Forum

[Norm]

I have a set of Bullet cases sitting here with no engine number, obviously been ground off and the cases polished up, just waiting for somebody who has blown a motor and wants to use their engine numbers. You would never be able to tell the difference because the original numbers were just stamped in a random manner anyway. Hughs engine number would never raise any red flags to the authorities as the numbers used would not be listed as stolen and would normally go un-noticed except when somebody starts digging around as Hugh has done.

[vince]

Hi, just to clarify, are you saying that the frame and engine have matching 1949 numbers? Vince

[Hugh]

This has become even more of a mystery than I imagined and glad it has stimulated the responses received. The frame number is 38000+ and the engine number 16000+ Both numbers are in the factory ledger at the date of dispatch to the dealer. The original entry in the ledger from the owners club photocopy of the original is quote 'Frame number 38XXX Engine number 16XXX Maroon dispatched from the factory on 22-02-57 to Whittakers of Blackpool'. Frame number and engine number prefaced by G2. It thus appears it left the factory as is. I will have a good look at the engine number again (magnifying glass aka Sherlock Holmes!) to see if any evidence of been ground out but from the above and previous look don't suspect so. The green log book as previously stated also has these numbers. Regards, Hugh

[Bullet Whisperer]

Perhaps whoever was stamping the numbers on the engines got distracted that day and stamped yours with the 'wrong' number, possibly getting a roasting for it, but then, it may have been realized this number hadn't been used on this later engine type than the '48, so they went ahead and fitted it to your machine? Perhaps it was a number intended for one of the twins, or, possibly a Crusader? Perhaps we will never know?

[Chris Tindal]

If the '49' engine number is recorded in the factory ledger as going out with your frame then there's the evidence it's not a re stamp. As Paul says, quite why they re used an earlier number on your cases we'll never know. If it has the original registration number then for a small fee you can get all the history of past owners from the DVLA. This may include a copy of the original buff logbook and it will show the frame and engine numbers it was first registered with. I have done this for both my bikes and it gives them a bit more provenance.

[Hugh]

Interestingly (or perhaps not) I have a VW vehicle which has a Vin No. beginning WV which someone setting up the 'punch' set backwards and when needing parts have to put in VW etc so BW maybe right in that someone has an off day when numbering. I'll try the DVLA if they can go back to 1957 unfortunately when I bought the bike 12 years ago I only have the continuation sheet issued in 1964.

In terms of its history originally sold to the original owner in 1957 whose son sold it to me some 50 years later - apparently there is a family photo in Australia which shows his dad with the bike and it is also mentioned in his correspondence with the DVLA. It was swopped at one stage in exchange for a house being painted, sold to a sailor in N.Ireland who bought it in Preston (previous bike an AJS 250cc) but subsequently bought a mini to get him to the NI port. One owner won the George Medal in Aden for rescuing an officer from a minefield displaying 'courage and cooling thinking' per the London Gazette and it was also swopped with someone's brother for his motorcycle - an MV Augusta. I wonder who got the better deal?

Thanks again all and enjoy the summer ride outs as the weather warms up.

I also hope you have found all the replies and what's here of interest.

Hugh

[Super45]

Very interesting! Sounds to me like its a factory parts bin special using up what was floating about in the stores dept.

[Super45]

Just a thought, could the engine be left over from an War dept/ MOD order that was returned post war, with being a '49 its within the realms of possibility and they bunged it in a frame in '57

[Bullet Whisperer]

Any WD engines would be two types earlier than the one described here, with totally separate gearboxes. The early [narrow] semi unit 350 engines appeared 1948/9 and these changed shape in 1955/6 to the wider type with the timing cover bulge for the auto advance ignition and oval oil pump covers, as discussed here.

[vince]

Hi, is there any evidence that the 1949 bike and the latter are in any way connected? IE same registration number. I was wondering if in the same way as a blank engine could be obtained, whether the owner ordered a replacement engine with his engine number (with rolling chassis) following a crash but only latter design available! I have read that redditch would make bikes to customer spec to get the order. Vince