G3 exWO girder info

Information relating to the Matchless G3 or AJS Model 16 350cc Heavyweight
G12atlast_LAPSED
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G3 exWO girder info

Post by G12atlast_LAPSED »

Anyone know a source for manual, parts book and rider's handbook?

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I'm just getting to grips with my new bike - brakes shocking, pretty gutless (compared to my 18S) but it ticks over which is great!

Simon
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Re: G3 exWO girder info

Post by G12atlast_LAPSED »

Wow! Found the archive! Literature sorted.

Anyone got advice about the brakes?

Cheers Simon
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Rob Harknett
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Re: G3 exWO girder info

Post by Rob Harknett »

Guess you found this. http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Owners_m ... n_book.pdf
This. http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Spares_l ... _C5247.pdf
Also this. http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Owners_m ... Manual.pdf
Although it is for the WD. G3L which has tele forks. It should tell you all about brakes, except the Girder fork brake fittings.
For which this may help. http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Workshop ... .Neill.pdf
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Rob Harknett
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Re: G3 exWO girder info

Post by Rob Harknett »

You may notice your bike has some wrong bits. It does not have a petrol tank with instrument panel,a nd headlamp without the light switch etc. Perhaps your bike is not a G3WO. It may be a 1939 G3 or 1941 G3L with some wrong bits. The club dating officer may be able to inform you what your bike started life as from the frame and engine numbers. Which ever of the 3 it may be, you do need to know of, for info and parts that may be needed. Like wise know what bits are wrong for the same reasons. Many machines of this era are often a mixture of parts. Few survived the war complete, let alone all the post war year to date.
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Re: G3 exWO girder info

Post by g80csp11 »

Anyone got advice about the brakes?
Yes best if you start braking before the car in front and before you get to sharp bends !
G12atlast_LAPSED
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Re: G3 exWO girder info

Post by G12atlast_LAPSED »

Rob Harknett wrote:You may notice your bike has some wrong bits. It does not have a petrol tank with instrument panel,a nd headlamp without the light switch etc. Perhaps your bike is not a G3WO. It may be a 1939 G3 or 1941 G3L with some wrong bits. The club dating officer may be able to inform you what your bike started life as from the frame and engine numbers. Which ever of the 3 it may be, you do need to know of, for info and parts that may be needed. Like wise know what bits are wrong for the same reasons. Many machines of this era are often a mixture of parts. Few survived the war complete, let alone all the post war year to date.
Cheers Rob,

I'll follow that up. Engine is number 40/ so I think that's probably right. I'm still searching for the frame number...

Cheers Simon

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Rob Harknett
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Re: G3 exWO girder info

Post by Rob Harknett »

May well be a 40/G3WO then. Not sure if any did go out with a headlamp with lighting switch and tank without instrument panel. If they had such parts that would complete a bike, they may well have used them.
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Re: G3 exWO girder info

Post by G12atlast_LAPSED »

Rob Harknett wrote:You may notice your bike has some wrong bits. It does not have a petrol tank with instrument panel,a nd headlamp without the light switch etc. Perhaps your bike is not a G3WO. It may be a 1939 G3 or 1941 G3L with some wrong bits. The club dating officer may be able to inform you what your bike started life as from the frame and engine numbers. Which ever of the 3 it may be, you do need to know of, for info and parts that may be needed. Like wise know what bits are wrong for the same reasons. Many machines of this era are often a mixture of parts. Few survived the war complete, let alone all the post war year to date.
Little bit of research suggests that the instrument tank was abolished prior to G3 becoming G3L and the headlight gaining a switch. This is from the Matchless WD site:
design of the production G3-WO remained virtually unchanged, the biggest change being the removal of the instrument panel from the petrol tank. Associated to this change were a new petrol tank (removal of the instrument panel meant the tank was considerably easier to produce as there was now no need for the through-tank slot and no need for the instrument panel cut-out). The lighting switch was moved to the head lamp (and a blackout mask was fitted) and a new shell used which incorporated a panel for the switch and the newer, smaller diameter, ammeter
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Rob Harknett
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Re: G3 exWO girder info

Post by Rob Harknett »

G3WO was really just using up old stock. WD required a lighter machine. A plain tank also did away with , clock & inspection lamp. Cost, weight, materials etc etc.
G3L was more like the 1939 comp AJS. Prior to 1939 comp bikes never had the instrument panel as it was not needed.
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G12atlast_LAPSED
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Re: G3 exWO girder info

Post by G12atlast_LAPSED »

I've investigated further.... I have a '46 G3L frame with G3 forks and rear subframe.

A couple of things I can't work out, that maybe frame related: the sidestand looks like s G3 but despite looking the part and not having much slop, sticks out horizontally when deployed so no use at all. The lug looks brazed, the leg isn't bent. I can't understand why it's in totally the wrong place. There's also no charging going on. It stood for ten years so that might not have helped. I hear it's s pita to get to the dynamo for a look?

Such interesting discoveries, if only it could talk!

Simon

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