Oil tank

[Steve64]

Hi everyone, hope you are all safe and well, I am restoring a 1946 Matchless 500 and one of the boxes the bike came in was 2 oil tanks. Can anyone shed any light on which one is the correct one for that year. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Steve.

[alanengineer]

My guess is neither. I think the oil tank should have a pie crust filler cap, check your parts book

[SPRIDDLER]

1946 sales brochure here:

http://archives.jampot.dk/promotional/S ... _color.pdf

The tank should have the oil filter tunnel with chrome screw cap.

and here's my one previous owner '47 Ajay /(same tank as the Matchless I guess).

100_1333 (640x480) (2).jpg

Note that oil filler piecrust cap is on a 'spigot' that is angled out/away from from the tank side face which is different from yours:

100_1335 (640x480).jpg

Here's the illustration in this '46 Spares List:

http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Spares_l ... 3L_G80.pdf

Oiltank 1946.JPG

[g80csp11]

1946 oil tank G80L.jpg

And to confirm , pictures from my 1946 G80L
I remember your 47 Nev when we swapped bikes for a run out for breakfast run and my exhaust valve decided to stick , had to trailer home !

[Triumph-Legend]

Well it looks like the best of the two is the black painted one. The rusty one has a mount broken off and looks a bit knackered and may need a lot more cleaning up or repair to fit. Best advice is don't get too hung up over whether or not it is absolutely correct for the year, you can always swap it at a later date if a correct part comes along. There are loads of the bikes with parts that are not dead right and only the rivet counters would notice this change. It may have been done by a previous owner many years ago.

Do however give the tank a really good clean out, then give it another. If you would not drink out of it, then it is probably still mucky, so clean it again.


I have a couple of dead right 50's bikes. But one of the best is a 50's comp that started life as a rigid frame and was converted many years ago to a springer. A brilliant bike to ride and the back end does not slip and slide about on slippery roads like a rigid rear end. So, is it as left the factory? No. Is it better for it? Definitely.
Would I consider changing it back if I had a spare rigid frame? Not a chance, it would mess up a cracking good bike.

[Steve64]

Thanks a lot everyone for your help,when you compare the right with the wrong it's quite obvious, as suggested (Triumph Legend)I will use he good one until the correct one comes along. Again thanks for all the replies.
Take care all,Steve.

[g80csp11]

Oil Tank 2.JPG

Oil Tank 1.JPG

I have a spare oil tank that looks the same as the one on my 1946 , but postage costs to you must make sourcing parts difficult for you from the UK

[Triumph-Legend]

And another on Ebay. Number - 293809681140

AJS/Matchless Oil Tank c/w Cap. Early? Condition is "Used". Some rust, mounts need attention.
Buyer arranges courier.

There you go. A quick query and already two possible options. Says a lot for the benefit of club membership.

[Steve64]

Thanks guys, yes postage is a bit of a problem, can be more than the part . Best thing I did was to join this club, advice has been invaluable.
Cheers guys.