Laverda Man Finally Admits to Going Commando

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Hi Mark

Shame the bolt is playing dirty but Hobot's right - if you get heavy with the box spanner you risk rounding off the bolt (I'm not fussed about the tool - they're less than a fiver). Whatever, don't risk damaging the head! Suggest you bring the engine home in one piece - freight charges will for sure be cheaper than replacing the head...

Good Luck!

Paul
 
Chopping the Head Off!!!!

Well I have been finally returned to Nigeria for long enough to do some work on separating the head from the block.

I have not been able to freight the engine back to the UK , as airlines will not accept used engines in their cargo. So a bit of lateral thinking was called for.

I havent been able to do anything on my Commando project for months as I have had a busy summer working in other locations, but in that time I have learned that apart from facebook and twitter, accessnorton cannot be accessed in China!!

I really cannot see why, as I would not have thought it is not in the same social networking league as facebook etc, but hey ho, I guess the Chinese authorities have their reasons.

So finally I have got the head off. In the end I have had to cut the offending bolt off and even now I cannot get the shaft of the bolt out of the head. I have been on this for 15 days and at least an hour a day, very gingerly cutting through the bolt.
This was a trial in itself as I had to use the thinnest hacksaw blade I could find to fit between the head and the block.
Now I can get the head to a machine shop in UK and get the offending bolt removed and the head professionally rebuilt.


Laverda Man Finally Admits to Going Commando



I will need a fin repair doing on 3 barrel fins.All three were part broken and held on by paint and a little bit of metal. The cracks were totally corroded, but i have the pieces and so will get the barrel fins fixed when I get the barrels home.

Next trip I will be bringing out the Allen key to undo the 4 studs in the barrels. The studs are currently swimming in WD40 and I hope they will be less of a challenge than the head has been.

The plating was returned to me and I was very dissatisfied with the results of the polishing and chroming. I showed them to mitchp of this parish for a second opinion and he is of the same thoughts as me, that the plating could have been done a lot better.
So I am insisting it is all stripped and re-plated, and parts damaged in the platers replaced.
I am so glad I photographed every piece in the chrome platers on handover. If there is one piece of advice I would give to anyone sending parts for plating: Photograph everything pre- assembled on handover to the platers so there is no story about who has broken components or lost washers and nuts etc.

I am waiting for a satisfactory response from the platers when I get home this month and will detail this in a further report after I meet them in the next two weeks.

Once again thanks to mitchp for your help and advice, its much appreciated.
 
I don't frequent this forum nearly often enough and so I just caught up with this post/thread. This is really a great project and an amazing story. Good luck to you in completing this bike. (Although it will never actually ever be. . . complete.) You will have lots of ups and downs and it will take a lot of time, but you will be glad you did it. Bravo, sir.
 
Well I must say it has been good to be home.

I returned the poor chrome and nickel plating to the company in Bristol, along with the brake pedal (they had snapped of the brake switch support) and then poilshed off the braze and and chromed it over. For 500 odd quid the work was 2 months late and the standard of work was appalling.
After insisting on showing their Managing Director, he took on board that the work was shoddy and unacceptable and promised to make good the plating and re-do several components.
So they wont be getting the work for the rest of the chrome plating I require doing.
They also promised to replace the brake lever so I will see how they get on when I return home in a months time.

Can anyone advise on how the bearing spacer tube is coated/ painted/ plated at the headstock of the frame? Mine is so rusty I really cannot tell

When I got the head off I found that my Allen keys did not fit the allen socket holding down bolts of the barrels. So on returning I called Andover Norton who I must say impressed me no end by searching through their stock and measuring the correct size allen key ( BTW Allen key for holding down bolts on the 850 Commando Barrels are .31inch or 5/16 inch)

So I am off to get the Allen key in Gloucester today as I am flying out on saturday and hopefully on my next trip I will be bringing the cylinder and pistons back.

