Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 531 Location: Laredo (south) Texas
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:33 pm Post subject:
On closer inspection, these rims are indeed steel, but they are Excel's best units. Anyway, the tires got mounted up this morning while I worked on the oil tank, filter, and oil lines, as well as the seat mounting hardware, and final nipping up of all exhaust harware with the new retainer nuts. This afternoon I re-assembled both wheels, and installed them after a bit of a fiddle with the front brake and fender needing to be loosened off to maneuver the wheel into place (in hindsight, it MIGHT have worked with just deflating the tire, but I didn't want to chance scratching anything.
Hot tip for you Norton builders - make sure to install the bloody rearend crankcase breather while you've still got the engine off the bike. What a chore!.
Joined: 12 Oct 2007 Posts: 164 Location: Port St. John, FL
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:44 pm Post subject:
Hotter tip for Norton builders.
Plug the rear crankcase breather and vent from timing case, per Old Britts. Much, much better. An engineer who chooses to vent a crankcase at the bottom should be cleaning toilets instead of designing engines, IMO.
Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 531 Location: Laredo (south) Texas
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:13 pm Post subject:
That is a good tip, but the stock breather is actually a good thing as long as you properly route the tube to serve as a trap, it sure helps pump out a wet-sumped crankcase!
Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 531 Location: Laredo (south) Texas
Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 7:03 pm Post subject:
The clip-ons arrived today, and I got them mounted and semi-adjusted. I ran out of time, as we're going to Killeen for my granddaughter's birthday this weekend.
After a bit of a fidget with my riveting tool, I got the serial number plate mounted to the frame; also got the four new carb mounting screws and got them completely mounted with proper 32mm insulating blocks.
I rebuilt and painted the clutch lever perch, so the clutch & front brake match with original Lucas electrical quadrants. only mismatch is the right side "paddle" is the longer style, the left side is the shorter style; hardly noticeable.
Your kickstarter that I had chromed is all set to bang into the brand new pipes, so I sorted through the other 4 levers that I have, and lo and behold - I have a Mark III kicker in excellent condition (sticks out further to miss the exhaust), so I'll swap it out.
I'm going to get right back on it Tuesday and get the basic wiring done, connect the rear brake cable, fill the oil levels, service the battery, and FIRE IT UP!
I'll probably also be firing up my Roadster project next week, it ought to be pretty cool with three fresh norton rebuilds side-by-side-by-side...
Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 531 Location: Laredo (south) Texas
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 4:20 pm Post subject:
All of the wiring is done with the exception of the tail light and the ignition rotor. If everything goes right,
I'll be firing it up tomorrow and putting some run-in miles on it before the weekend.
I did have to use a right side quadrant electrical pigtail on the left side in order to have a clean matching gray sleeve,
the original was a tape-wrapped bodge-up.
Mounted the zener, capacitor, rectifier, horn and keyswitch (after fabricating a mounting bracket).
I swapped the kickstarter, replaced the pair of rubber iso mounts on the right side for the shortest ones I could find,
then restrained the pipe in the most tucked-in position possible whilst tightening the finned retaining nut; but the
Mark III kicker still just taps the pipe on the way back up. Will need to fiddle with this one some more.
Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 102 Location: Eastbourne East Sussex UK
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:34 am Post subject: Hi Paul
Paul I am in awe of your work rate!
Keep picking up little items I like! I will have a bash at lightening a standard disc later on in the season but for now I need to ask you about your petrol pipe T pieces. They look to be large bore & plastic. Still running on small metal t piece & I am not sure that I agree with them.
Still not sure about the big Dunstal tank but then again I have managed to run out of fuel with a three gallon tank so who am I to talk.
Keep on going.
All the best Chris
ps must start on the flat tracker again as we have just had two dry days with sunshine!
Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 531 Location: Laredo (south) Texas
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 11:36 am Post subject:
That's an Andover Norton OEM replacement fuel line set, I believe it is spec'd for Interstate model. It has the highest flow of anything out there, and that's beneficial for a Combat at full song with double 32mm Amals.
Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 531 Location: Laredo (south) Texas
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 5:00 pm Post subject:
Guess what I'm doing tomorrow?
My '70 Roadster fired on the first kick after I replaced the ignition stator, I think Chip's bike should only take HALF a kick! Probably tomorrow, using my tank, if all goes well.
Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 531 Location: Laredo (south) Texas
Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject:
Well, no pictures today, but I got a good deal of work done.
Connected all the remaining electrical except the lights, and turned the key on and off with the plugs out of the hole to see if the ignition was firing - IT WASN'T!
Scratched my head for a few minutes, bypassed the original Lucas kill switch (just in case), and tried it again - still nothing!
Scratched my head some more, then started tracing the wiring to the module - BINGO! I had forgotten to add a ground wire direct from the 2nd coil positive terminal. I added a second spade terminal, duplexed the wiring harness ground lug with a wire to the coil and - VOILA! Sparx. I set the static timing at 28 degrees on the ignition stator and nipped it up.
Finished off some minor breather hose routing and plugged off the factory-installed oil leak (chain oiler). Got all the fluids filled, and re-checked all the head bolts (nipped up a couple just a touch).
Went to install my gas tank and realized that the petcocks I'm using won't suit the factory fuel line assembly, so I'm going to wait to fire it up until the Caswell sealer is done and totally cured. Looks like it will be fired up Friday.
Meanwhile, I'm going to get busy on the final installation of the fairing & seat, and work on the clip-on adjustments and lighting.
Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 531 Location: Laredo (south) Texas
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 3:03 pm Post subject:
Good news and bad news-
Good news is YOUR BIKE IS A RUNNER!
Bad news is twofold - the startup video is nearly 18 MB for a 3-1/2 minute video, and it backfired on the first kick, then started on the 2nd kick.
hee hee
It's all good. I need to install the chain and a seat so that I can take it out for it's maiden test ride, that will happen tomorrow if it doesn't rain.
Here's a photo, not much good, but I'll send you a CD of the startup & first test ride in tomorrow's priority mail.
Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 531 Location: Laredo (south) Texas
Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 10:18 am Post subject:
One step backwards.
The head failed to "nip up" with a full re-torquing, I'm going to have to take it back off and investigate. It's bad enough that there is oil weepage, so it's certainly not going to "warm up and seal".
Never mind, I'll get to have a good look at the combustion chambers and cylinders and see how the re-assembly affected everything.
Slow and easy wins the race, I'm going to pace myself and make sure it's as near perfect as possible this time around.
To all who expected to see the finished bike pix by now (ESPECIALLY Chip), Sorry guys...
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At the end of 1967 the Norton Commando was announced.
The Norton Commando was greeted with a certain amount of scepticism because on first sight the commando appeared to comprise of the old Norton Dominator twin cylinder engine mounted at an inclined angle in a set of new cylinder parts.
It was not realized that the new Norton Commando Isolastic method of engine suspension damped out all engine vibration and produced a machine which had uncanny smoothness for a vertical twin. In due course the critics were silenced and the Norton Commando had the distinction of being regarded as the first of todays so called superbikes. There can be little doubt that the original design concept of the Norton Commando has proved correct, since comparatively few modifications of any real consequence have been made since production commenced during 1968.
Now nearly 40 years later Norton Commando riders like us are a breed of our own, and as far as we are concerned its still more fun to go for a blat on the old Norton Commando, and fast. As a Norton Commando owner and enthusiast, my goal here is to promote and give credit to those who keep the Norton name going.
It is more deserving to give credit to the Commando itself, for after all these years it continues to be respected. The original Commando designers like John Favill are those who deserve the credit for developing this incredible motorcycle.
The Norton Commando Roadster and Interstate of the late seventies, never died. Although the Norton Villiers factory dispersed the tradition lived on. Today Kenny Dreer in the USA is developing the new 952 CC Norton. What a great looking bike this is, and its engineering is still based on the original layout. It will be interesting to see how the new 952CC Norton does in todays tough motorcycle market. One thing is for sure, I would own one if I could afford it.
