Got my bike at last...

[Hassman]

I finally went down to Mae Sot and picked up my 70 year old Matchless I found in Rangoon a few months back.

I paid the guy in Rangoon to get it to running condition and it did indeed run -after a few kicks it started and seemed to run pretty decent, not a lot of smoke and no grinding or shearing noises so that must be good then!
It would be tempting fate to start riding it around though, so we disassembled it and stuffed it in sacks and loaded it on my pick-up truck for the return to Chiang Mai.

My missus was not that very impressed with fork and engine oil filling up the back of the truck but then again she is a girl so what does she know of what is really important in life....

Sorry but no new photos of it, you will have to make do with these images that were taken in Rangoon.
When I found it; sad and in need of a new home:

After it was made to run again and on its way to Myawadi/Mae Sot:

Even though it ran and I am as happy as Larry there are plenty of things that needs to be sorted out:
The mud guards are from a BSA M20 -I will try to roll proper ones when I get around to it.
The magneto ignition is still there but not connected up, instead it has been fitted with electronic ignition -I may keep the electronic ignition on it.
The original AMAL caburettor is missing and some crappy Chinese brand has been fitted instead.
The front hub has been fitted the wrong way around -the brake should be on the left side.
There is something looking pretty wrong and effed up with the rear brake.
The muffler is home made but a guy in Mae Sot has an original one, he may also have an AMAL carburettor for me..
The head has cracked and has been welded -not sure if it is only the cooling fins or of the entire head at some point has been in two parts.
The aluminium rocker cover also has some cracks in it -the scary question is why there are cracks... will be interesting (and probably rather expensive) to find out, worst case I have to cast a new head, the rocker cover I think can be welded and sorted out.

I have yet to run the engine and frame numbers properly by the Matchless club in the UK, but preliminary information based on the engine number points to that it was built in (probably) 1942 for a Royal Air Force contract, I will see if they can find more stuff for me.

Hassman

 

[Steve Canyon]

That will keep you busy old chap...

Good luck with the project.. :RO

 

[LivinLOS]

Wow 1 I am impressed and 2) even more impressed by your restoration abilities.. Casting a new head ?? I am lucky to get get bolts off without rounding them !!

 

[KTMphil]

Mr. H - Big congratulations on pulling this off, quite an achievement having one of only 5 vintage Matchless bikes in Thailand, can't wait to see it finished. :MJ

 

[Hassman]

LivinLOS;
Whilst I said that I may have to cast a new head I did not mean that I personally would cast it, most likely I would make a plug/master/pattern (which ever name you want to give it) by myself and then have it cast by a foundry, there is one close to JJ Market that has done work for me before.

Having said that... it is quite possible to build a small furnace and cast it in aluzinc in the back yard...

Will see what horrors await me after pulling the rocker cover in a few months

Phil, thanks a lot, and I feel the pressure... got to get it in top notch condition and ride to Nan...
Hassman

 

[LivinLOS]

LivinLOS;
Whilst I said that I may have to cast a new head I did not mean that I personally would cast it, most likely I would make a plug/master/pattern (which ever name you want to give it) by myself and then have it cast by a foundry, there is one close to JJ Market that has done work for me before.

The fact that you consider that cheating just impresses me more..

Seriously.. Lovely old bit of kit.. Good luck and please keep posting about it..

And theres me thinking my old blade is a challenge cos I have to order bits from europe !!

 

[Hassman]

I will keep updating on the progress but it will be slow going as I need to get my house built first.

Got a 1951 Husqvarna coming over from Sweden at some point in the year as well, I will be busy. :d

 

[Hassman]

I took some photos of the frame, gearbox and engine numbers and sent to the Matchless UK club for dating and history, I also took this photo of the cracked rocker cover;

It can be welded and ground smooth with no problems but the interesting question is why both sides have cracked, possibly the tappet adjustment screws have been wound out way too far and they have touched the cover when kicking the bike over... I guess I will find out one of these days...

 

[Hoghead]

Just bought a 1947 BSA model B-31 from the same guy in Rangoon. All he has left are a few ugly mid 60's BSA Thunderbolts and claims that all the good stuff is now gone - just my luck
In any case the BSA is in for a complete rebuild using his hoard of NOS parts, and should be finished in 2 months

 

[Hassman]

Hoghead, did you get yours from T.A.K.?

I saw two or three B31's at T.A.K. last time I was there and the guy I bought the Matchie from (I don't actually know the guys name) had one or two as well.
I quite like the B31's too and also the old style BSA Bantams, not sure if there any older ones of them around at all...

