Can anyone identify this bike?

[mini-me]

This is not a Matchless engine of that I'm sure, like this its more of an older AJS/Stevens set up.
They aren't lugs, they are recesses for the screw heads, like I said, they will be part of a set of 8.

If you been on bikes for 55 years, as long as I have that is, surprised you aren't familiar with older brit stuff.

Given you my input, that's it.

BTW, you have not commented on my assertion that first set of pics is two different bikes,come to that nor has anyone else.

[cardan]

I'm not quite sure why this has turned into such a controversy!

All the photos show the same bike, which is a c1934 OEC, fitted with an engine that was branded OEC but was made elsewhere. 33d6 has explained that the engine came from Matchless, with a custom magneto drive case for the customer. When Matchless used the motor it was a "sloper".

As I pointed out above, the 250 and 500 cc variants of this engine are different in the way that the exhaust ports are arranged on the cylinder head. The smaller version has a larger gap between the cylinder and the port, as shown in the 1934 OEC catalogue. One of the original photos shows the silhouette view, indicating the smaller engine. There was a 350 version that was probably the same silhouette.

The latest photo shows the engine in detail, including the funny exhaust lift mechanisim that 33d6 refers to. It also shows the toolbox high on the back in the OEC position.

A very clear photo from Motor Cycling in 1934 shows a similar OEC (albeit with the optional Duplex steering, and labelled 198cc) with a rego number only 2 digits different from the "mystery" bike. Mini me explains that there is nothing interesting about this because dealers block registered batches of bikes. In this case, a batch of OECs no doubt.

The mystery is solved. The bike is a small capacity OEC, dating from 1934.

Cheers

Leon

[cardan]

These photos might explain why I think the bike is likely a 250 (or maybe 350). Imaging sliding your flat hand vertically up the front of the cylinder. On the smaller engine there is a gap between the cylinder and the exhaust port that your hand could slide into; on the larger engine there isn't.

From the rather unclear side-on photo, I'd say the engine looks more like a 250 than a 500.

Leon

[cardan]

And presumably this is the origins of the engine, here in the 1931 Matchless D/S 250cc.

The drive for the maglita is on the drive side, but other models used a magneto chain case with bossed screws, but showing "Matchless" rather than "OEC".

No doubt 33d6, who knows more about Matchless than the rest of us put together, could add more to his comments above if necessary.

Cheers

Leon

[john.k]

If you look ,there is a little lever on the timing case ,this I think was a half compression device,and was not fitted on the 1935 year Matchless,they using a conventional valve lifter......33d6 will correct this......a distinctive feature.........and OEC went bust in 1934 ,and were bailed out by Glanfield Lawrence,which was the start of the Matchless connection.