I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel for this phase of my restoration now. Hopefully only another 2 trips the whole machine will be back in the UK and I can get started on the restoration properly.

I am still on target for accessnorton Most Improved contest in the year 2018 so you guys better watch out LOL. Cheers guys
 
marknorton said:
When I got the head off I found that my Allen keys did not fit the allen socket holding down bolts of the barrels.

5/16" is a fairly standard size, even cheap Allen key sets usually have a 5/16" key.

http://www.toolbox.co.uk/silverline-hk1 ... 873-100321



marknorton said:
So on returning I called Andover Norton who I must say impressed me no end by searching through their stock and measuring the correct size allen key

You would probably have got the answer more quickly here! :wink:
 
Can anyone advise on how the bearing spacer tube is coated/ painted/ plated at the headstock of the frame? Mine is so rusty I really cannot tell

Ugh, its just raw exposed steel that the only thing important is its length and it don't crush on tightening the stem nut down good. On my Ms Peel whose a bit anal on weight loss, I had it redone in 6061T6 Al tube.

One you got it running that's not the end of it, no more than newly wed couple, lot of little stuff to dial in and redo over sights. You can seal everything by you own wits and hand but for the tach drive seal, which needs upgrade or capped off not to flood the hollow there and everything down and read ward riding with the wind.

When ya get to the front hub bearing spacer, mine drove me nuts to get it moved enough to get a drift on a bearing edge, like broke my back and hand pounding, so once out i ground two notches out so next fella can get to it normally.
 
I have been sorting out all components for respraying, as I have been recommended someone who can carry out this work to a high standard.
However I am not sure about my sidepanels as one is metal, and the other is fibreglass. They both seem original and from the scratches etc I can see they have not been resprayed and the Norton transfers seem original.

Laverda Man Finally Admits to Going Commando


The metal sidepanel is the lower one in the picture.
Did 850 mkII Commandos have one fibreglass and one metal sidepanel? Seems strange to me.
 
marknorton said:
Did 850 mkII Commandos have one fibreglass and one metal sidepanel? Seems strange to me.

Yours is a Mk2A model.

850 Mk1A/2A models had different L/H battery side covers to the Mk1 & 2 models (because of the 1A/2A black airbox) and by cross-referencing the part numbers between the Mk1A and Mk2/2A parts supplements it would appear that 850 Mk2/2A models had steel R/H side covers as they are listed as such in the Mk2/2A supplement.
 
Happy Days.......Well I can finally amend my signature file as I have finally managed to get the final components including the crankcases, crank and con rods (that are the final bits of my entire Nigerian suitcase Commando ) back to Britain.
It has taken a bit longer to get it all over due to work in other regions, and the unexpected issues with trying to get the cylinder head off, but that has all been part of the experience and story.

I was absolutely elated when on checking the weight of the bottom end and bag, the whole lot just sneaked in under the BA allowed weight of 23kg. Its amazing how with Commando ownership sometimes it is the little things that make your day.

On checkin, the guys doing the fingertip suitcase search in Lagos airport got ever so excited over the contents, and involved the drug agents, customs, and BA personnel. Anyway they all seemed to feel that having used engine parts was not allowed as baggage but no one could actually confirm why. So after animated discussions and checking of various customs manuals, I was boarded, suitcases and all and I cant believe it is entirely now back home.


Laverda Man Finally Admits to Going Commando



The cost to me to fly the whole machine over to Britain has been 32UK Pounds for excess baggage ( which is 32 Pounds over my budget to get it back). But hey I am sure that is going to be a drop in the ocean compared to what I have costed the full build to be.
In terms of the pleasure, entertainment, frustration bordering on pure unadulterated hatred, highs and lows, my suitcase Norton has been a priceless experience so far.
I am normally very laid back but have surprised myself that I could love and hate it in such equal measure.....Is this also a factor of Commando ownership? If so not one of you guys told me about that. Sometimes the frustrations this bike has thrown at me I just would never have been able to make up, and unbelievably have left me stressed for days. How many Commando restorers have Post Traumatic Stress due to a Commando restoration?.... or is no one admitting??

