Intro and what have I got
Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2017 3:01 pm
Hello folks, I couldn't find an intro section so I thought I had better introduce myself before anything else. My name is John (my handle is a Hitchcock reference for the film buffs on here) and I live near York. I have a few bikes including a project Matchless which consists mostly of G3 stuff. I will explain a bit more below but for anyone interested I also have a 1920's Harley Davidson, a 1930's Triumph a 1990's Honda and a noughties Yamaha.
I used to have a mid 50's G3LS which I got from friend's dad. He had ridden it home in about 1972 and the clutch cable broke so put it into the shed where it laid until about 1989 when I acquired it. Back then I was as poor as a church mouse as they say and despite my best intentions, about 4 years later I had to sell it due to nothing other than being desperate to raise some cash for some essential family expense. This was a shame because it was 100% original and untouched and was still wearing a thick layer of oil and grease. Since then I have always fancied getting another G3. Also I think that the competition/trials models are a much nicer looking bike than the standard road bike but I would be reluctant to modify a complete and original road bike into a trials bike.
Fast foreward to early 2014 when i bought a collection of G3 parts on ebay. This turned out to be a good buy. The "bike" had been purchased from Bonhams by a dealer in November 2013 (see link here http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20933/lot/318/) and he was flipping it on ebay for a quick turnaround and, presumably, profit. I got it on ebay for less than he paid for it. Lucky me, unlucky him.
Between then and now I have had various other bike and building projects that were further up the queue so the G3 has had to take the back seat until now. I expect to finish my current project in the next 3 to 4 weeks and then I intend to start on the Matchless.
So that brings me to why I have joined this forum. I will post my progress on here as the bike comes together but first I was wondering if I could ask for some help in identifying what I have.
The frame/chassis was advertised by Bonhams as a G3LS from circa 1958. The frame number is A63962. Does this correlate to a G3LS from this year?
It also came with an engine which was described as "a competition unit built in 1953"
The engine number is 53/G3L 1415C. However I am not sure about how it is stamped. All of my other bikes are stamped very neatly but this one is all over the place (see picture). Do you think that it is what it purports to be or something that has been messed about with?
This engine was incomplete and had some other problems. The cases need some weld repairs and also someone has hack sawed the threaded end of the timing side of the crank (WTF?). The timing case is also empty.
Between then and now I acquired these cases but I am not sure about the numbers on this either. There is a feint "B" then a large gap and then a / and then "G3LC". These are earlier cases and also need some repairs.
Given that I am close to wanting to start this project I took the opportunity whilst at Stafford last Saturday to acquire another engine. This one is much better and is certainly complete. It is an AJS 350 bottom end with a 500 top end. However I am not sure how to decode the engine number which is 460 1130. Also the "3" is stamped upside down. Any ideas.
Were AMC always a bit lax with stamping the engine numbers?
Also the gearbox that came with the bike has the number G2C46 on it. I am assuming that this is from a G2 not a G3? Does it matter, was the gearing the same or different?
Given that what I have is a collection of AMC parts rather than a complete bike it fits the bill perfectly for my plan to build it in a trials style but it would be nice to ascertain what I am starting with.
Thanks,
John
I used to have a mid 50's G3LS which I got from friend's dad. He had ridden it home in about 1972 and the clutch cable broke so put it into the shed where it laid until about 1989 when I acquired it. Back then I was as poor as a church mouse as they say and despite my best intentions, about 4 years later I had to sell it due to nothing other than being desperate to raise some cash for some essential family expense. This was a shame because it was 100% original and untouched and was still wearing a thick layer of oil and grease. Since then I have always fancied getting another G3. Also I think that the competition/trials models are a much nicer looking bike than the standard road bike but I would be reluctant to modify a complete and original road bike into a trials bike.
Fast foreward to early 2014 when i bought a collection of G3 parts on ebay. This turned out to be a good buy. The "bike" had been purchased from Bonhams by a dealer in November 2013 (see link here http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20933/lot/318/) and he was flipping it on ebay for a quick turnaround and, presumably, profit. I got it on ebay for less than he paid for it. Lucky me, unlucky him.
Between then and now I have had various other bike and building projects that were further up the queue so the G3 has had to take the back seat until now. I expect to finish my current project in the next 3 to 4 weeks and then I intend to start on the Matchless.
So that brings me to why I have joined this forum. I will post my progress on here as the bike comes together but first I was wondering if I could ask for some help in identifying what I have.
The frame/chassis was advertised by Bonhams as a G3LS from circa 1958. The frame number is A63962. Does this correlate to a G3LS from this year?
It also came with an engine which was described as "a competition unit built in 1953"
The engine number is 53/G3L 1415C. However I am not sure about how it is stamped. All of my other bikes are stamped very neatly but this one is all over the place (see picture). Do you think that it is what it purports to be or something that has been messed about with?
This engine was incomplete and had some other problems. The cases need some weld repairs and also someone has hack sawed the threaded end of the timing side of the crank (WTF?). The timing case is also empty.
Between then and now I acquired these cases but I am not sure about the numbers on this either. There is a feint "B" then a large gap and then a / and then "G3LC". These are earlier cases and also need some repairs.
Given that I am close to wanting to start this project I took the opportunity whilst at Stafford last Saturday to acquire another engine. This one is much better and is certainly complete. It is an AJS 350 bottom end with a 500 top end. However I am not sure how to decode the engine number which is 460 1130. Also the "3" is stamped upside down. Any ideas.
Were AMC always a bit lax with stamping the engine numbers?
Also the gearbox that came with the bike has the number G2C46 on it. I am assuming that this is from a G2 not a G3? Does it matter, was the gearing the same or different?
Given that what I have is a collection of AMC parts rather than a complete bike it fits the bill perfectly for my plan to build it in a trials style but it would be nice to ascertain what I am starting with.
Thanks,
John