1971 Norton Commando Rebuild Thread

[grandpaul]

VERY nice work area, plenty of light and some natural scenery, but with air conditioning.

The prepped parts look amazing (as they should!)

 

[Nater_Potater]

I think I will build it here:

You should probably look into screwing some 4x4's into those table legs for extra support, as that frame's going to get heavy really soon. I'm sure the Mrs won't mind...

 

[Jerry Doe]

Yeah, the table is temporary.

 

[Torontonian]

Or you'll be in the dog cage ?

 

[Jerry Doe]

I thought I had better update my rebuild thread. I am gradually getting there. I had to wait ages for the crank. Picked it up last week so I can finally put the motor together. Here are some photos that speak for themselves. Taken March 6th 2016:

 

[gortnipper]

Looking very swanky!

I notice that you dont have a kill switch. I just got a Zeta switch, which is normally closed and will bolt right up to the Brembo m/c. I think it fits in nicely, much more so than the tacky EMGO ones.

 

[Jerry Doe]

That's pretty cool. Yes I need to get one. I am not sure what I am doing electrically yet.

I also need to find a similar button switch for my digital speedo so I can use the trip sensor on it. I regret not fitting that to my MK3 speedo and will probably add it.

Just started putting motor together today. Its going together very well.

 

[gortnipper]

Have you seen what Grant did on his Featherbed special?

grant-featherbed-special-t23108-210.html#p306511

It is a pretty comprehensive solution, and not cheap, but very very cool. Not sure if they have a programmable kill switch in their controller.

http://motogadget.com/en/

 

[Jerry Doe]

Those button switches are very cool. The double one is what I need. Thanks for letting me know about them,

Cheers

 

[Jerry Doe]

Getting there with this:

 

[grandpaul]

That sure is shiny! Almost there, and just in time for peak riding season.

 

[nortriubuell]

Nice job Jerry, and I luvs all the cool pics Thanks for posting. Cheers.

 

[Jerry Doe]

My 750 is finished and I now have just over 400 miles on it. It runs very well.

I want to say thanks to everyone for parts and services:

Thanks to Jim Comstock for taking care on the head. Jim rebuilt the original head with 1.5 mm over valves, up graded springs, porting etc. Also welded a broken fin back on and tumbled it. I think he skimmed it 10 thou. Jim also supplied a webcam 12 and radiused the lifters.

Thanks to Brent Budgor for doing the panels and tank. The tank is an Emgo and good quality. The side panels from eBay. I will be doing a separate write up / review on Brents work later.

Thanks to Matt fro many things of which some i will probably forget:
-Repairing broken cases, tumbling. Polishing cases, providing super blends.
- Front brake and handlebars.
- Single coil ignition and tri-spark.
- Hydraulic clutch (Jim too).
- Head steady (Jim too).
- Oil tank modification.
- Breather mod.
There is more, but i cant remember.

Thanks to Rocky Point Cycle, Bill for my stainless parts.

Also, RGM, OC powder coating & plating, Castillo balancing....

The bike performs really well. I am still running it in at about 400 miles now. I had a hard to find oil leak, and have nailed that. The bike started first kick. I had an old exhaust on it for the first few hundred miles. The motor seemed a bit flat mid range. I was going to buy some Andover peashooters and then Matt from cNw said he would lend me a set of his prototype peashooters for an hones review. I put them on last week and love them mid range is there now. I will write about these separetly. I will be giving these back to him at the end of the summer and he is sending the new ones. I am using Les Harris headers or down pipes. I painted the inside of the headers with high temp paint and they did not discolor. So that works!

Head work was described above. Carbs are Amals standard for a combat motor and jetting is perfect for the exhausts. Manifolds are 32x30.

Cylinders are powder coated. Pistons are Hepolite.

Crank is standard and was balanced to 60 percent dry. Polished rods, new shells as crank was ground.

Webcam 12 with radiused followers. Thanks again Jim.

Superblends. Cases modified by cNw for the breather mod.

Gearbox is orginal shells, everything inside is now. I have a dual adjuster.

Primary has a 3 phase alternator and RGM belt drive, with clutch stack from cNw. I added a pushrod seal from Dave. O ring chain drive with 20 tooth countershaft sprocket.

I purchased the wheels from member here and rebuilt the hubs. They are 19 inch, so i am running AM26 tires, which i like.

Fenders/ mudguards are powder coated. Front is original and rear i had laying around.

Many new parts from RGM and a lot of stuff garage that i had.

I will have to write some more here about performance later after i take it for a serious blat. From what i can tell so far, it handles better than my mk3 and i think it will be faster, but not sure as my mk3 goes very well. It sounds great and am really enjoying riding.

Here are some photos:

You can see all the images in my gallery here: http://www.accessnorton.com/gallery/album.php?album_id=89

I will be doing a few other write ups in the near future regarding performance and challenges I had during this restoration etc.

 

[Danno]

Great job! How do you decide which one to ride?

 

[Jerry Doe]

I am into the 750 now. The MK3 now needs some maintenance on it. I have never owned 2 commandos before. I am thinking for freeway riding then the Mk3 is best and if i am heading towards the mountains the 750 would be the choice.

 

[gortnipper]

Very nice. You didnt end up with those pricey switches, eh?

 

[Jerry Doe]

I am using the handlebar switches Matt sells. I only have a switch on the left. Turn signals, high/ low. Horn. Actually i dont care about horn. The horn switch is set to my digital trip meter in the digital smiths speedo. Headlight on off is in the headlight shell. I dont need a kill switch. I think that originally those switches might be honda. They work well and look good. I am all about reliability.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Jerry, stunning build sir!

Did you go with the Combat head in the end? Did it get any porting work etc from sir Comnoz?

And what compression ratio are you running, I'm interested to know how the Comp ratio / cam / follower combo you're using works as a package.

 

[gortnipper]

I am using the handlebar switches Matt sells. I only have a switch on the left. Turn signals, high/ low. Horn. Actually i dont care about horn. The horn switch is set to my digital trip meter in the digital smiths speedo. Headlight on off is in the headlight shell. I dont need a kill switch. I think that originally those switches might be honda. They work well and look good. I am all about reliability.

They are Honda. His web site said as much as one point.

 

[grandpaul]

Two stunning beauties.