I have received the re-polished items from S and T electroplate in Bristol, and I am totally disappointed with the quality of work. Allowing for the fact that the original job was months late and poorly done, one would have thought that having sent the items back to the MD that he would have ensured the work was carried out properly. However this is not the case.
The foot brake lever they have replaced has chrome missing off it and the polishing they have attempted to do is totally unacceptable.

Laverda Man Finally Admits to Going Commando


The Z plates are only partially polished despite me insisting on all areas of the plates being polished and the plates still have Nigerian dirt on them despite their polishing. This is getting an elephant in the room for me and I will have to get the work redone somewhere else, or maybe do it myself.

I am now sorting all components for spraying and have the following questions:

Can anyone identify the colour code Norton Red? My bike is a post office red colour with black decals. Also has anyone identified the colour silver used for the yokes (fork trees I think is US speak).

I am back to work away in 2 weeks time, and hoping to have all components resprayed and ready to commence assembly with my Lad when I return home in February 2012. After my snow issues here at home last year for my Christmas R and R I will be in no hurry to repeat the experiencethis Christmas, so will stay in warmer climes.
 
Glad you're getting along. Re: the yoke parts, I had mine done in what the powder coater called "Chrome". I thought it was a good match for the original colour, but with some shine to it, certainly didn't look like chrome though, but I didn't expect or want it to.

Laverda Man Finally Admits to Going Commando


Dave
69S
 
Remarkable endurance test. I fully admit suffering physical, emotional and mental trauma that threw me into infantile rages and thoughts of permanent divorces. I had to give up on outside help except for advice and major machine work so have hand drill buffer wheels and lots of grades of sand paper to get stuff nice to gaze at. Best wishes you eventually get your rocks off on the road orgasms.
 
You must keep the suitcase as it has it's own story in this. Subaru silver was the closest I could match to my mk3. I must agree re the love and hate thing, you have described my feelings exactly, but maybe I had more swearing involved. Good luck to you. Graeme
 
Most definately a love / hate relationship, but that makes it complete right....ying and yang. Cj
 
Keep the suit case as will be needed for various new spares and old spoils as they get consumed by the Tao of the Commando.
 
Hi Guys,
Its been a while. One small 'heart procedure ' later ( quaint term these surgeons use huh?) and now back to firing but definitely no longer smoking on all clyinders LOL.
Bike Tank and side panels are going for blasting and painting today.
I urgently need to know if someone can advise on the correct colour paint for the 'post office red ' tank and side panels.
I took it to the painter and he shows me that it has been resprayed red, and had a different colour red underneath the layers of paint. Any help would be appreciated.
As usual thanks Guys.
 
I thought I'd Fav'd it. Seems not. There is a classic and vintage paint supplier there in the UK. I cannot remember the Name. :(
They have matches for any Triumph or Norton Color. I expect someone here will know. If not, I hear Hutch often recieves requests
that he use their paints.
http://www.triumphman.com/
 
marknorton said:
I urgently need to know if someone can advise on the correct colour paint for the 'post office red ' tank and side panels.
I took it to the painter and he shows me that it has been resprayed red, and had a different colour red underneath the layers of paint.

I would have expected it to be a Candy Apple Red (Red laquer over a Silver base coat)?
http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... ochure.pdf

The NOC website lists: "Grenadier Red...Commando....Peugeot Talbot Cherry YAR054" however I have no idea if that is a suitable match for the '74 850 Red?
http://www.nortonownersclub.org/support ... and-paints


shrugger said:
I thought I'd Fav'd it. Seems not. There is a classic and vintage paint supplier there in the UK. I cannot remember the Name.
They have matches for any Triumph or Norton Color.

MS Motorcycles?: http://www.msmotorcyclesuk.com/

RS Motorbike paint?: http://www.rsbikepaint.com/en-gb/colours.php
 
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