 

[johnnysneds]

I took some photos of the frame, gearbox and engine numbers and sent to the Matchless UK club for dating and history, I also took this photo of the cracked rocker cover;

It can be welded and ground smooth with no problems but the interesting question is why both sides have cracked, possibly the tappet adjustment screws have been wound out way too far and they have touched the cover when kicking the bike over... I guess I will find out one of these days...

Its hard to tell from the photo but the rocker cover looks like it has taken an external blow to the right.

 

[KTMphil]

Hoghead, did you get yours from T.A.K.?

I saw two or three B31's at T.A.K. last time I was there and the guy I bought the Matchie from (I don't actually know the guys name) had one or two as well.
I quite like the B31's too and also the old style BSA Bantams, not sure if there any older ones of them around at all...

Were there any pre-1950 Norton's left?

 

[Hassman]

Nope...

However the guy I got my bike from has a Norton, not sure what year or condition, I was told by someone else that he has it.

 

[Hoghead]

Yes I bought it from TAK

TAK tells me that the Norton is a rough Commando that he wants 7000 USD for. At that price I would buy a good one in the USA
All the good stuff is gone, and when I bought the B-31 he was down to the last one

 

[Hassman]

Hoghead; I bought my bike not from TAK but from a small shop owned by a Karen guy, I saw at least parts for a B31 in his shop, I would like one at some point in time but now is not the time as I am spending a lot of cash on building my house.

I may speak to the guy in Mae Sot who helped me get the Matchie in as he has a good idea of what is around and what can be sourced still.

Another idea will be Indonesia as there are some bikes down there still.

Johnny, will lift that cover and have a look at the death and destruction in a few months time... I am sure that it will be "rather interesting".

 

[Hassman]

I got some information back from the UK Matchless club;

The frame was built in 1941 and the chances are 60 to 1 that it originally had a girder front end, I will try to find this out and if it did indeed have a girder front I will try to find one and fit it.
The original engine has at some time been swapped out, the engine in the bike is from 1942 from a contract issued by the Royal Air Force, either the engine was swapped during the war or after when the bike was in civilian use in Burma.

 

[Steve Canyon]

Bet these guys can help ya...

http://www.ajs-matchless.com/

 

[Hassman]

Bet these guys can help ya...

http://www.ajs-matchless.com/

Indeed they can, I am a member there already, they are the ones who gave me the info. :d
The only little drawback is that they are not that very much on the ball with what they call "pre-war" machines, basically they know everything there is to know about machines after 1945 but for the pre-war and during the war machines they have sketchy information only.

 

[rhiekel]

That is waaaayyyyy cool. I am truly impressed......

 

[Hassman]

Thanks Rob!

I reckon when I ride that in town in the evening, the girls will fall over each other trying to get me... well that's the plan anyway!

 

[KTMphil]

What color is it going to be?

 

[Hassman]

Not sure of colour yet.

As it was used by the armed forces it should be something like this:

But since that means spending countless of hours fixing all the things that are wrong with it (and there are plenty!) and assembling it, just to then get at it with flat green paint and a wide brush all over cables, handles, bolt heads and other bits I reckon I will do something else, perhaps:

or if the tank will not look good in chrome:

Once you go black you never go back I have heard...

Comments?

 

[bigntall]

Hass - Fantastic to see the thing taking shape. It looks bloody awesome and can't wait to see it running about. I've gone black a few too many times and hence like the chrome tank look with contrasting black tank pads. best of luck with the project.

 

[Constantine Phaulkon]

Pretty nice--you might have problems getting such an apparently rare vintage motorcycle out of the country but if you tire of it I'm sure some rich westerner or local will buy it from you in Thailand. Wasn't clear from the thread whether the 'new' 'restored' bike is another bike or the 70 year old bike from Burma--I can't believe it was restored so nicely--unless there are no original parts left!

For anything to survive 70 years in such a high heat and humidity place is a minor miracle.

Good luck and congratulations. Also keep an eye on it as it might get stolen...

 

[Hassman]

Guys the three last images are not my bike, but restored ones in the UK and elsewhere.
Mine is still in tatters awaiting restoration.

If the tank comes out fine with not too many dents and such I will chrome it and go with the chrome/black look, if however the tank looks crap I will have to bog it up with filler and do it black.

Below an image of a Matchless G4 pre-war model with some burgundy red as well as black, I may do something like this if I reckon that black is too much.

Cheers,
Hassman

 

[Lao2stroker]

Classic bikes those, just ooozing in gorgeous....And I was like the others "How the hell he'd do that so quick and well??!!" Great score and best of luck...Ebay can get you alot of the small bits you need, but you're gonna spend $$$$$.