W/ng's extant

[RTichard Woolnough]

just a query really, is there any reasonable suggestion/estimation/knowledge as to how many W/NG's remain from the 4000 or so produced?
kind regards

[Paul Slootheer]

I assume you mean aprox. 40.000...

[Steven.Carter]

Here's something I found in an old Motorcycle magazine. Going back to the 70's I think.
They say something over 38,000 bikes were made and that only 30 still exist.
I can count 6 WNG'S in the Hampshire branch alone

[RTichard Woolnough]

sorry Paul, never could count : kind regards

[Paul Slootheer]

just a query really, is there any reasonable suggestion/estimation/knowledge as to how many W/NG's remain from the 4000 or so produced?
kind regards

Not to my knowledge, but I think there are quite some numbers left. We (Vincent and myself) once did have the idea to start a W/NG register to find out the remains of W/NG's but I think it's allmost a impossible task in many ways... Apart from the ones who are recorded within the AOMCC, I suppose there are plenty who are owned by non-members or where altered in civilian disguise...
Regards, Paul

[nevhunter]

You can recognise the frame by the bend down of the tubes below the seat. Indications are that very few ever came to Australia as far (as I can determine) during the war. I heard rumours of a few belonging to the Navy being dumped after the war, and there seemed to be no bits of them being wrecked at the time, although I did obtain one new head years ago (50) and another last year. I regularly ride a late 1941 since 1997, and have seen one other in military form. Mine was imported from the UK in the 90's.
The WD/G3L Matchless is even more rare here. I'm trying to get one together at the moment. No mention at all in the Aust war records of any Matchless. We had plenty of WLA Harleys, Some 741 Indians and Chiefs and lots of WM20 BSA and the Norton side valver sometimes as the 2 wheel drive outfit. Nev

[john.whiting]

Thirty odd years ago I was in Nigeria on business for Repco,and I was shown an army camp yard with W/NGs stacked at least three high in a great square.Out in the weather with weeds and vines growing through the stack.Must have been hundreds.Regards John.

[Simon.Gardiner]

Hells teeth - W/NGs stacked high in Nigeria, that's nearly as good as Spitfires buried in Burma

SG

[john.whiting]

WNGs werent worth the price of the freight in the eighties.If Id been given one,I would' nt have taken it.In Australia,no 350 was worth anything until about ten years ago.I knew a guy who made commercial mowers with ex WW2 350 bikes,mostly R/Es.Wish Id bought all the girder forks he had laying about.Unfortunately,he did a naughty thing and ended up in the big house.He was well known in the SEQld bike scene.Regards John.

[nevhunter]

The BSA WM 20 is the big numbers bike at 120,000 so I believe. Ariel at about 39,000 is way down the list. Numbers on the late models are higher than 39,000 as there are gaps, that give an impression of higher numbers being produced. Good condition bikes were repainted and fitted with chromed exhaust pipes and sold after the war by dealers in the UK.
The W/NG is an exact rebuild of the 1938 ISDT bike with a field stand added, and as "mud scrambles" was popular amongst riders after the war many would have been utilised in that way. The OHV 350 Matchless with tele forks and the OHV Ariel were the most popular, but as a high ground clearance machine, would be inferior to the lower standard frame for circuit racing . There's plenty of adverts showing offerings to the public in the immediate post war period. The SV BSA and the bigger capacity Norton were sold for sidecar use, the latter with the sidecar drive oxy cut off, in Australia. I can't guess at the numbers of W/NG's still existing. It would have to be quite a bit above 30 world wide. Nev