Commando Opinion Part out or fix?

I have two Nortons, one is a 66 Atlas and one is a 71 Commando. The Commando is in pieces waiting on the Atlas completion. It has A LOT of bad things to it, but a lot of good ones too. The engine is apart and needs attention, but the jugs, cases, etc are in good shape, but no tranny. The gauges are in great shape, and it has a decent seat and the ever lusted after steel tank and side covers. Straight frame, but no headers, etc. I am almost tempted to part the thing out and dump it into the Atlas and then look for a little better Commando to restore. Any feedback from the crew here?

If the engine and frame serial number match, I would at least leave those together. It increases the value of both the cases and the frame, to leave them together.

I personally will end up losing money putting together a rolling basket case project before parting out anything even CLOSE to a bike; I HAVE DONE SO, and I'm doing it again as we speak (e-bay chopper project). I just can't see myself parting out a bike. The few bits I am selling on e-bay no longer have an engine or frame they could possibly be matched with.

A bird in the hand...... I'd fix it. You have the expensive pieces allready. What are you all missing. Exhaust's are easy to replace. Transmissions show up from time to time, grandpaul has most bits for several if I remember correctly. I have a pile of parts here that seems to be growing daily. If it's in pieces, lay it all out and start making a parts list. I have found RGM cost affective, despite shipping, for large orders. As for bearings, I have been using my local bearing supply house, Name brands and reasonable prices. I have also been changing out o-rings and felt seals to lipped seals while i'm at it. You'd be suprized how quickly things go together once all the cleaning, parts hunting and painting are done. Do you have any wheels for it, used ones go for around $100 each, wil need new spokes rims and cleaning, but for a stock wheel with new tires cost about $400 each when done. forks are about $150 with new tubes and seals. Transmission rebuild kits are about $150, bearings bushings and seals. So it's really up to what you want to put into it. You will still be doing work on any bike you get. Good luck.

Just my Two cents but parting things out for cash is a SIN!! As someone who used to buy & sell vintage Guitars & equipment I can tell you there are a lot of scumbags who disassemble pieces of important history just to make more cash selling all the parts seperatly. I for one hate these scum who will take a complete 1950's 60's or now 70's Fender Tele, Strat or whatever they get their slimey hands on & destroy it to satisfy their greed. If the frame & engine #s match & you won't do it, sell it to someone who will. All the parts like headers you would most likely replace anyway so who cares if they aren't with it. I just missed a 68 Atlas for $550 that was missing all that stuff too but I wouldn't shread it for proffit, I would have put it back togeather, slowly if $ dictated. Just my two cents, the voices in your head may say otherwise.

Do you have paperwork that matches the engine and/or frame? This is getting increasinngly difficult to get a proper title with no papers. If you have a title or other good paperwork I would not part it out. If you have no paperwork see what it takes to get a good (not 2011 self-assembled) title in your state. It may not be worth the cost or risk involve to pursue it. If so, part it out.

Keep it and make it your back burner project collecting the bits you need as you find them. The bike sounds FAR too good to part out. There are many great British bikes and all have their fine points but the Commando is still the champ for ridability and maintainability.

Vintage Paul

PM sent.

Vince

I have been where you are now as the bike I had has just so many things wrong. I was determined and rebuilt instead. The only thing from the original wrecked bike is the motor and trans. Everything else has been replaced. The motor cases had the mounting tabs broken off as well. Still, I am not sorry I brought it back. If nothing else, I learned one hell of a lot about Commandos.

You guys have some valid points, and truthfully I don't have much in it. I traded for it, so I am not that deep in it if I remember correctly. The engine does not have numbers on it, so they do not match the frame. I know with some of the Triumphs when they did engine work on them, and had to replace the cases, that this was what happened. I think I feel a little bad when I see people needing parts and this one is sitting there. But truth be known I would like to see her up and running again. But then again you are right, I would just replace it with something else that needs work and have to tear into it as well. And with that bike I wouldn't be that far ahead on it as well. So it really does not make any sense to do it. I think I just needed some validation and someone to reassure me that I should keep it.

The bitch of it is, you might buy something that seems more complete and still end up replacing all that stuff!

rvich said:

The bitch of it is, you might buy something that seems more complete and still end up replacing all that stuff!

Click to expand...

You got that right. I bought a bike that had been rebuilt but had a wet sumping problem. After looking into it I've found a ton of problems and may just end up tearing the motor n tranny down next.

I wouldn't worry about other guys needing parts, there are plenty of parts to be had out there.

Having recently visited several shops in California i would sugest if you are prepared to look and pay there are plenty of second hand or new parts available, i agree with other posters that i dislike seeing a restorable bike wrecked out- They are not being made [Real ones] anymore so there fore there will be less for future generations to enjoy.
Al

I agree with the majority here.
You already have the where-with-all to get an Atlas together, and the Commando is really, truly another tangible, restorable piece of 20th century western culture. parting it out would almost be a crime against humanity. btw my combat was in similar shape when I started with it, and a mere $7000 (a guesstimate) and 10 years later, it thrills me like none other. Cheers, Don

Hi

Keep it as they will get harder to get in many years to come, even if you let it sit, one day you will get the urge to put it together again, if you part it out you will always think about it as you get older and wonder what it would have been if you had kept it, if you have the room to keep it thats the way I would go, I spend more time up in my shed, bikes, beer fridge, music and friends that drop around but even better when there is a project on the go even if it does take years to finish, but the best part is when its finished, it starts and that first ride, what else could you ask for in life.

Ashley

you could always put the engine in the Atlas - then you wouldn't have the concern on the barrel repair?

Actually I think the barrel repair looks great. That Atlas engine is pretty strong, and I am rebuilding it correctly. I don't want to cut an corners. I know you hear of people making a "connection" with a bike, and for some reason I am really connected with that one. Hopefully she will be road worthy here at the end of October. I will be pretty close to it if I keep going at this pace.

The attractive thing I have with the Commando is that since it is NOT numbers matching (i.e. no numbers on the engine at all) I can cafe it and not feel too bad about it at all. I have seen some BEAUTIFUL cafes on here that have been updated and wouldn't mind turning it into one of those.

I typically agree with the general sentiment of not tearing them apart and shuffling the pieces across the planet, but I don't think it's a sin. I bought a fairly complete, numbers-matching 1970 and realized it was a mess. It was "together" (the engine wasn't) but it might as well have just been in boxes. I realized it was over my head but that there were some key parts I wanted..

I kept the parts I wanted and sold the rest down the road, insisting the numbered parts stay together. If it's a sin, so be it. I got the parts I wanted for my featherbed project and several other people got parts they needed.

/shrug