"Most Improved" award for 2009

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grandpaul said:
I wouldn't think it needs to be registered, just done to a reasonable running condition to show a "before" and "after" contrast.
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Ok then.

grandpaul said:
MANY people NEVER finish doing things to thier bikes 10 years on from when they got them running...
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I have no problem with that whatsoever!
 
To me an old bike never is really finished. You tinker with it a few years and get it going pretty good. Then it is very little maintenance for a few years and then needs everything done again. This actually finishes up when you die or sell it because then somebody else has to do it.
At this point half the stuff on my Norton I'm not truly happy with and I expect at least another year before it gets it's few years of running good. Time is always a bit limited, after pulling the mounts and connections on a 7,000 lb generator today to get it ready for the crane to lift off I don't have much steam to go out in the garage.

I'm pleased to see all the progress you guys are making. My view is post what you have and where you are and let everybody judge, if you aren't far enough this year maybe you'll be a contender next year.
 
So........looking over these pics on the slideshow I don't know how anyone willbe able to choose. They are all amazing!
 
Congrats to '71 basketcase for winning the contest/award; the moment I saw that "before" picture, I knew it was signficant.

That was fun, now let's all get busy and finish ongoing projects for NEXT YEAR'S competition!

MAJOR announcement on a related topic coming soon!
 
Congrats 71 basket case the award is well deserved.
Your title described it perfectly. Nice job w/ her mate!!!
Enjoy your prize from the forum crew :D
Don't forget about that tree prop we talked about. :lol:
Marshal
 
Cookie said:
To me an old bike never is really finished. You tinker with it a few years and get it going pretty good. Then it is very little maintenance for a few years and then needs everything done again. This actually finishes up when you die or sell it because then somebody else has to do it.
At this point half the stuff on my Norton I'm not truly happy with and I expect at least another year before it gets it's few years of running good. Time is always a bit limited, after pulling the mounts and connections on a 7,000 lb generator today to get it ready for the crane to lift off I don't have much steam to go out in the garage.

I'm pleased to see all the progress you guys are making. My view is post what you have and where you are and let everybody judge, if you aren't far enough this year maybe you'll be a contender next year.
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spoken my a man who bears sincere wisdom!
 
Thanks so much, everyone.

I have approached Jerry about donating 50 bucks of the winnings back into the forum as a thank you to the forum for all the encouragement, technical advice, and good natured banter that this forum provided me (and everyone else) ... The rest will go towards my new pakistani gas tank since further inspection has found ANOTHER area where the gas ate through the fiberglas enough to make the tank ( and me) weep.

In all honesty, I really wondered whether I'd ever get 'strunzo' running... but he's turned into a faithful companion after only one riding season. I think the thing that gave me the motivation to finish it was that my dear friend, Chris Riccottelli, was the one who hooked me up with the bike, and just as i was rounding the bend to kick strunzo over for the first time, Chris had died and never got to see the finished (well... as much as it's ever finished) bike. He was the guy who introduced me to nortons in the late 70's so i know he would have flipped to see that bike running again.

The other motivation to keep it is that it's just so much fun AND it's kind of cool to stop for gas and invariably have a crowd gather with lot's of 'whoah.. what's THAT!?!" and entertaining stories from other (usually old guys) people about their first brit bike.... it's keeping a bit of our 'yout' alive.

thanks again, all.

Karl.
 
Congratulations Karl!

$50.00 bucks! I think you should keep it all, after all the prize was only $175.00 wasn't it? (no thanks to me, I was too broke to contribute)
 
Karl, keep it all, your build was the most popular and if it will help you towards the purchase of a new tank, then it's for a good cause. Congratulations.

Jean
 
Congratulations Karl, very well deserved given such a delapidated starting point. Speaking for myself it was just such a pleasure to see what my fellow 'Nortonistas' are doing and that yet more of these magnificent old beasts are being rescued from what would almost certainly be the crusher in the wrong hands. In the meantime I've got another project, a pile of rusty bits that I will be laying out and photographing as my starting point for next year's competition.
 
dave M said:
...In the meantime I've got another project, a pile of rusty bits that I will be laying out and photographing as my starting point for next year's competition.
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THAT is the whole idea for this excercise!
 
71 basket case,
we pledged the $ for the winner.
You won that means the $ is yours.
Get a nice used orig. tank and have at her.
Pakastany tanks have been reported to be off spec and could be a headache
w/ fitting issues before it ever goes to paint.
I've heard Indian copies are excellent just in short supply.
I'd bounce an emailer out to the bigger Brit parts distributors.
If no luck, try ebay for a used one. It'll run you around 300 for the tank.
There is a guy on ebay from VT doing painting and his finished product looks great.
Just search for completed auctions Norton tanks.
Finished tanks are selling on ebay based on previous bidders at around 700.00.
They look excellent though. In paint you do get what you pay for.
Again congrats.
If the forum ever needed a $ contribution to keep alive I'd definitely contribute again.
Marshal
 
After hearing from all parties, I'm keeping the prize money. Even Jerry encouraged me to keep all the doe, so once again, peer pressure has won out 8) . I had a nice conversation with Jerry Doe last night. Thanks for hosting this site, Jerry: I really couldn't have been so successful on my build without you folks' help.

He made the mistake of asking me to do a write up about the build process, plus a little bit about me with pix . He didn't realize that I'm a recovering psychotherapist, so I tend to be pretty wordy (as if you've never read my posts before 8) ). Watch for a dedicated page on the build. I'm submitting the first 50 pages , entitled 'the early years' tomorrow. I think about 150 pages wil make for a nice 'brief' article :roll:

as for the tank issue, there's a guy about an hour from me (commandospecialties.com) who has th pakistani tanks. I've bought some stuff from him before and has put a nice one aside for me to inspect prior to purchasing.He told me that the last batch he got were much better. I'm not so much worried about factory specs as something that holds gasoline without eating through. so I'm going to probably pull the trigger if it looks at all nice. They're also roadster type with the knee cutouts, which I like the looks of.

And as luck would have it, the fellow in VT is about two towns over from my daughter's house and will probably be giving him a call if I pull the trigger on this tank.

take care:

kfh
 
"commandospecialties" is in the "good guys" column, in my book.

Your build story will be great to read AS LONG AS IT INCLUDES PIX!!!
 
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