Tim, there is really no way of telling if the machine W84187 saw any active wartime service. It was certainly made in time to have either gone to France in June 1944 (most units had recent or rebuilt equipment) or to have been shipped later as a replacement.

It could equally easily have seen Home Service only or been shipped unused to forces in Germany after the end of the war.

My feeling on examining your engine number is that it shows signs of having been ground or filed and I suspect that this is a re-stamp. If originally W17426, It should be followed by a 'Broad Arrow' stamp with an inspection mark (probably 318) There would also be a number prefixed 'WO' on the front of the timing chest.

The bike has quite a lot of owner modifications which contribute to making life quite difficult for anyone wishing to build a correct WD machine. A correct civilian restoration is also difficult but retaining a modified machine in civvy trim is a lot less obvious.

If you're planning on going down the Canadian route, I'd recommend a copy of Clive Law's 'The Canadian Military Motocycle'

http://www.servicepub.com/motorcycle.htm

and it tends to be a bit pricey but if you can find a second-hand copy, the now out of print 'The Winged Wheel Patch'

http://www.amazon.com/The-Winged-Wheel-Patch-Motorcycle/dp/0920277853

Rik,

The books are on order!

Can you tell if my bike should be Olive Drab?

Would my speedometer mount be center or offset?

What would my plate/taillight configuration be?

I have ordered a NOS front fender for late war bikes, a correct toolbox, a NOS sidestand, I know I need the superstructure for a cargo rack.., I will remove the rear seat, any other obvious changes that I need to make?

(British) Olive Drab differed slightly from the US colour of the same name but was intended to bring uniformity. It is first mentioned in Army Council Instruction 533 of 12th April 1944 which states that equipment in this colour would be delivered to units shortly. However, the exact date will have varied dependent upon the stocks held by different manufacturers.

My feeling is that a January / February 1944 Norton would have been SCC No.2 Brown originally. However, the best course of action is to wait until it arrives and then look inside frame tubes / headstock etc. It's pretty rare for an older restoration to have been subject to a complete paint removal.

The clues are often there if you want to look for them and follow this sort of route.

1944 WD motorcycles carried no rear number plate and simply a small taillight. Owners make their own choices how to deal with this. Some fit early-war equipment, others post-war and some simply make a modern set-up quickly detachable. I'd suggest looking at photos on forums. Whatever you do, if it is road-legal, it will not strictly reflect the bike's in-service appearance.

All speedometer brackets after roughly May 1940 were of the offset type.

If you fit WD pannier racks, then you will need a rear seat and pillion equipment also. The frames can be found but original covers in 'Rexine' leathercloth are next to impossible and vinyl is different.