AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hi all I hope I find you well, I was wondering if anyone could tell me whether the 46 Matchless 500 had a screw on chrome winged M on the tank or was it painted/transferred on. I have just read some old text about the changes made to the bikes over the years and it states that the 46 had the transfer, I always thought it had the chrome screw on winged M. Also would anyone have some pictures of the front and bottom of a 46 tank.
Thanks for any help, Steve.

According to the Bacon Restoration book the post war Matchless had transfers in 1945 & 1946, the chrome badge came in in 1947, you should be able to confirm this from your parts book.

Do you have official dating for yours as a 1946 model? I'm not sure if it's true for the the immediate post war production but in later years a bike leaving the factory after Sept 1st would be the following year's model.
Looks to be a transfer in the 1946 sales brochure
http://archives.jampot.dk/promotional/S ... _color.pdf

and screws in the 1947 brochure............

should be something like this D shaped pin strip was correct for mine from new

Thanks again guys for that info, you were a great help, I did have it dated but the frame number on the first try was not coming up but a year later it came up as a mid 50s AJS even though at the time I placed pictures on this forum and the consensus was a 46 and it looks the same as the pictures in the archive book.
Thanks again.

So I take it that the common D shape is not correct either ? I have never seen any with this type of pinstriping.

Steve64 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 06, 2024 3:21 am So I take it that the common D shape is not correct either ? I have never seen any with this type of pinstriping.

There are details of tank linings in the Archives which may help.
Have a look here:

http://archives.jampot.dk/technical/Tan ... transfers/

I believe it changed in 46 , so depends when produced
see AJS in 46 sales brochure and Matchless
mine is definitely correct as i got it from owner who purchased it secondhand in 1948 and kept to 1979 and didnt do anything to it in all those years

http://archives.jampot.dk/promotional/S ... _Color.pdf
http://archives.jampot.dk/promotional/S ... _color.pdf

Thanks mate for the pictures, the transfer looks great as well, I wish I knew when in 46 it was produced but at least I have both options now. I appreciate your help.
Cheers mate , Steve

Just looking at the pics again is the timing chain cover "Winged M " raised as the same as the cast iron war ones or is it the recessed one.
Thanks , Steve.