1937 AJS 26s

Information relating to Matchless and AJS Models built prior to 1939
djbuk
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 12:20 pm
Location: LANCS UK

1937 AJS 26s

Post by djbuk »

Hello there, I am currently sorting out a 1937 ajs model 26 and could do with some information concerning missing parts, firstly where is the anchor point for the center stand spring, 2nd and this may be the answer to my first question, on the front section of the rear mudguard about 6 inches up from the bottom are two bolt holes one of which has had a bolt fastened through it at some point, what is normally mounted here, 3rd at the back of the oil tank in front of the rear mudguard there are two bolts about one and a half inches apart loosely screwed into the oil tank, what is bolted here, 4th where is the voltage regulator mounted, presumably on a bracket bolted to the above mentioned oil tank bolts, 5th the crankcase breather, there is a coupling screwed into the crankcase should there be a pipe screwed to this coupling and where would the pipe run to, and finally does anyone make a speedo cable to fit the Burman HP gearbox. thank's Dave
When things get beyond a joke, light a cig and have a smoke. If you find a cig won't do, boil the kettle, have a brew.
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: 1937 AJS 26s

Post by Rob Harknett »

I guess you know, S after the model number means the bike was fitted with a single port head.
I assume you say its 1937 as 37 prefixes the engine number. A bike of this age may had had non standard parts fitted, I particular in its quite early life, during and just after a war. At that time one never bothered about fitting correct parts. Whatever was available and did the job was used. Answers do depend on the parts you have. So answers that refer to the original fittings may not apply. Pictures will be needed to see what you have got, unless you know 100% for certain, what you have is 100% correct for the year.
You can get a speedo cable made by JJ cables. I can give you details. The batch I had made sold our long ago. Have you got the speedo drive gear. This is held in the gearbox by the speedo cable. If it has been lost, gain the batch of speedo drive gears I had made is sold out. You may like to send me some pictures of the quest areas for answers. Rob Harknett. club prewar officer prewar@jampot.com
User avatar
dave16mct
Member
Posts: 3234
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: LANCASHIRE UK

Re: 1937 AJS 26s

Post by dave16mct »

The voltage regulator bolts on the 2 threaded holes on the back of the oil tank. I dug the remains of a '37 250 out of a riverbank near Carlisle in 1979. The regulator was still on the back of the oiltank! It had a centre stand but I can't remember how the spring fitted.
Cheers Dave.
djbuk
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 12:20 pm
Location: LANCS UK

Re: 1937 AJS 26s

Post by djbuk »

thank's for the speedy replies, Rob I did not know the S was for a single port mine is a 2 port head, the S is after the engine no rather than model no, I can not post pictures of the parts as these are missing, I have found pictures of this bike on the internet the first shows it in as found state up for auction where it had it's speedo, cable, oil filler cap and switchgear, later pictures show it in e bay ads on two separate occasions minus these parts, looks like they sold a few choice parts to make some extra dosh, although the speedo drive is there, at first sight the bike looked unmolested with no rounded off nuts and badly chewed up screws but when I got her home and had a closer look I found that it had been stripped and loosely assembled, finger tight nets, metric nuts and bolts and spacers and other bits missing, when I saw blue hylomar on the crankcase joint I decided to strip the engine and gearbox to check that nothing had been left loose in there and ended up fitting all new bearings and bushes, the original plan was to get it mechanically sound and roadworthy and I will leave it in original condition, at least now I know where the voltage regulator mounts. thank's Dave
When things get beyond a joke, light a cig and have a smoke. If you find a cig won't do, boil the kettle, have a brew.
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: 1937 AJS 26s

Post by Rob Harknett »

You should find the 1937 sales cat. refers to the S as a single port optional fitting on the twin ports.
Usually its the other way round e.g. you find a twin port that has a single port head.
I would not be too concerned about it having a twin port head, as that's how most people expect to see a model 26. In fact, a past owner may had thought the same and changed its single port head for a twin port. A speedo is required on a vehicle manufactured after July 1937, I forget the exact day of July. I mentioned it would be best to see pictures, to be sure you have the correct parts, to fit other correct parts on. I could then show you pictures of e.g. the oil tank with CVC fitted. You say the oil cap is missing. AJS are plain flat top with central flat head rivet, internal expanding fitting. Matchless had the same cap with the " pie crust " edge. as these fitted the WD matchless and were plentiful early post war, the early post war AJS were fited with pie crust on petrol & oil tanks, same as Matchless. The prewar AJS plain type now being much rarer are often replaced with Matchless pie crust caps. Pleased to hear the speedo drive was still in the gearbox, its pt. no. 98H http://archives.jampot.dk/Technical/Tra ... s_List.pdf
1937/26 was the first bike I rode back in 1956, I have still got some of it. When the engine blew, conrods through casing blow up,
it got dumped in the ditch at the bottom of the garden. It was a toy for my younger brother to take apart. I never tried to dig up what was left until 1987.
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: 1937 AJS 26s

Post by Rob Harknett »

Ashampoo_Snap_2014.04.13_17h19m29s_001_.png
Information of odd letters stamped after an engine number is difficult to find, sometimes impossible.
See my prewar page in April issue of Jampot referring to the S stamped after the engine number.
I have only seen this confirmed in the 1936 sales cat. as you see in the above attachment.
Prior to finding that, thoughts were it meant , speedo fitted, sports? and any thing else you could think of starting with S.
but as you see, it does mean an optional single port head was fitted. You even find some de lux models with all black petrol tanks, or the cheap models with chrome tanks. They could had been chosen instead of the standard petrol tank for the model.
I have used the mod 22 example to prove the S stamp meaning.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
djbuk
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 12:20 pm
Location: LANCS UK

Re: 1937 AJS 26s

Post by djbuk »

thank's for the info Rob, I have bought a used pie crust oil cap, I am not too concerned about having the exact right parts as long as they are in period I will be leaving the bike in original condition at least for the foreseeable future including the big dent/scrape in the headlamp rim. the bike was registered in March 37 but would like to have a speedo fitted, I have sorted the engine breather query and now only have the centre stand spring anchor point and the bolt hole in the lower front section of the rear mudguard, probably the spring mounting point but the spring would have to stretch a long way.. I will try to post some pictures but don't hold your breath. Dave
When things get beyond a joke, light a cig and have a smoke. If you find a cig won't do, boil the kettle, have a brew.
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: 1937 AJS 26s

Post by Rob Harknett »

There is a file size limit here on the forum for photo's, that's one reason I suggested you emailed them to me, & I would email pics to you.
Ib-Denmark
Member
Posts: 328
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1998 12:00 am
Location: FYN DENMARK
Contact:

Re: 1937 AJS 26s

Post by Ib-Denmark »

Re.
The center stand Ancker point
In my G8 1937 I have mounted a large washer in the bolt in the rear mudguard, and drilled two holes close to the rand.
In these holes I mounted two springs (Usually for prop stand) from Jampot Spares.
Maybe this is a home brewed solution, but it works.
One spring is not enough, people driving behind me told. The stand was jumping up and Down.
Regards Ib
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: 1937 AJS 26s

Post by Rob Harknett »

The parts list for 37 AJS states only one spring, there are however holes in each side of the stand in the triangle bracing the legs.
Other end goes to the bottom of the rear mudguard. Another neat way of fixing the springs here are, bolt, nut and washers fed in from the back, choose a bolt with about 1/4" thread protruding past the nut, file off these theads, drill a hole for the spring to hook into the end of the bolt.
As Ib states, the stand does tend to bounce up and down with one spring, a stronger spring makes it difficult to expand, when letting the stand down. So go for two weaker springs.
Locked