N15CS Thread

Hi All.
My N 15 is dated March 1966.
Had this bike the magneto or distributor, concentrics carbs or monoblocs (and if, one was the chopped one)?.
Thank you.
Piero
 
Rohan said:
That Norton logo too on the Commando timing cover - running horizontally ???

Ludwig's bike is extremely unique. Officially, N15 production ended in the Spring of 1968, before the approx. 2500 1968 Commandos were produced. His is one of 5 built about a year later for a certain European distributor. I don't know what he has changed over his many years of ownership, but it is conceivable that his engine would have the points in the timing cover. About the logo - only Ludwig can say.
 
Ludwigs' list of what he has changed or what is custom about that bike is as long as your arm.
Maybe the factory should have kept building them, to that spec....
 
How did you get that 'as cast' look to the bottom of the lettering of the logo. ?

Someone could do a line on those timing covers, everyone with an upright commando-in-featherbed would want one.
Heck, dominator timing covers too....
 
ludwig said:
......I just finished a rebuild of the engine with JS lightweight pistons and rods , and took the opportunity to finally get rid of the slanted " Norton" logo , that bothered me all my life .......Next month I will take it on a 4000 km trip ..
Looks Great ludwig! Must be much smoother now, have fun on that trip. Hopefully we can talk you into posting a couple of photos from ride when you get back. Cj
 
Hey Ludwig, that was hilarious!
One of the problems that plagues restorers of all things mechanical is information. Of course, there are people who make stuff up to suit them & it gets repeated, but also the factory information (esp. at Norton) was sketchy at best, I have seen one owner bikes bought from dealerships in colors that werent available that year, & with features that weren't available on that bike. These are bikes that I know the owners personally, not some made up story. Then if you consider the so called "factory documentation", very few people in the world have access to some of this info. I know of one guy who sat at the science museum in the UK for hours & hours transcribing info from films to pen & paper. Some employees took paperwork home with them, who will ever see that info? Some info (and parts for that matter) were just thrown in the trash bin (per Paul Dunstall). So, how is information proven in a case like this??? Paperwork helps, but again, proving anything with factory info, or using the often wrong parts books from Norton, Lucas, Smiths, Girling, etc. Whose to say. I personally would trust provenance over a factory document every day of the week, or a shop employee eye witness over a secretary in the front office .
Off topic on this particular bike, but on the subject of factory records, here is an excerpt from a letter I got from a factory employee about the supposed green candy paint on a G15CS exported to Canada, the subject of "factory records" was challanged & he told me:

" The last batch of 350 singles with Matchless badges left the factory for Rodesia in 1966 with 1/4 inch gutter bolts fixing on the mudguards [ fenders to you lot!]
Ran out of 1/4 BSF hexheads so my mate was sent to local ironmongeers to see " what he could get"!!! Bet that's not recorded in any records!!!"

Just one of several pages of errors I have listed on Norton/AMC errors.
I have a legendary green N15CS that came from Ontario Canada, I am trying to find out how many green ones exist. Roddy
 
Back
Top