My 1970 Roadster Rebuild

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Chris,

Congratulations on your accomplishment. I've got a 1970 rolling basket case that I'm looking forward to getting into one day (just as soon as I finish my '74 850 and my '73 BMW 75/5). Your bike is gorgeous. I hope mine comes out half as nice.
 
On the brochures that L.A.B. attached it looks to me like the S-Type has the choke lever as an integral part of the front brake lever perch. Does anyone know if this is indeed the case?
 
I believe this is what you are looking for?

My 1970 Roadster Rebuild


Dave
69S
 
Does anyone have any idea how many S's were actually made. The range of serial numbers is about 3800, but that would include fastbacks and R's as well. It seems there have been quite a few pop up here and on eBay lately. I know when I got mine in the early '90's, the former dealer here in Charlotte told me that everyone took off the high pipes and put low pipes on. He hadn't see one with high pipes in several years.
 
According to JBA (http://www.jba.bc.ca/JBCycle/NortonS.htm) the " "S" Production Engine #'s start 131257 (Mar 69) to 135088 (June 70)". That would make 3831 S models from the factory, no? I don't know where Jim gets his information. I'm sure some of these were changed in the showrooms to sell other styles as well, so who is to know how it all washed out.

Dave
69S
 
DogT said:
"S" Production Engine #'s start 131257 (Mar 69) to 135088 (June 70)". That would make 3831 S models from the factory, no?
Click to expand...



No.


For instance, it is recorded that camshaft points (20M3S) Fastback production started at serial 133668 in September 1969, so a certain number of Commandos within that series of numbers must have been built as Fastbacks, and it is likely there were some 'R' models built within that series too.
 
LAB,
Thanks for the clarification. I am sure there is more to the story than just the numbers.

Dave
 
DogT, Many thanks for posting the photo of the combined brake/choke lever, I have seen these for sale and was going to buy one for my S-type, but I was told by someone who I thought knew better then I, that these were not fitted to the s-type and the brochure photos are just ambiguous enough to wonder. Anyway if this is what came standard on yours this at least indicates that this was the case at some point of S-Type production and I will buy one the next time I am in the U.S.

Back to seats again, how far down from the top of the seat is the logo placed ? ie. from the top most point of the logo up to the seat piping.
 
Dave,

I am surprised you could find the whole choke/brake assembly. I could not. I had to piece mine together from several different sources and I had some of the parts that were not in bad shape. The only original parts in the picture are the ring around the central screw and the pear shaped handle.

Anyhow, here is a picture of the back of my S seat, with the logo barely visible.

My 1970 Roadster Rebuild


As before, I have had people tell me that it shouldn't be there or was gold or something. Not being an expert or there when it was made, I have to go with what I have. Bought the '69S' in '72 and have no reason to believe it was changed. Take it for what it is worth.

Dave
69S
 
Thanks again Dave, I saw a combined lever assembly at Rabers parts mart in San Jose, I am sure it was a repro, but it looked of decent quality, obviously there are some lever-perches where the retaining strap is mounted from the top and the hole spacing is the same as the choke lever casting, so as you have done it is possible to reproduce this component.
Regards

Dave
 
Dave,
Just be careful, if you are going for originality, the screws for the handlebar mount are from the bottom and they are cheese headed to fit the small areas in the bottom body, and the cable adjusters are threaded into the body, not loose.

My 1970 Roadster Rebuild


Dave
 
i also beleive there are differances in the measurement between the pivot point and where the cable nipple slots into the lever blade norton is 7/8" where i beleive triumph is 1".
Al
 
DogT said:
According to JBA (http://www.jba.bc.ca/JBCycle/NortonS.htm) the " "S" Production Engine #'s start 131257 (Mar 69) to 135088 (June 70)". That would make 3831 S models from the factory, no? I don't know where Jim gets his information. I'm sure some of these were changed in the showrooms to sell other styles as well, so who is to know how it all washed out.

Dave
69S
Click to expand...

My engine #s are 131721 This is preceded by 20 V 3 S/ The V could be an M but if so the vertical lines of the M are very light compared to the V part. But at least this confirms mine is a true S since my #s fall in the range given by Dave.
As far as Chris' bike tho who would replace the headlight with a halo type? Of course maybe over 40 yrs the original went bad and the halo type was scavenged from another bike. I always thought the halo headlight was the mark of an S.
Bruce
BTW mine also has the choke mounted on the front brake post like the one shown above.
 
the headlight "halo" mount is more applicable to specific YEAR models, rather than TYPE models.
 
Bruce,

That should read 20M3S. The 20M3 denotes it is a Commando engine and the S denotes it has the points on the end of the cam shaft. What month was yours built? Mine was from April and is about 150 numbers higher than yours.
 
Yes, I think the ring headlamp was typical of 69-70 S and Roadster models. Another telltale sign of an S model is the left 1/2" nylock nut on the iso mount is worn from the exhaust rubbing on it. I have seen this on several.

My 1970 Roadster Rebuild


Dave
69S
 
dave M said:
but I was told by someone who I thought knew better then I, that these were not fitted to the s-type and the brochure photos are just ambiguous enough to wonder. Anyway if this is what came standard on yours this at least indicates that this was the case at some point of S-Type production and I will buy one the next time I am in the U.S.
Click to expand...

Not conclusive proof, but at least that type of combined "Front brake and air lever assembly" is shown along with the separate brake and choke lever parts in the '68 section of the '68-'70 parts book under part number 060690.
 
I concur with LAB on the part number, but believe me the assembly is not available unless you have more resources than I. I had to piece it together from parts I had and I found some at britishonly, but with some consternation.

Dave
69S
 
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