My Norton Clubman..

So where was I? due to being a little under the weather of late, I have been unable to wave a spanner in any semblance of anger, so things down in the lock-up have all got a little dusty, not helped by the strong winds we have endured recently.

But that being said, a little work has progressed on my Norton Clubman project, as you will see from the pictures below. overall I am really happy with how it is all progressing, sure I see things that I would change if I were doing it again, the front brake scoop is not quite how I would have liked it, but for a first go at this type of thing I am happy.

The fuel tank looks like it is white, but that is just where the sun was reflecting off of the aluminium.

My Norton Clubman

My Norton

Up on wheels

Making Progress

Like Juggling Ferrets!…

My Norton clubman project, I try to give it as much time as I can, but holding down a job, and sorting out my Guzzi Ambo, as well as keeping up with chores on the house and the BMW R80st, leaves me so little time, but I do my best. I guess with hindsight that I may have had a chance of getting it on the road this year, but I also really enjoy time out riding, so I am not too upset that it still needs so much work to get near the finish line.  But maybe it is not as much as it seems?

My next job is to convert this old damaged Triumph conical hub into a Manx style single leading shoe race hub, and although it won’t be correct in every detail, it will be close enough to give the look I am after.

Broken Fin, A good thing.

I collected my rebuilt front wheel today, the hub is a little too glossy, but I hope it will dull down a little as it ages, it now also has a Norton brake plate that has been machined to fit, and some different bearings to match up the Triumph hub to the Norton spindle.

Conical Hub

Rolling Chassis? Nearly

Front Wheel

The brake plate still needs some work, it needs to be painted satin black, and an air scoop needs to be added, also the rim is not sitting centrally in the forks, so I shall have to get that adjusted, but these are small things, with some tubes and tyres I should have a rolling chassis by the end of the month. Well, if the ferrets play ball, that is!

Norton, Model 30

Today was a day for getting idea’s and measurements, because today a nice old International model 30 rolled into the workshop while I was there having a cup of tea…

Model 30 garden gate

 

My Norton Clubman Project, Cont…

Did I mention I found a head and rocker assembly? No! well I have, they both need a little work, as is the way of buying parts no one else wants :laugh but fixing aint so hard if you know what to do and where to go.

First thing is to get it all clean, to see what needs fixin, so a trip over Easter to the vapour blaster soon had something I could work with. First was the rocker cover, this had a broken stud hole, and a hole through the box, looks like someone got a bit too keen with a vice while doing something, and cracked the cover. So a trip to my local alloy welder soon had it all back good as new, and for no charge too

Next is to send the head away to have valve guides and valves fitted, I may even have it ported too, I also need to open it up to accept a 500 barrel, as this head is from a late model 350. All good fun.

Here they are sitting on the bike, I just need to find a barrel now, an alloy competition barrel would be nice, but any 500 barrel would be great if I can find one.

 

Head and rockerbox

 

My Norton Project… Odds & Ends…

I picked up a couple of bits for the Norton on Saturday at the Kempton bike jumble, one of the parts was the front fork brace and mudguard support, I found
it in a box of old junk, and it cost me just £2.00 or $3.00 for the colonials out there.

So today I thought I should just check to see how it all fits together, this is not the wheel I will be using, as that is yet to be built, but it is a 21″ wheel so is right for testing.

 

Dry Fit

 

New Handle bars

 

My next job is to convert this old damaged Triumph conical hub into a Manx style single leading shoe race hub, and although it won’t be correct in every detail,
it will be close enough to give the look I am after.

 

Conical Hub

 

 

First job is to remove all the fins from the outer edge, luckily this one was already damaged in this area, this may have helped in me getting it cheaply off of the Bay..

 

Broken Fin, A good thing.

Then it will be away to be powder coated black, before I start to convert a Norton brake plate to fit…

 

 

Garden Gate Inter…

I found this picture out there in web land, while searching ideas for my Norton Clubman project build, there are so many parts of this bike I like, and would like to copy on my build. The flanged alloy rims, and stainless spokes are already in the mix, I need to sort the little polished scoop for the front brake, and I like the double hoop rear mudguard stay too.

