Finding Waldo...

rvich · Jul 4, 2010

Look what I found! When you ride a Norton people like to talk to you about the bikes they used to have...sometimes they talk to you about the ones they still have!

I am presently in what will pass for negotiations to bring this one home. It is a '74 with an engine number in the 316XXX range. The tag on the head might say 8 or 6 of 74. It is a one owner bike! LOL. Couldn't turn it over, the tank might be scrap, the clocks are both busted, but the good news is it doesn't look like it was ever wrecked.

Jeepers...what am I thinkin'?

JimC · Jul 4, 2010

Jeepers...what am I thinkin'?

Nothing that ten grand and a few months work won't turn into a stunner.

bpatton · Jul 4, 2010

rvich said:
Look what I found! When you ride a Norton people like to talk to you about the bikes they used to have...sometimes they talk to you about the ones they still have!

Ain't that the truth. Judging from the pic's I think ya gotta thank goodness for everyone that never throws anything away, bless their hearts.

swooshdave · Jul 4, 2010

Tank looks fine. That'll buff out. :mrgreen:

Hobot · Jul 4, 2010

Boy that's both happy and sad to see.
Its too cool to toss out but too expensive for most to stuffer though.
We used to get stories of kids rebuilding barn finds in their flower
shed but that was before bikes completely decayed everything
that just elbow grease could tidy up.

Its also reveals the bargains a fully fettered Cdo is for a half dozen $1000's
discounted for free labor and tears and poorly invested lost on parts.

I accquired two roadworthy Combats, both required half dozen
or more $1000's to keep road worthy d/t hidden issues or hard
road fates.

If it seems like might end up as garage clutter at you place too,
maybe CNW or such would want the core for their re-creations
that go for over a dozen $1000's.

hobot

swooshdave · Jul 4, 2010

It might look bad but at least it's complete. Sure if you want a 100pt resto it's not going to be cheap but it's far from lost, witnessed by some of the resurrections we've seen on this forum alone.

Hobot · Jul 4, 2010

Yes that's the spirit swoohdave!
Even though its seized and likely decayed to trash in all its vitals.
Its got to be a pure labor of love and lust and takes someone
with resources to spare or becomes a basket case lower
down the food chain.

I've a firm rule to keep about all invoices in note book for easy
reference that I Never Ever Add up for any totals to upset my moods.

hobot

norbsa48503 · Jul 4, 2010

Yes another "all there needs everything" bike. You make your deal when you buy it, not when you sell it. Everyone who does one once seems to want to do it different a second time. I have three Norton money pits two Triumph's and too many BSA's. Be careful what you wish for, you might get it. Why is it that the left over parts never seem to fit on the next project?

rvich · Jul 4, 2010

I am approaching this from the idea that I might end up with nothing but a frame. Without tearing it down, it is impossible to know. It does have some nice bits though. Like the steel sidecovers! There must be something else there that would justify a few hundred hours of labor...I should be careful, I might talk myself out of it and then be haunted by the damn thing calling to me as it sinks deeper into the muck.

DogT · Jul 4, 2010

The frame, the tank, panels, aluminum parts like the primary inner and outer, timing cover, fork tubes, wheel hubs and the head and barrels and crank cases may all be salvageable, as well as the crank and maybe even the camshaft and the engine mount, gearbox may yield many good parts. Unknown until all taken apart. I would proffer about $300 and try to salvage/sell the parts to someone that would want the parts. Some of the scruffy parts may be used on rough runners. That way it can live, if in various places. It would be a pity to let it rot, if it were in my area, that is what I would do. I would not rebuild it. Norton Lives!!

Dave
69S

swooshdave · Jul 4, 2010

DogT said:
The frame, the tank, panels, aluminum parts like the primary inner and outer, timing cover, fork tubes, wheel hubs and the head and barrels and crank cases may all be salvageable, as well as the crank and maybe even the camshaft and the engine mount, gearbox may yield many good parts. Unknown until all taken apart. I would proffer about $300 and try to salvage/sell the parts to someone that would want the parts. Some of the scruffy parts may be used on rough runners. That way it can live, if in various places. It would be a pity to let it rot, if it were in my area, that is what I would do. I would not rebuild it. Norton Lives!!

Dave
69S

Let's just say he hauled it down to Portland... I'd entertain scrounging up $300... :mrgreen:

KickStarter · Jul 4, 2010

It might not be as bad as it looks.
I seem to remember discussions on this forum about "unsiezing" pistons ... ATF, Marvel Mystrey Oil, light weight engine oil etc.
That's a steel tank ... couple of handfulls of nuts and bolts, some Caswell tank sealer and good as new.

My 74 Commando was born in Alaska and I was hoping they were close cousins but mine is 317xxx.

I say go for it ... if the price is right.

Scott

grandpaul · Jul 5, 2010

TOUGH CROWD TODAY!!!

I say, buy it and restore it, or resto-mod it to your liking. okay, if you intend it as an 'investment", or to get it running then re-sell it, it's a loser.

