BSA Owners' Club Workshop Discussions

The BSA Workshop => Singles => Topic started by: maximus79 on 31 Mar, 2020, 11:47

Title: bsa m20 colours / tank
Post by: maximus79 on 31 Mar, 2020, 11:47
Hi all, can anyone tell me for definate that any bsa m20 wd that had a cut away tank,  was painted in sand colour only for foreign dessert use?

im told that any painted other than sand colour with the cut away are the wrong colour?

ta
Title: Re: bsa m20 colours / tank
Post by: GLENN on 31 Mar, 2020, 18:02
Cut away tanks are late war contract but were not all painted desert camo.  In fact I think that no M20's left BSA in desert trim and that any that were painted indesert trim were painted once they reached their destination.  I'm currently working on a late war contract M20 with cutaway tank that was painted green from new.  All the best, Glenn
Title: Re: bsa m20 colours / tank
Post by: Dr_Pinky on 15 Apr, 2020, 18:38
Hi. Take a look at the recent thread about paint colours on the WM20 site www.wdbsa.nl

I was surprised to learn that a majority of WM20s were painted in brown, not the earlier Khaki No. 3 green. Seems to be because some paint chemicals became scarce, prompting a change to War Department directives for military vehicles. I'm building a WM20 -slowly-  from an early 1940 frame, so will keep to yukky green rather than yucky brown.
Title: Re: bsa m20 colours / tank
Post by: GLENN on 15 Apr, 2020, 21:33
Henks Military motorcycle site is great!  I do like the M20's in brown, SCC No 2 looks well i my opinion.  KG number3 is a hard colour to match.
One point to consider is whether you would build your bike to be 1940 or later war specifation, after it was rebuilt and repainted in the late war green.  1940 parts are expensive - early tank (balloon tank) commonly go for £400, early levers are expensive, valanced rear muguard, 8" headlamp, early forks with the rubber handlebar mounts and steering damper are all expensive parts and hard to obtain.  Late war bikes were a mash up of different parts. All the best, Glenn
Title: Re: bsa m20 colours / tank
Post by: Mike Farmer on 16 Apr, 2020, 08:49
 :) :) :)

I passed my bike test in Aden (desert) on a WM20. It was green. I don't recall if the tank was cut away but I don't think so.

Mike 8) 8) 8)