G3 WO or G3L?

Information relating to the Matchless G3 or AJS Model 16 350cc Heavyweight
G12atlast_LAPSED
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G3 WO or G3L?

Post by G12atlast_LAPSED »

Hi all,

I'm still trying to date my recent purchase... V5c says 1940...

Frame 5559, but with what look like G3L front tank lugs, not the straight bar of a G3 WO

Engine 40/G37366

I'll get a club dating cert - pity about the missing g/box number. Perhaps it was a little warm to the touch at some point in the past?!! :shock:

No gearbox number visible, feeling the top of the inner case above the kickstart I feel undulations and there is, maybe, a faint bit of a number. Perhaps it's been removed at some point?

No sidecar lug. A few pics attached...

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Cheers,

Simon
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Rob Harknett
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Re: G3 WO or G3L?

Post by Rob Harknett »

The bike is a mixture of parts. You have a V5C. A bike is dated on the frame. Frame numbers were restarted after 1939 for G3/WO, again for 41/G3L and again for post war machines. You have a 39/40 Front end. The frame cannot be 39 / 40 as it has no side car lug, So its 41/G3L or even post war. Engine is said to have a 40/ G3 prefix. I cannot see the number or the engine complete RH side to make comment except. I have never come across a 40/G3.
G12atlast_LAPSED
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Re: G3 WO or G3L?

Post by G12atlast_LAPSED »

Cheers Rob,

Pics of rh side and the number here. My only urgent job is to find a source for the rear lifting handle (G3 and G3L the same hopefully) and to renew the tyres and send the wheels off to Saftek for brake improvement. Then it's ride, ride and enjoy :)

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Simon
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Rob Harknett
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Re: G3 WO or G3L?

Post by Rob Harknett »

http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Spares_l ... _C8078.pdf
Very interesting. The engine number is perfect. Which is what I really wanted to see for myself. All too often they have been tampered with. I cannot see the top end of the engine, which I would have liked to see. I am sure you will find it has Rocker inspection caps. They are the same part as the cap that holds in your oil tank filter.
Look at the parts list above. Within it you will find all the frame and engine numbers used for the G3/WO. Numbers were restarted for the G3/WO.
You will see none of your numbers are there.
Numbers were restarted again for the 41G3/L. I do not think your bike is 41/G3L. The 40/G3 WO parts infomation seems rule out it being a 40/G3WO.
Your bike does appear to be a 1940 G3. Very few 1940 G3 were sold on the civi market. The same can be discovered for a civi AJS. Many 1940 AJS were impressed for WO depts. usualy as despatch riders bikes, of which many ATS girls rode. Impressed AJS bike numbers are also stated in the impressed AJS models parts list. so if a 1940 AJS bike numbers do not appear in that parts list. It was sold on the civi market.
1940 Matchless G3 were used by the armed forces and called G3WO. You could use the WO parts lists ( with war ofiice modifications ) for your bike. Just ignore the war office mods. like finish. These part numbers will have a finish prefex code. like KF for Khaki finish. DC for dull chrome etc. The 1939 Sales cat will give you a good idea of what your bike looked like. But was supplied with a non instrument panel tank, with a headlamp incorporating a switch panel. As were some of the G3WO machines. You will note your bikes frame number is earlier than the G3WO number except just 1 or 2 that start 5. The 41G3L and early post war had a rear guard Y stay without the lifting handle part. By 1948 the Y stay had the lifting handle as in 1939. What you have could be correct. See 48 Y stay with lifting handle.
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G12atlast_LAPSED
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Re: G3 WO or G3L?

Post by G12atlast_LAPSED »

Thanks Rob,

That's really interesting. I'd love to know its story and it would be very exciting if it is a civvie G3. In which case it sounds like the absence of a lifting handle might be correct, along with the G3L type front tank mounts?

I've attached a pic of the top end - standard later inspection cover, I think. Interestingly, whilst the G3WO parts book refers to two tappet inspection covers the G3WO handbook twice refers to removing the nuts on 'the tappet inspection cover' - very ambiguous!

Thanks so much for your information, it's made me very interested to find out more.

Simon

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Rob Harknett
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Re: G3 WO or G3L?

Post by Rob Harknett »

You miss read what I said. I did say 2 rocker cover inspection caps, same cap that secures the oil tank filter. Not Tappet cover. The 3 acorn nut Tappet cover was not later, it was earlier, introduced in 1939 along with the 2 rocker cover caps. 1941 did not have the rocker cover caps. Your 1940 G3 should have the rocker caps. It was this part of the top end I wanted to see.
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Rob Harknett
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Re: G3 WO or G3L?

Post by Rob Harknett »

Sadly your bike has lost its original reg. no. Had it still got its original no. records may have survived archived, to discover its early history.
G12atlast_LAPSED
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Re: G3 WO or G3L?

Post by G12atlast_LAPSED »

Ah, I see, Rob,

No joy there, sadly. Here's the pic of the exhaust end! No inspection covers present.

Image

I'm sure I'll come across the correct cover one day

Simon
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Rob Harknett
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Re: G3 WO or G3L?

Post by Rob Harknett »

As my recent e mail. As 1940 civi AJS & Matchless bikes rarely turn up, I have done further research of part lists for Matchless 39, 1940 parts that differ from 39 G3WO and 41 G3L. It is know, 39 & 40 AJS had the fully enclosed valve spring rocker box with the 2 rocker inspection caps. There is no mention of these caps for 39/40 Matchless in the parts lists as in AJS 39/40 parts lists. THe 1940 Matchless civi G3 is quite rare, so I have never had need to do much research on them. 1940 civi AJS are better documented, they do turn up more often. At that time Matchless became more like AJS. So from then on wards they became very much alike. Until Matchless engines got the AJS engine type mag at the front. Then onwards, almost only badge different.
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Duncan
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Re: G3 WO or G3L?

Post by Duncan »

Here is another (crankcases at least) some 8,000 on in engine number sequence, interesting to see the lip inside the crankcase barrel recess:
1940 G3 Crankcase.JPG
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