Norton Garden Gate

I should be picking up the rear wheel this coming weekend, so as soon as I throw a tyre on the rim I shall have a go at getting the rear guard fitted up, then it is decision time, on whether to get the alloy guards polished or painted black?

Picture was found here… http://www.themotart-journal.com/

Freshly Minted…

I love to see what friends have been up to over the winter months, fettling away in the garage, sweating, cursing, spilling blood, just so they can ride something new or old for the coming summer. Well today was one of those days, I took some pictures a while back of this Manx/Inter engine on the bench..

Norton Cafe Racer

There it was all in bits, being worked on, and now here it is all complete, and on the road, and it sounds awesome. Sure it has a few small leaks, the odd screw loose or missing, but these shake down runs will sort all those little niggles out. And who wouldn’t like this in the garage.

Cafe Racer

Norton Inter/Manx

Just a cool bike, well built.

The Saturday Norton update…

Busy, busy, busy…

So after building the rear suspension this week, my attention then turned to the front, and the Roadholder fork assembly, so here I needed a set of springs, as my ones had a couple of broken coils, and some new stanchions, as my old ones were badly corroded.

 

So today I set too, and sorted out the problem, and built the new ones up ready to fit. 

Forks

 

Then as I continue to ride my luck, I asked a question in the right place at the right time, and I became the owner of a pair of cast aluminium headlight ears.

Now these things always suffer damage to the lower lip, and these were no different, the lip was missing, and there was a crack in the casting too. But a little time in the shop, and I soon made a new alloy lip, that was quickly TIG welded into place, before being shaped to fit using an old set of Roadholder yokes as a fitting rig.

Headlight Ears

 

Roadholders

 

So that took a couple of hours to get sorted, and as I had the camera out I took a couple of workshop shots, you can even see a Norton International motor on the lift.

On the bench

Workshop

Tool board.

A pretty good day as days go

More Norton Inspiration…

I have sorted a few more Norton pictures in way of inspiration for my project,  and as it happens, I have managed to get hold of a proper Manx/Inter oil tank like the one shown here,  not as pretty, not very cheap, and not ready to fit! it will require lots of work to be made useable, but it is one of the iconic parts that make the bike look right, even if in reality it isn’t.

Norton Wheel

 

Front Wheel

 

 

 

Manx Norton Replica Project…

Where I am right now….
So having finished fixing up my Kawasaki Z1b, I have decided I need another project, I like to have a project, I find it a great way to relax after being at work all day, and I like searching out hard to find stuff, all my friends will tell you this….

Where I was back then….
For a couple of years now, I have wanted to build an old race style britbike, I mentioned this to Wade ( http://wadeschields.tumblr.com ) when he was over one time for the IoM BSA International, when we went to the Brooklands Museum. But those pre war singles cost big money, and may not be that practical for general use. But I was sure there was something out there that could look just right, and still be used in general for running around, and touring. So I thought long and hard on the matter, I studied all my pictures, and checked out bikes at shows, and I came to the conclusion, that what I wanted was a Norton “garden gate” plunger frame Manx or International 500 ! well wouldn’t we all! I am sure you know what I mean, plunger frame, big tank, roadholder forks, black and silver paint, fishtail exhaust, perfect. something like this one would do…

Norton Inter

But damn! these things are expensive, the one pictured below went for over £7000 on ebay just recently, and as you can see, needed a little work..

Norton Inter project

So where did that leave me then?

Well I knew I couldn’t afford a complete bike, so I started looking for a frame, but even these don’t come up very often, and I looked for around two years on and off, infact I had all but given up on the idea, when up came a frame at the right price. so I bought it.

Below is a picture of my 1951 Norton ES2 “Garden Gate” plunger frame, as I got it home..

51 Norton "Garden Gate"

More later..