AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hi Guys,

Does WD G3L came with sidecar?
If yes, from where to get one.

Patni



here are the images

There is one here so it is possible. I am not sure other than through adverts / auctions / autojumbles etc where you would get one from.

Ian

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MATCHLESS-G3- ... LE-SIDECAR

listing has been removed, but you are right that one was listed so it is a possibility.

Thanks Ian, i think we have to look around.

I have not checked, but I am sure no WD 350 Matchless were supplied to the war office in combination form. If you check when Matchless last produced a side car, it would had been for a v twin & some time before WW2. I would had thought, had the war office wanted combinations, a BSA or Norton 500 SV would had been their choice.Edited by - Rob Harknett on 04 Sep 2012 7:28:39 PM

Just as a matter of interest on this subject, certain AFS (Auxiliary Fire Service) records list Matchless XYM 599, a 1960 G3, as being fitted with a 'Sidcar mounted Pump'. This may well have been an experimental machine, no information as to where or when the sidecar was fitted.

Folks i forgot to mentioned that mine is 1941 WG3L, i also believe that WG3L was never supplied with the combination.

But guys I had a 1955 G3L once and that machine had factory fitted sidecar mounting installed.

most models have fixing points for side cars, and many were fitted with various makes of side cars by people buying them.
Perhaps the war office did the same, in which case they would had got side cars from the various manufacturers to fit on the bikes. That does alter the question a bit, to, were any WD matchless fitted with side cars, if so what make and model of side car was used.

Dave, by sidecar mounted pump, best to explain perhaps, I am sure you mean a water pump. not oil or air pump.
The Coventry Climax pump would fit on a side car chassis quite easy, I would had thought. They came fitted in a craddle for use in the old Green Goddess. We could just pull them out, carry them anywhere perhaps to river, stream, pond or what ever, close to a fire. I believe they pumped 500 gallons a minute. Faded memory. On an exercise once we spoted a large house with large swimming pool near a fire we had to put out. We emptied the pool, got into trouble over that. The bill to refill it was sent to county hall. As it was county that controled the CD & AFS, unlike the CD, AFS were trained by our local fire service. A full time sub officer was our instructor, not an AFS person promoted to instructor. We had a lot of fun in the AFS, like fitting hard suction to the rear pump on a bikini raft, at an angle, when the instructor demonstated to us, all the craft did was go round in circles. while we legged it to the pub leaving him standed.
Long story, he got his own back on us.Edited by - Rob Harknett on 04 Sep 2012 9:33:44 PM

Rob, you are absolutely correct of course, I should have mentioned it would have been a water pump, as you say, more than likely a Coventry Climax. Wish I could find a photo of that one... Edited by - DWS on 04 Sep 2012 10:19:08 PM

We only had one solo Dave and I never got chance to ride it. I think the guy who did ride it considered it his. When I asked if I could take the Home office test, he was quick to comment we only have one bike & I ride that.