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Big 4

Submitted by simon_amos on Mon, 15/04/2013
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Hi back again. I asked a question about dating my Norton 16H/big 4, I have been told it is of 38 era.

I now have been told it is a 16H (WD) On checking this morning I have found the W prefix

Seeing as it is a WD model is it still a 1938 as I read that the W prefix only started in 1939?.

I must say the W is not as clear as the 88894 could it have been stamped at a later time.

It now has a big 4 engine fitted with no W infact it has no number on the left side of engine at all

but has a number on the right below the valves E22476 .

Any thoughts please.

Thank you Robert

Submitted by richard_payne on Mon, 15/04/2013

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The first 'W' prefix number, W1000 was despatched on 7th October 1939.

An original 'W' prefix with a number in the 88000s would probably date from 1944 but unfortunately evidence from military sources is incomplete. RAF Contract S3959 (120 machines) used W88765 - W88884 and there is a gap of 1117 numbers before an army allocation commences at W90001. I'm working through a lot of sketchy Ministry of Supply contract details at the moment but I've seen nothing so far to indicate where more than 1000 machines could have gone around this period.

I could certainly tell from photographs if you have a pre or early war WD frame. I'm not so clued up on the civilian Big 4 engines.

If you mail me on :-

wdmodels@nortonownersclub.org

I can let you know which views I need to see. Close-ups of the Big 4 engine would be useful too.

Rich

Submitted by simon_amos on Mon, 15/04/2013

Permalink

Previously wrote:

The first 'W' prefix number, W1000 was despatched on 7th October 1939.

An original 'W' prefix with a number in the 88000s would probably date from 1944 but unfortunately evidence from military sources is incomplete. RAF Contract S3959 (120 machines) used W88765 - W88884 and there is a gap of 1117 numbers before an army allocation commences at W90001. I'm working through a lot of sketchy Ministry of Supply contract details at the moment but I've seen nothing so far to indicate where more than 1000 machines could have gone around this period.

I could certainly tell from photographs if you have a pre or early war WD frame. I'm not so clued up on the civilian Big 4 engines.

If you mail me on :-

wdmodels@nortonownersclub.org

I can let you know which views I need to see. Close-ups of the Big 4 engine would be useful too.

Rich

Thanks I have sent some pictures.

 


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