68' Norton Atlas FeatherBed frame VIN Question

cogleymike

Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
7
Hey guys,

hes my situation i have a 1968 norton atlas frame which i want to restore. i got the bike from a local (boston area) junk yard and it was all hacked up. any how i blasted the frame, pluged and re welded the sections back that were chopped off.

the frame reads

20
1
2
5
7
7
6

in a vertical fashion on the side of the frame. from finding a vin decoder online i can see that the 20 means its an atlas and the 125776 put it in the 1968-69 era


my question which i hope you may be able to help me out is, do old norton only have these 8 vin numbers? i wanted to find the previous owner because here in MA you need a title or previous reg to get it on the road. i have a close freind who is a local cop and he was kind enough to run the 8 numbers for me and nothing popped up.

i just need to know how the vin would truly appear on a title or registration. i just need to know if perhaps their are some letters perhaps that may go infront of my 8 digits?

ie: i have a 1970 cb750 that i restored and their vin numbers read cb750-10007414 etc..


i know its asking alot, i mean im not asking for any of your personal info , just how my vin might have read on a actual state issued title so i can start doing research on my bike.

maybe NORTMC-20125776 or ....... i just have no idea were to begin.

P.S. i had a buddy whos a cop run the 8 digits threw the ncic data base and nothing was found. so i know 8 digits cant be the vin.

cheers and thax again
 
I have a 1966 Atlas which is titled in the state of Illinois where I live.

Your serial numbers are correct and complete.

20 is the model # for all Atlas', so any Atlas would start with 20, and then be followed by 6 digits which are the serial number. My Illinois title lists the entire string as the serial number. So it reads 20xxxxxx

Norton is listed as the "Make" on the title, and "Model" is left blank. Technically they're all model 20, but DMV generally doesn't register them in that fashion. I owned this bike while living in California where it was originally from, and it was titled the same way in that state as well.

So basically, you have all the correct serial number info for your frame.
I hope this helps.
Jeff
 
There is a discussion someplace else about how some DMV's require a 17 digit VIN number.

However, as someone said, this only came in more recently - and the law in most places says that older VIN details CANNOT be over-ridden with a requirement for a 17 digit VIN - if it had a 6 digit VIN then, that is ALL that is still required. Find someone in your local DMV who understands older vehicles, they HAVE to have provision for this.

Atlas's may be recorded as 20/120xyz etc, and some will have a /P after them (made in Plumstead, circa 1963 etc).
 
Hey thx guys, specially wilkey113

Good to know. My buddy ran the 8 digits threw the cnic in his cop car for me. Nothing came up. Perhaps it's just too old.

I'll have him run the 6 digits for next instead. I really appreciate everyone's responses

Cheers
 
The 16 or 17 digit VIN is a creation of the '80s. The long VIN in universal use these days identifies the manufacturer, country of origin, model, engine, and serial number. There is also a 'check digit' in the new VINs that is dependent on the other numbers, and is a way to determine if the VIN has been altered.

Back when your Atlas was built, Norton-Matchless used a sequential number for the actual bike produced, preceded by a prefix that revealed the model of the machine.

In 1968, these prefixes would have been

18/ for a 650SS or Mercury
20/ for an Atlas
33CS/ or 33 CSR/ for an AJS 33 (Many were re-stamped N15 to meet Berliner orders. look carefully at your S/N if you have a 65-68 N15)
G15CS/ or G15CSR/ for a Matchless G15 (or Atlas Scrambler in some cases)
N15CS/ or N15CSR/ for an Atlas Scrambler (or Matchless G15 in some cases)
P11/ for a P11A, badged as either a Norton or Matchless, dependent on dealer and ranging from 124372 to 126124, about 1300 machines
20M3/ for a Commando, starting with 126125 for the first production machine to 128644 for the last '68 (Earls Court bike was 123666)

The model/serial is stamped on the left crank case just behind the breather. On the frame, the Atlas and 650SS/Mercury numbers are stamped vertically on the left rear gusset plate on the frame just above the swing arm. The other frame numbers are stamped vertically on the head stock on the left side, just the six numbers, not the model designation. On Commandos, the frame number is on a riveted plate on the head stock. The -15 hybrids were marketed as Norton, Matchless or AJS models. No P11s were sold as an AJS. Many AJS 33s were re-stamped by Norton-Matchless as N15s to meet Berliner orders, as they were slow-selling in comparison to the Matchless- and Norton-badged machines. Mike Partridge at Walridge says he has two machines where one could see '33' under 'N15'. In '67 the -15 hybrids and in '68, the P11A and -15 hybrids were shipped with 2 sets of badges. They could be sold as Matchless or Norton machines, regardless of the serial number.

This information is only what I have learned since I first started with my hybrid. If any information is incorrect, I'm sure it will be set straight by others
 
Somewhere else on that frame there may be stamped another no like 12/65 this is the date it was made Dec, 1965
 
so my buddy who is a cop ran both the 6 digits and the 8 digits through the NCIC which is nation wide system and he said absolutly nothing came up. does anyone know if the NCIC system got purged at all? or maybe other letters or numbers could be inclcded in the serial/vin numbers?

thx
 
Isn't the NCIC just for stolen/ reported stolen? If so, the good news is your frame is not on it.
Wouldn't you need access to the DMV database to find a registered owner?
 
the NCIC will not only show if it is stolen or not, but also tell you the last registared owners name and address. its nation wide and only for law enforcement. cops are not suppose to give you personal information due to privacy acts.

many states now are changing legislation so to reg a bike on the road you will need either the title or previous registaration. bill of sale isnt shit anymore. i have many vintage bikes and without it being road worthy, its just parts or scrap metal.

cars, yhea states love to help them out, but bikes. um nooooope! they get stolen to much.

i had a title guy in utah, that ended quick with legislation.

i have found if a cop will give you the last reg owners name, you can get a phone # and perhaps get him to either get a replacment/lost title or reg for you. i have been also told that my state allows copies of excise tax from your town tall.

they just want to see and make sure the person you bought it from is the last reg owner and has paid taxes on it before he sells it.

NH is tax free so it makes it rather complex


there is a title recovery serivce in MAINE but they charge $495 bucks for a new title. wayyyyy too much
 
my guess for anyone reading this years from now,,,,,,, is that back in the 60-80's they didnt have computers in police stations or DMV's ...well not like today

in the 80's when VIN number switched to 17 digits i think that all information that was catologed may have been stored for a few years but than distroyed.

there for if your bike has been in the ground under leaves since the 70's your only option is to pay the money and get a bonded title service to retitle it or

GET A USED CAR DEALER TO RESELL YOU THE BIKE/CAR USING THEIR DEALER LICENSE

FLIP THEM SOME CASH TO HELP YOU OUT.
 
The Y2000 bug (remember that ?) trashed a lot of older data - the details didn't transfer across too well into lots of the 'upgraded' systems that were required.

Not much was said about this...
 
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