New guy now has 2 projects, unbelievably excited

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usefulidiot

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Feb 9, 2012
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You may or may not remember i posted when i got this bike:
73 slightly dunstallized
New guy now has 2 projects, unbelievably excited


just found this bike and about jumped out of my damn skin. 69 fastback for so cheap i couldnt believe it. Always wanted a fastback, never thought i'd find one for a decent price.
New guy now has 2 projects, unbelievably excited



2 projects, hmmmm which to work on? THE FASTBACK OF COURSE!
Won't take much to get it going....time to brush up on my early commando quirks. LOVE this bike
 
unkin beleveable , etc .

Eye'd be finding / makeing a Dunstall or Kuhn seat ( period drivle ) & keeping the Fastback as is bar Mechanics , chrome pipes & a correct front guard . maybe.perhaps . might be, possibly . :?
 
Very nice indeed, I go the Fastback first they look so good, even the way it is looks great get it going and just ride it.

Ashley
 
black one runs but needs a lot of little odds n ends. fastback did run about a year ago but the guy lost the key and lost interest. fastback will get peashooters, lower bars, and a green paintjob and call it a day. You can see my vision for the black one with the seat sitting on there.
 
You've found an almost fully complete, intact and original early 2 tone Fastback, and are going to put peashooters on it and paint it !!??!!

This is a wind-up, right ??
 
P.S. With the front guard changed, and a good polish and cleanup and mechanical check, you could have one of the best original Commandos around ??

Most bikes have been restored = they are only original once....
 
Rohan said:
P.S. With the front guard changed, and a good polish and cleanup and mechanical check, you could have one of the best original Commandos around ??

Most bikes have been restored = they are only original once....
Click to expand...


you have a really good point....
 
This Fastback is a Plumstead time-capsule. Most of us in Europe have never even seen a two-tone. The headlamp brackets and as mentioned the front guard stand out as after-market but the rest looks really original. Even the non-polished chrome parts look good.

Obviously, it's your bike to do as you wish with, but to my mind it would be a good idea to take your time and review your options. If you prefer the lines of the later Fastbacks (upswept reverse cones etc.) then I'd seriously suspect that you'd be able to find someone prepared to swap a tidy one for this example.
 
I'm convinced, for the time being at least. One thing i have to do is replace the head pipes, one has a hole in it. Are the later Atlas pipes and mufflers the same as the early fastback? they look the same.
 
I believe the header pipes are different on the Atlas - engine is not inclined foreward as it is on the Commando
 
Exhaust pipe bare left 06.0620
Exhaust pipe bare right 06.0621
Silencer Left hand 23768
Silencer right hand 16255

Front mudguard home 06.0584 export 06.0583 I think Andover is producing this one. You might have to fit a nothing larger than a 3.10-19 for this guard.
Stays 06.0619

Dave
69S
 
I have to agree strongly with the leave it stock & as unmolested as possible. It's a really cool time capsual & I bet if you take it to shows you'll find it's the only one of it's kind & will draw lots of attencion. Not to mention as a all orig example it's probobly worth more $$$. Lucky find, hope it all works out.
 
Yes, it'd be a shame to re-paint and "modernize" the Fastback. We at Andover Norton have one like that, see http://www.andover-norton.co.uk/Fastback69.htm, but it was restored from a very sorry state in the 1990s.
Narrow front mudguards are indeed available now, and we are currently working on the "dull chrome" footrests etc. for the very early models. That mudguard will fit a 3.60x19 resp. 3.25x19 resp. 90/90x19 tire.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice and info. I am going to return it as close as possible to stock and get it rideable... Going to try to locate used, correct parts that may have some "patina" so that everything looks right together. This week: clean out the tank (some crud in there), carbs, new fluids and see if she'll start!
 
Good luck on finding one of those front guards used. I looked for over a year and nothing. I'm sure most people threw them out when the larger tyres became popular and the stainless guards became available.

Dave
69S
 
usefulidiot said:
One thing i have to do is replace the head pipes, one has a hole in it. Are the later Atlas pipes and mufflers the same as the early fastback? they look the same.
Click to expand...

The mufflers are the same as Atlas. The pipes are not. Fastback pipes are 1 3/8 with Atlas muffler inlets at 1 1/2. There is a bushing welded onto the pipe to make up the difference. The problem is most aftermarket pipes have this bush about 4 inches too deep into the muffler!

ZFD, do you have headpipes for these that fit properly?
 
Waldridge sells the headpipes, hopefully good quality. I cant imagine finding THOSE used. May have a lead already on a front fender, and i believe the headlight ears are the same as the Atlas/Domi so that should make it a little easier
 
With this plethora of early Fastbacks coming out of the woodwork, I'm wondering when mine is going to fall in my lap. I'd settle for an 'R'.

Dave
69S
 
usefulidiot said:
Waldridge sells the headpipes, hopefully good quality. I cant imagine finding THOSE used.
Click to expand...

Check with Mike before you order the pipes. He's a great guy and will work with you, but is at the mercy of the supplier. He shipped us two sets of low level Interstate pipes with crossovers that would not come close to fitting. Took them back with no problems and we wound up with non-crossover pipes in the end, but shipping across the border and waiting was a hassle. I spoke to him at Barber Vintage about Fastback pipes and thought his pipes had the bushing in the right place. I'd like to find a supplier that knows their pipes will fit. Until then I'll continue with the hacked up set and split collar bushings under the muffler clamp.
 
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