Hello all, new user here!

jimmytwin · Mar 28, 2009

Hello there, my names Jim and im very happy to be a new person on this very useful forum! I have aquired a 1972 norton commando which is....well a little shot away but not beyond repair. TThe chaps to old to do the bike so i aquired it as a project. Please see attatched pics. As i said it aint pretty (Well it is to me :lol: ) but im not one to judge a project on its first appearance so im soldiering forward with it as soon as its in my garage, hopefully this tuesday. Anyways thanks for looking chaps!

Jim.

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Corona850 · Mar 28, 2009

Probably it ran fine when it was parked. Right?

Change the oil, charge the battery, and put in fresh gas and you're good to go!

Good luck, though. It looks like it will take a bit longer than a weekend, but I am sure you'll enjoy every minute of the work.

79x100 · Mar 28, 2009

Plenty of work to do there Jimmy and with the good parts availability you'll probably find it more economic to replace many of the ancilliaries rather than refurbish them.

It looks to be a Mk 5 750 which has potentially the strongest 750 engine but suffers from the rear mounted crankcase breather (plenty of info on here and elsewhere over the simple mods to the cases needed to correct this).

I couldn't resist looking on the DVLA site. According to them, it should be yellow and was first registered on 1/6/73. It's last tax expired in September 1978 which would mean that it was on the road for six years and under a cover for thirty !

BrianK · Mar 28, 2009

O.M.F.G.!!!

Welcome Jim. You have come to the right place for advice and support.

Good luck on your project, and may I request: Keep copious notes and photos along the way! You'll do yourself a favor, as well as the rest of us who will enjoy the trip along with you.

You may want to omit from your copious notes the undoubtedly copious amounts you will spend along the way! Not to discourage you, but as our own Debby once so memorably said, with Nortons, the purchase price is best thought of as a down payment (I am assuming, however, that your purchase price was fairly, um, modest....!)

Best regards - BrianK

Jeandr · Mar 28, 2009

79x100 said:
Plenty of work to do there Jimmy and with the good parts availability you'll probably find it more economic to replace many of the ancilliaries rather than refurbish them.

It looks to be a Mk 5 750 which has potentially the strongest 750 engine but suffers from the rear mounted crankcase breather (plenty of info on here and elsewhere over the simple mods to the cases needed to correct this).

I couldn't resist looking on the DVLA site. According to them, it should be yellow and was first registered on 1/6/73. It's last tax expired in September 1978 which would mean that it was on the road for six years and under a cover for thirty !

THAT is a lot of information from a license plate, is this all public record? It would be nice if we could get so much from so little in Canada (Québec).

At any rate, that is a major project but as others mentionned, not impossible, especially these days with many parts and information available a click away.

Good luck, take and post many pictures, everyone loves that.

Jean

RennieK · Mar 29, 2009

WELCOME! Jim.

Man, I thought my bike looked rough after 30 years of storage but it's nothing like that. Does it turn over?

If you have a fiberglass tank you will have to treat it inside for the new fuels. Since it is likely dry now it would be the best time to start that repair so as not to ever put new fuel into it.

The only thing I've done so far on mine is pull off the fork legs and what a sight. The oil had turned to a small amount of what looked like gear oil and some thick paste.

My Dick Tracy side was trying to determine the milage. It looks like 1719 miles but it's hard to tell because that rope is in the way

Cookie · Mar 29, 2009

Worse bikes have been rebuilt. It looks like a complete rebuild but I'm sure that is why you bought it.
Best of luck, I'm sure you'll be haunting the autojumbles!

fastback · Mar 29, 2009

I hope they paid you to tow it off their property!

Good luck and enjoy the rebuild - it will be so satisfying to post the "after" photo.

P.

jimmytwin · Mar 30, 2009

Yup its certainly a whole lota work alright. But nothing that cant be done with perseverance and well money lol. Ive had the fortune of helping to build concourse winning Vincents in the past so that'll help with the rebuild. The previous owner said it has got the combat engine in it, im going to completely strip it down and do a floor up resto. Exactly what I like something that some people frown on but I can see exactly what potential it could have. Still I guess its more of a passion than a hobby for me and I hope this will be my crowning piece if you get what I mean lol, sorry but its getting closer to Tuesday and i just want to get it in the garage and start photoing, recording and stripping it down..........watch this space.

Jim.

Cookie · Mar 30, 2009

Heck,

If I saw it here at a reasonable price I'd pick it up. If you plan to restore it for a hobby you aren't paying for a lot of things that are not quite up to snuff.

jimmytwin · Mar 30, 2009

LOADS MORE PICS!!! brace yourselves guys!

Well its a sad tale for a well respected bike. See the other pics below, the engines half stripped, it does turn over freely and all the camshaft moves very well. I am worried about those con rods tho, but alas I won't be able to asses the total condition till Tues. The previous owner has ALL the parts because he dismantled it but never put it all back.

L.A.B. · Mar 30, 2009

This is a coincidence, as this bike appears to be another MkV specification MkIV model? The engine number 212309 at least, is MkIV.

Jeandr · Mar 30, 2009

This is what happens when Brits get oil tight, RUST! A leaky Norton is doing it for self preservation, that oil and grease film is embalming oingtment, not something to get rid of in a hurry

Jean

Cookie · Mar 30, 2009

He will know more as he gets it torn down. I reckon he will have the torch out on this one.

jimmytwin · Mar 30, 2009

Too right mate, im going to soak or rather saturate it in wd40 and any other lube that I can find in the garage first then start dismantling it.

Cookie · Mar 30, 2009

When you get the engine out a friend used to recommend soaking it in a bin of diesel for a month. He would toss various parts in to soak until he was ready to dismantle them.

Mike Sti · Mar 30, 2009

try usong KROIL I have used it on old car motors, boats and motorcycles I had a 69 triumph I Couldnt get the head off used wd 40 , diesel about everything else . Called a friend up in detriot which is a machinest and he sent me a quart of it. I will never use anything else its like PB blaster on steriods.

jimmytwin · Apr 14, 2009

Updated pics of bike strip down

Well I finally got the bike home and commenced soaking it in WD40. Here is a few pics, i will add some more recent pics soon as Ive actually got a lot further than this but haven't uploaded them to my PC yet.

grandpaul · Apr 14, 2009

Wow! Those will make great "before & after" pictures! I'd suggest doing straight side-on shots of both sides before teardown.

The "after pictures are going to be amazing. I really like the White/red/blue JPN scheme.

Paul · Apr 14, 2009

Hi Jimmytwin, please keep us informed about the reanimation !
Good luck.

Hello all, new user here!

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