Otherwise, there's plenty of good core components there, as I didn't notice a gaping hole in the crankcase or front weel pointing to about 7 o'oclock.

If you do most of the work yourself, you'll come out alright.

VERY good candidate for the 2011 "most improved" award if you have way more play money that the average old bike buyer, and are a crack mechanic with all the tools, equipment, etc. Or, more realistically, it can make the cut in 2012.

Go ahead, get on with it...

grandpaul · Jul 5, 2010

norbsa48503 said:
Why is it that the left over parts never seem to fit on the next project?

I guess I've gotten lucky, I'm just about to finish to the rolling project stage with my FIFTH Commando in a row, and my spare parts bins are actually getting empty! In fact, I don't have much more than some incomplete/mismatched spoke sets, a few odd brake shoes, an extra tranny ceradle and a couple of good heads.

However, the more i think about it, the more i might just break it all back down and sell off the parts individually; that's certainly the direction the current market is taking me if I intend to actually make any money with it...

britbike220 · Jul 5, 2010

JimC said:
Nothing that ten grand and a few months work won't turn into a stunner.

Classic, but so true

chris plant · Jul 5, 2010

swooshdave said:
DogT said:

The frame, the tank, panels, aluminum parts like the primary inner and outer, timing cover, fork tubes, wheel hubs and the head and barrels and crank cases may all be salvageable, as well as the crank and maybe even the camshaft and the engine mount, gearbox may yield many good parts. Unknown until all taken apart. I would proffer about $300 and try to salvage/sell the parts to someone that would want the parts. Some of the scruffy parts may be used on rough runners. That way it can live, if in various places. It would be a pity to let it rot, if it were in my area, that is what I would do. I would not rebuild it. Norton Lives!!

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

Let's just say he hauled it down to Portland... I'd entertain scrounging up $300... :mrgreen:

swooshdave,you,re havin laff,300$ ,if that bike was for sale in uk it would be at least 1000 quid maybe 1500,its ripe for restoration,a few thou and it will be a decent runner,

swooshdave · Jul 5, 2010

chris plant said:
swooshdave said:

DogT said:

The frame, the tank, panels, aluminum parts like the primary inner and outer, timing cover, fork tubes, wheel hubs and the head and barrels and crank cases may all be salvageable, as well as the crank and maybe even the camshaft and the engine mount, gearbox may yield many good parts. Unknown until all taken apart. I would proffer about $300 and try to salvage/sell the parts to someone that would want the parts. Some of the scruffy parts may be used on rough runners. That way it can live, if in various places. It would be a pity to let it rot, if it were in my area, that is what I would do. I would not rebuild it. Norton Lives!!

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

Let's just say he hauled it down to Portland... I'd entertain scrounging up $300... :mrgreen:

Click to expand...

swooshdave,you,re havin laff,300$ ,if that bike was for sale in uk it would be at least 1000 quid maybe 1500,its ripe for restoration,a few thou and it will be a decent runner,

Bike's not in UK, it's in AK. Big difference.

rvich · Jul 6, 2010

Where's Waldo? At my house! I reached an accord with the PO and will be wondering every time I snap off a screw what I was thinking...

but here is Waldo ready to come home. It took three guys to drag it to the trailer. At first I thought that maybe he didn't want to come home with me but then realized that it was just the wheels were both seized.

and here we are at the new home.

This is a lousy photo, but sadly the miles on the odometer are acurate!

and I thought it was interesting to find a RED kill switch!

I don't plan to do a rebuild thread, at least not at this time. However, I will post some stuff about the teardown and what I find.

Russ

GRM 450 · Jul 7, 2010

Lucky bugger, I wish it was in my area and I found it.
Good luck to you !

(just poor some synthetic oil on it)

john robert bould · Jul 7, 2010

chris plant said:
swooshdave said:

DogT said:

The frame, the tank, panels, aluminum parts like the primary inner and outer, timing cover, fork tubes, wheel hubs and the head and barrels and crank cases may all be salvageable, as well as the crank and maybe even the camshaft and the engine mount, gearbox may yield many good parts. Unknown until all taken apart. I would proffer about $300 and try to salvage/sell the parts to someone that would want the parts. Some of the scruffy parts may be used on rough runners. That way it can live, if in various places. It would be a pity to let it rot, if it were in my area, that is what I would do. I would not rebuild it. Norton Lives!!

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

Yes, if postage is right...i have a 1000 quid , ready and waiting . { from the ashe's ,a splendid bird emerged} Let's just say he hauled it down to Portland... I'd entertain scrounging up $300... :mrgreen:

Click to expand...

swooshdave,you,re havin laff,300$ ,if that bike was for sale in uk it would be at least 1000 quid maybe 1500,its ripe for restoration,a few thou and it will be a decent runner,

Finding Waldo...

rvich

Attachments

JimC

bpatton

swooshdave

Hobot

swooshdave

Hobot

norbsa48503

rvich

DogT

swooshdave

KickStarter

grandpaul

grandpaul

britbike220

chris plant

swooshdave

rvich

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GRM 450

john robert bould

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