Introduction
 At its peak Associated Motor Cycle (AMC), the proprietor of AJS and Matchless (among others) was making 96 motorcycles a day, with 1500 people employed. By any standards, that’s a big player in the industry. Though AMC did of course include other names – James, Francis-Barnett and for a time the likes of Norton and Sunbeam – it is AJS and Matchless which first come to mind when ‘AMC’ is mentioned to most enthusiasts.
Both firms enjoyed their ‘best days’ in sporting circles when independent of each other, with Matchless one of the true pioneers pre-WWI, winning TTs and setting speed records aplenty. The glory days for AJS came a decade later, with the then Wolverhampton concern the dominant force in early 1920s racing.
 When Matchless bought AJS in 1931, it brought together what were essentially two family firms with a great deal in common and, although AJS production was moved south, much of the essence of the firm was maintained. One wonders what would have happened if BSA had acquired AJS, as so nearly was the case? The AMC parent company endured a strange relationship with the motorcycling press – reportedly, criticism (or at least perceived criticism) in the late 1930s, led to AMC declining invitations to supply machines for test and assessment in the magazines, though bizarrely did continue to provide competition models for evaluation during the period.
A lot of the decisions made with regard to AMC are hard to fathom – for example, why badge all the ‘racers’ post-WWII AJS... then launch the Matchless G45? Also, if the road races were AJS one would have assumed that the Matchless name would be used off-road – not the case, for AJS was the dominant force in trials for much of the 1950s. Matchless was perhaps favoured for scrambling – though it was an AJS (admittedly not an official effort) which won the inaugural Motocross World Championship.
So perhaps some decisions are difficult to understand, but it all adds to a rich and fascinating history for these two great names, which we have celebrated in this tome. The archive of Mortons Media Group has once again provided some real gems, which we’ve brought together and hope will provide plenty of enduring enjoyment – as AJS and Matchless machines have done for so many enthusiasts for more than 100 years.
James Robinson, Editor
Don't forget..
• 1st book in the series: Scrapbook Series - Triumph
• 2nd book in the series: Scrapbook Series - BSA
• 3rd book in the series: Scrapbook Series - Norton
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