Hi all, and I'm thinking the wizard Richard Cornish may be able to help!:))
Starting to reassemble my 38 model 18 with a 47 engine.
Looking at my nice model 18 completed there is a quarter an inch gap between the rear fuel tank mount and the top of the rocker box.
on my project bike there is absolutely no gap so I've had to drop the engine to get the rocker box off, which I did take off and put the engine back up onto the mount again. There is just no room the bolts are correct diameter and everything is fine at the bottom. It's just that there is no way to remove the rocker box if I did put it on as it is touching.
when I've got the project bike, it was all mounted apart from the rear engine plate plates which were hanging off so I'm wondering if it was mounted properly,
I've had the frame repaired and the gearbox mount tube re-tubed with the engine cases so it aligns correctly via Jake Robbins Engineering
What are your thoughts?
hopefully the pictures are clear enough
Model 18 frame ??
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Frame
Hi Richard, thank you so much again the frame number is 86855 Which I believeThe frame number indicates a prewar frame from Dec 1937 to early January 1938.
Gawd i hope its a M18:))). I decided to clean up the wheels to see what's underneath and there is green paint and also the rear bearing cover is a large disc not like my model 18.
Do the pictures, help a bit more
What are your thoughts, sir?
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Engine Variations
Dave Graham fitted a 1938 pattern Model 18 engine into a WD16H frame to replicate one of the small batch of WD18s produced in September 1939. I'm sure he mentioned that there were casting differences to the rocker boxes on the ostensibly similar post-war engines (which were all installed in full cradle frames) and the later rocker box would not fit in the WD chassis.
86855 falls between a couple of WD batches, but you have horizontal saddle spring mounts and the tall pillion footrest lugs (to clear the "Cow's Udder" silencers) so I'm sure you have a civilian frame.
Your engine plates with detachable footrest tubes are the WD type. I'd have expected some dimensional differences here to accommodate the WD main frame upright tubes being 1" shorter. If the frame has been tweaked to accept them then perhaps that might not be helping ?
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Thank you Richard. I didn't…
Thank you Richard. I didn't ever know they made a WD18.
The engine plates are only being used for dry fitting and will make the tubes and weld to the plates as the same as my other 38.
So what we're saying is there is potentially a different shaped rocker box or is this going to be super rare?
As it is, the engine and Rocker box will not go in Even the very last Resort of filing down the fuel tank this is something I do not want to go down at all.
I would rather locate the correct components, what are your thoughts?
cheers
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Hi Matthew,
Wiszard ? no, it's all smoke and mirrors !!
Looking at the your first photo I think your frame might possibly be a WD16H, although not all the frame is visible to say for certain. There are at least 4 variations of the diamond pattern frame and these vary by the height of the front down as a quick reference. This is measured from the bottom of the head-stock casting to the top of the engine mounting lug. The first thing will be to check the frame number with the factory records to get a confirmation of what model it actually is.