Build year and month 128279

Looking for the build year and month for my commando project. Spent 2-3 hours on google with zero joy. Bike is titled as a 69, but prior owner swears its a 68.

Free beer for answer anytime you're within a 50 mile radius of Lexington, Il

Thanks in advance,
Dave

128646 was September 1968 according to Roy Bacon's data (Norton Twin Restoration).

Lol, I have that book and didn't even think to look there! Wonder what a good guess of # produced per month is? I could try to guesstimate then. . .

Dmftoy1 said:

Lol, I have that book and didn't even think to look there! Wonder what a good guess of # produced per month is? I could try to guesstimate then. . .

Click to expand...

http://www.bmh.com.au/norton/index.php?id=modelnum

Going by the published "year" serial number figures for '68-'69, NV manufactured approximately 5,000+ machines (of all types?) during the "1968 period" so, on average, about 400 bikes per month.

So, I take it is a Fastback? Does the tank have badges or decals? Are the footpegs and kickstarter rough with dull chrome or highly polished?

Some of the information in those tables of serial numbers is absolutely not correct. First of all look at the NOC opinion of what the total production for 1961 is (228 bikes total?) compared to the other column. Also the first number for 1961 was in the mid 93xxx, much earlier than the figures they have here, I know because I have a 1961 bike with a serial number in that range.

I have also seen 1962 bikes in the 104xxx range, unless AMC was shipping bikes leftover from Bracebridge Street production out as their own 1963 production.

I have sent one Norton serial number to the NOC and to two other individuals with copies of the factory Norton records and got three different interpretations of what the records say about it. At one point the Science Museum in London had copies of the records for sale and several people bought them.

The NOC has their records split up between several individuals all converting them to digital media, with the liberties and misinterpretations I have seen from them in the past I don't know if I would hit a dog in the ass with anything they have to tell me.

Unfortunately it is all we have to go on. Those entire records should be released to the public to look at, but instead the NOC is charging ten pounds per to look up your number and give you their interpretation of their copy of the records, no thanks.

I'm having the same issue trying to figure out production of 850's. Mine is plated May 1973 s/n 3045xx. 300212 is plated March 1973. That indicates production of around 1500 units per month. Another verified s/n 3051xx is plated July 1973 which indicates a production rate of around 200 per month. I mentioned this to my mechanic and he said that he thinks that production plating was doctored to satisfy banks with production rates.

i have 128287! That has to have been an early 68 fastback like mine with the round tank badges. Back then a lot of states titled the bikes model year as the year it was first registered.

beng said:

Some of the information in those tables of serial numbers is absolutely not correct. First of all look at the NOC opinion of what the total production for 1961 is (228 bikes total?) compared to the other column. Also the first number for 1961 was in the mid 93xxx, much earlier than the figures they have here, I know because I have a 1961 bike with a serial number in that range.

Click to expand...

That 1961 NOC number is a fairly obvious transcription error - according to the NOC website, it should read 92270, not 99270.

There are a few errors on that particular list, but the '68/'69 numbers also tally with the NOC list.

ommief said:

Mine is plated May 1973 s/n 3045xx. 300212 is plated March 1973. That indicates production of around 1500 units per month. Another verified s/n 3051xx is plated July 1973 which indicates a production rate of around 200 per month.

Click to expand...

At that time, it was common practice for UK factories to shut down for the workers' two week "summer break", or "factory fortnight", consequently "monthly" production would probably have dropped during that period.

http://talkaboutlocal.org.uk/did-your-t ... -about-it/

So, I take it is a Fastback? Does the tank have badges or decals? Are the footpegs and kickstarter rough with dull chrome or highly polished?

Click to expand...

Yup, tank badges, fastback tail badges. Tach drive external, points behind cylinder barrel. I think foot pegs are highly polished but I haven't looked close enough to distinguish vs chrome. Frame is widowmaker

Footpegs, footbrake pedal, kickstarter and gearchange lever should be dull chrome on the early Commandos. We have just done them- part##s 06-0473, 06-0474, 06-0479, 06-0488, 06-0929, See http://www.andover-norton.co.uk/New%20Items%20In.htm

Factory records show 128279 was dispatched to Berliner, New York on 30/8/1968 (30 August) docket number K 7319.

Records are held by the VMCC and will allow non members to search without a fee. The AJJ & Matchless Owners club also have original records, but charge to search.

Hope this helps.

I replaced the worn compliance plate on my MK 3 and prior to sending the frame to be powder coated found 2 numbers on the frame
The number on the headstock was 00143 This was small and I have no idea what that means
The number on the left bracket (which holds the coils) 065632 is the part number. I wonder if the frame is original

The frame # on the plate was the same as the engine and gearbox and apart from the VIN only had 77 in the date of manufacture (no month)
I am guessing this means the bike was built around 75 and sold in 77 so the month was not relevant?

Anyone else have a post 75 dated bike missing the month?

Jed

Jed said:

The number on the headstock was 00143 This was small and I have no idea what that means

Click to expand...

A variable 5-digit (001xx) number can often be found stamped the frame headstock.

It may be some kind of factory production or quality control marking, but we don't, as yet, know the actual reason why it's there.

Jed said:

I am guessing this means the bike was built around 75 and sold in 77 so the month was not relevant?

Click to expand...

If it's one of the post-receivership-built MkIII Commandos then it could have been assembled as late as 1976 or 1977. The month stamp would be basically irrelevant-regardless of when the bike was eventually sold.

That explains it, I guess there was no set numbering practice in place at that time
Thanks

les ward said:

Factory records show 128279 was dispatched to Berliner, New York on 30/8/1968 (30 August) docket number K 7319.

Records are held by the VMCC and will allow non members to search without a fee. The AJJ & Matchless Owners club also have original records, but charge to search.

Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

Thanks Les - helps ALOT!

L.A.B. said:

That 1961 NOC number is a fairly obvious transcription error - according to the NOC website, it should read 92270, not 99270.
There are a few errors on that particular list, but the '68/'69 numbers also tally with the NOC list.

Click to expand...

I agree that it is probably a transcription error, but if you and I can see it that easy why is it there at all?

I just corresponded with the owner of 650ss 1042xx. He ran the numbers of his bike through the factory records and it's dispatch date was September 1962, I am pretty sure that makes it belong to the 1962 model year.

650cc Norton Manxman 93603 was dispatched early November, belonging to the1961 model year.

There is a chance that some Nortons with 104xxx numbers were made at the Bracebridge Street works and were dispatched late enough to have them sold as 1963 models, so there would be no even-number cutoff date such as 104000 or 105000, as nice as that would be. I have corresponded with owners of late bikes in the 104xxx range that had features that you would expect to see on bikes from 1963 or 1964, but since a lot of time has passed and they don't know the history of their bikes 100% parts on them could have been swapped out at some point.

ZFD said:

Footpegs, footbrake pedal, kickstarter and gearchange lever should be dull chrome on the early Commandos. We have just done them- part##s 06-0473, 06-0474, 06-0479, 06-0488, 06-0929, See http://www.andover-norton.co.uk/New%20Items%20In.htm

Click to expand...

Please,
do you supply also the zener diode of the early Fastback? It look like a aluminium disc.
Ciao.
Piero