A call for UK members / Nourish

Hi Guys,

Early in 2015 I placed an order for a billet crankshaft with the successor to Dave Nourish, Nourish Engineering run by Chris Bushell.
Being one of a batch of billet cranks he had received orders for, machining was commenced in May after supply of billets. Initial estimate of delivery was 14-16 weeks after delivery of the billet, unfortunately progress has been dripping slow. Having inquired several times during the last months, there has been no response for the last 6-8 weeks and probably no progress either.

Does any of you live near Tonbridge in Kent, and/or know if the company is actually operating?

Anyone else who is stuck with Nourish Engineering?

If being forced to cancel the order, do you know if there is another company in the UK which may complete a semi-finished billet Norton crankshaft? I am looking at Fardon Engineering but there might be others.

Thanks,

Knut

Sorry to hear that. My dealings with Dave Nourish were always positive, it will be a shame if Chris breaks that long positive trend.

I believe Mick Hemmings used to and / still does sell billet cranks, so he may well be worth a call.

Does it have to be billet? Maney's cranks look sexy. And there's a German bloke who makes billet flywheels for stock cranks.

Knut

Dont be concerned yet. They have just re manufactured a Weslake engine to be used in classic racing. (not yet approved with CRMCC) but it will be as a few raced in the post classic era. I will ask my friend if he can pop in before the new year for you.

Chris

Fast Eddie:
A Norton bolt-up crank lacks rigidity and the Mk3 crankshaft is even worse than the previous designs due to the uneven bolt pattern used.
For this particular model, a solid crankshaft is considered a necessity.
Thanks for the referral to Mick Hemmings - I will give him a call.

Chris:
Thanks and please relay your friend's message.

-Knut

mdt-son said:

Fast Eddie:
A Norton bolt-up crank lacks rigidity and the Mk3 crankshaft is even worse than the previous designs due to the uneven bolt pattern used.
For this particular model, a solid crankshaft is considered a necessity.
Thanks for the referral to Mick Hemmings - I will give him a call.

Chris:
Thanks and please relay your friend's message.

-Knut

Click to expand...

I would agree with the suggestion to talk to Mick Hemmings.

No doubt a billet crank is a good way to go if you can, and can suit those who want a heavy flywheel, but I have a lighweight bolt up Maney crank in my short stroke and am happy with it. I also used a MKIII crank for 5 race seasons in the '70s and had no issues at all with that in a very fast 850 motor. The only Issue I would have with the MKIII crank now relates to age.

As I heard the tale the ONLY reason Mr Hopwood designed the 3 piece crank, based on a much earlier Vauxhall cental dowel crank design, was because Norton did not have the facilities to manufactur one piece cranks.
Clearly it was oerfectly acceptable for a 500cc twin and even later more powerful larger capacity motors but when produced by a factory with little in the way of inspection and quality control.......leaving a stress raiser inside many drive sides directly beneath the big ends outer 90 thou radius enabling them to break far more easily for example..... Later of course some people supplyed new bolts and studs kits that were undersize so the two crank halves did not line up correctly and i bet not many ever put a rebuilt crank up between centres to check both big ends are lined up.......some engine builders ensure they are lined up using undersize fixings initially then once everything is correct they ream the two top fixings and use oversize fitting bolts. According to a letter Mr Hopwood sent me decades ago at least one of the two top bolts should be an interferance fit in both the webs and flywheel. Exactly how you do that using some bolts when they are undersize........but I dont suppose many owners even check the bolts are correct size before using them..... I didn't in my youth a great many decades ago......

I don't know if it's true but I've heard that DLC coated Nourish billet cranks are going in Triumph engines that are going in Moto2 bikes for 2018. :roll:

http://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news- ... -for-moto2

As it seems Mr Bushell's version of Nourish cannot or will not make what he says he can, so I somehow doubt it.


850-nourish-billet-crankshaft-t25456-45.html

Well that's what I thought as soon as I heard it.