1968 Commando help

I am doing a mild restoration on an 1968 Commando Fastback. The frame is all squared away, I am using a Dave Taylor head steady, and I am going to paint the tank, tailpiece, oil tank and side cover soon.
I need to know exactly where the horn should be mounted and the capacitors. I cannot find any any detailed photos. Is there a 1968 Commando parts list available, on line, with photos of where everything goes and the correct parts numbers? If anyone has a 68 Fastback do you have photos of where everything around the air cleaner goes? Any help would be really appreciated. If you have a 68 and are are nearby, I would love to see your bike to figure out where everything goes. Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks,


Mick in Massachusetts

Mick, I'm sure the 68 FB was pretty much the same as the 69/70 S and Roadster. Here's a picture of the horn.



Here's the coils and capacitors.



What do you mean everything around the air cleaner? Mine is different than yours, you should have the side mounted oil tank, so I can't help you there. I have the central mounted oil tank.

Re. the coils and capacitors, notice I have 2 red wires (earth) going to the screws that mount the capacitors. I'm not sure this is right, but there seem to be a few different harnesses out there. I have 2 double red wires and my notes upon dis-assembly say they go where I have them, there is no where else they will fit with the ring connectors on the ends of my harness. Others say they just have 1 set of double red wires and they connect to the head. I have never been able to straighten this out, but mine works great with no extra ground wires. Notice there is no balast resistor, I think your FB is the same as mine there. There is no central mounted condenser kit like the 71 and on. You can get these condensers at DomiRacer.

Dave
69S

Thanks Dave. My wiring harness seems different, the wires for the capacitors are near the front of the battery tray, not near the coils. I made a new mount for the coils, when I added the strengthening frame tube I had to make a new mount.
I guess the first photo is your battery tray? Mine sits parallel with the frame, front to rear. I have room behind and under the tray to fit the horn, but I would have to extend the wires. There was no keyed ignition switch, just a toggle. I need to get a new one. The oil tank is on the right.
I am guessing they used whatever was handy "off the shelf" back in 1968. I remember 1968,........ I think.

Mick

The condensors for the fastback mount to two tabs on the back of the airfilter inside the battery box. (Points housing is behind the cylinder). This rear plate for the airfilter is specific to the early fastback, so if you don't have the tabs, you have a later air filter for the cam-driven points models.

The battery box for the Fastback is also unique, with the bracket for the side cover anchor and slightly different mount for the battery.

Your horn should mount below the battery box on a triangular plate (double). If the wires appear too short, perhaps the harness is not routed correctly?

Now I remember someone talking about the condensers being back by the battery tray on the FB. So your setup is most likely much different than mine. Yes, that's my battery tray, oil tank tray combo.

I doubt if you will find any printed info with pictures on your model, there are few for the 69/70 also. Not much in the Spares book either and that was made for the FB and included supplements for the S, R and Roadster. I'm sure some on the forum will get you going, there are a few early FB's around.

If you want the Owners Book, I have it here: http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg28 ... 0Handbook/

Dave
69S

Thanks for the link to the handbook, that will help a lot. My condensers will mount to the back of the air cleaner, so that looks like the correct one. The battery box is the right one with the mount for the side cover. I don't have the horn mount, probably unobtanium by now, but with the photo I can probably fabricate one.
I ran the bikes numbers with the NOC in England. They said that very few records exist from the early Commandos. All they could tell me was that it was shipped to the US in July of 1968.
It looks like all I need now is an ignition switch and boot and the gears for the tach drive.
There was a beautiful BRG 1968 Fastback at the Rally in Pennsylvania, with luck it will be in New York in July and I can take a look at it.

Mick

I sort of remember a double triangular horn plate too, but when I went to put it all back together, I only had one. It may be redundant. They are about as thick as the battery tray. Ron may know why 2?

Take your camera to NY, you will not remember how things looked.

Dave
69S

DogT said:

I sort of remember a double triangular horn plate too, but when I went to put it all back together, I only had one. It may be redundant. They are about as thick as the battery tray. Ron may know why 2?

Take your camera to NY, you will not remember how things looked.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

I will definitely take my camera to the Rally. I will be riding my 75 Commando there. I have ridden that one to the rallies at Ivy Lea Canada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. It is in the process of getting a new tank. The crap gas destroyed my Dunstall tank.

Mick

I think I still have my triangular pieces still attached to the horn but this is a 72. Will check the part number to see if it is the same. As I remember there is a weird hardware stackup so they are separated -- not up against each other -- probably for anti vibration purposes. The triangular pieces would be very easy to make and I'm sure they are available through dealers.

EDIT;;;;; Looks like it is shown in the parts lists as part of the horn. I can measure mine.

Hope to catch you at the rallye. Will be tenting.

Russ

Have a '74 850, it has TWO of said triangular plates.
Painted. Magnificenty preserved by 35 years of road
dirt mixed with oil.