe mine will have one,take care,dave