650 SS

Brooking 850

Brooking 850

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Hi to all forum members, hope you can help me with a few issues .
I have a race bike set up with a 650 SS motor and a slimline frame.
The engine numbers are (as I can make out ) 18 SS 406375 .
There is a marking after the ..... 75 numerals that is hard to make out, it could a R and also a slash before the 4 which could be a 1
With the frame, there is no numbers, I thought the featherbed frames had a number stamped on the rear vertical gusset on the back loop left hand side.
Also this frame has an upward curve on the bottom tube instead of being straight and parallel to the ground.
It comes with two spare heads, one alloy , one cast.
The motor in the bike has an alloy head, twin carbs, runs on alcohol h has a distributor and runs well. 6V coils, Positive ground, total loss.
The difference in the two alloy heads, the one in the bike has the bolt holes horizontal for the inlet manifolds, (as per Commando )the spare head has them in the vertical on each port.
Any ideas please ?
Regards Mike
 
Mike
The number doesn't sound like anything 650SSish
I think in late '61 they started at around 101000 and finished in '67 at around 120000 so your number doesn't come even close to fitting (it's even after the last Commando number!) at 406375
18 of course being the designation for all 650s
You're correct about the location of the frame number
Your description of the frame curve is not clear o me - maybe a pic would be better?
Cheers
Rob
 
Alloy head with the vertical intake manifold fastener holes/studs sounds like a standard, non-SS head.
Yes, frame number should be located on the left hand swing arm gusset plate of the main frame loop, just above the swing arm pivot bolt. Without seeing photos, the non-parallel bottom main frame loop rail is most definitely non-standard.
 
Thanks guys, seem to have the numbers sorted.
I went and bought a new set of magnifying glasses and behold the right numbers.
The initial marks that I saw when I posted were infact 2 x 1's close together that made them look like a slanted dash.
Also what i thought was a R as a suffix is a P as the Kiwi police force used to stamp their engines with a P to denote they were police bike issue. The extra marks that make it look like a R are the indents from the end of the letter punch as it is on a curved surface.
18 SS 11406375/P
The frame maybe a repaired slimline hence the curved bottom rails.
Regards Mike
 
Also I am after a 650 SS parts book and workshop manual
Any .pdf files out there?
Regards Mike
 
I have heard the rumour of the /P engine number suffix meaning police spec, but I'm with LAB /P = Plumstead.
 
Thanks guys, got it Les.
The P was also on the Triumph and BSA's that were police issue.
We used to try and get our hands on the ex police bikes as they had been better looked after and maintained by the time they were sold off or phased out as they went to Jap and European bikes.
Regards Mike
 
Brooking 850 said:
The P was also on the Triumph and BSA's that were police issue.
Click to expand...

Yes, although for Triumphs the P was normally included in the model code, for example, 'TR6P'.
 
Bernard, that was just the list of bikes used in the New Zealand police force, not the UK or Europe, reason for such a short list.

Les , yes it seems so, but that whats stamped on there.
Unles they were blank cases and a PO stamped what he thought was correct.

can you post a pic of another set of SS numbers to see if the combination and placement is the same.
Thanks and regards Mike
 
Brooking 850 said:
can you post a pic of another set of SS numbers to see if the combination and placement is the same.
Thanks and regards Mike
Click to expand...


Unfortunately, due to the Photobucket fiasco many useful images have disappeared, however, I found a few, but not all from the 'P' era;
https://www.i-bidder.com/en-gb/auction- ... fe01227621
650 SS


norton-650-t26109.html

http://www.andybuysbikes.com/archivehtml/4059.htm

http://www.andybuysbikes.com/archivehtml/5081nrt.html
 
Thanks Les, my numbers and set out is very similar to the forum pic with the 18 first, then SS then the number.
For all intents and purposes, I'll call it a 1964 model until I get to the bottom of it.
Thanks and regards Mike
 
Just going through a box of spares that came with the bike, there is a spare set of cases with the numbers 103887 then the 18 afterwards as in one of your links Les.
Back out with the magnifying glass, the numbers on the cases of the motor in the frame seems like the following

18 then SS then what appears to be two goes at a forward slash making it look like two 'ones' close together , then the 4 .
The 4 is one of the few numbers that would cover a 1 successfully and the 4 is deeper than the rest , as in being double punched.
So it now looks like this 18/SS/ 1(overstamped with a 4)06375 /P

All makes sense now.

The vertical numbers are there on the LHS of the frame gusset, although very indistinct, the 18 is punched horizontal then the rest vertical, would that be right?

I have also found the bottom Hz frame rails in a box so the curvy bottom rails have been retro fitted .
Regards Mike
 
Re: 650

1961
9444X 18 65 123
9451X 18 65 193
9510X 18 65C 329

1962
10021X 18 650 793

1963
10647X 18 650SS 1899

On all of these, the number is in the curve above the cam boss
The 18 is on the flat just forward of the oval Norton Pat tag,
The engine code and batch # are on the rear above the breather connector
None of these early ones have the "P" anywhere
I own 2 of them and 1 is in my shop for work.
 
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