New to List

Just wanted to say hi and include some pictures of my 68 Fastback. I have owned this bike since about 1993 and have not ridden it in some time and I have a few questions about tanks,etc. Currently there is no gas in the tank on the bike and having read some of the threads regarding ethanol and now I'm paranoid about how to proceed. The tank on the bike is the original and I have a never used tank as pictured , so should I line the new one with the Caswell product or just buy a metal tank? The isolastics have never been updated on this bike and awhile ago I purchased some later versions of the isolastics. Do you think it would be unwise to install those versions or keep to the original rubbers? The head light shell is showing some rust and the rim has some scrape marks, in other words it is not pristine. Are the aftermarket products of good quality or should I consider having these re-plated? I need to buy a new seat/pan because the one on there never fit right (the original was toast) so where do you all think is the best source for a new seat?

Thanks.

Very nice. One option with the tank is to use avgas, available at the airport, I understand has no ethanol, but I am not sure. That is my plan. I would at least get new rubbers for the isolastics, while in there, you will probably find 2 of the front donuts are just floating around in the space. You will need to get the new tubes with the circlips on them that hold the donuts in the correct space. There was a long thread in this forum about isolastics. I think the most reasonable vernier upgrade would be Mick Hemmings adjusters, you don't need to do any machining, just replace one side of the adjusters. There is soft and hard rubber too, get the soft ones (original), I think OldBrits has them as well as Fair Spares, and probably Walridge. I'm sure there are others. Stay away from a dealer in Chicago that sells Norton parts. The headlamp shell; yours is probably the 3-hole in the top one that is not being reproduced any more. Walridge has a 71 shell that is just like it except it has an extra lamp holder hole. Probably cheaper than new chrome job. The seat I don't know, you will have to look around for that, I have had good luck with Mike at Walridge connecting me to parts that may not be in his catalogue. He responds to emails. The other parts dealers I mentioned have always given me good service too.

Good luck,
Dave 69S

Paintjob on that tank is awesome.

I realize everyone has their opinion but I would not use Avgas. It has a HUGE amount of lead in it. A HUGE amount...
Have you ever seen the internals of an aviation engine after using that stuff??? It's really amazing.
Also the octaine ratings are completely different.
I have not found a reasonable alternative to ethyl alcohol in gasoline yet.

Whats wrong with Avgas?? We used it for years mixing it 50/50 in all our race bikes....as did everyone in the paddock!! Now we have a slightly different product, which puts the lead back into super-unleaded, so we can run proper leaded petrol...at whatever octane we want!! i normally run 100 octane!! It can also be used on the road.....lethal stuff though, you do need to be careful using it!

I've also used left over fuel from a weekends racing in my 851 Ducati....runs like a dream and burns just like it should

the main advantage is that it saves us finding time to run around finding an airfield that willing to give us Avgas....people who can still find it are very popular in the paddock

Hi and welcome to the forum! Wow, a first post with great pictures! Way to go bro!

Since your tank is lookin so good I'd definitely try caswells before putting gas to it. Some people have reported good results with it so it will buy you time on the tank if carefully done.

Considering the fact that the bike will only be ridden every once in awhile I am thinking of just coating the inside and draining the gas after each ride. What are the first signs of leakage?Pinholes or something a bit more dramatic? The Avgas is an option but I would still drain it just to be on the safe side. About five or six years ago I purchased a bunch of parts from Hemmings (isolastics) so will just use those items. The headlight has the ampmeter....wonder what the cost is for re-plating. I may just try pulling the seat cover and try to shave down the foam for a better fit, though it does seems like the pan is the major problem.

One more bit of history on the bike; this is frame number 123671 and titled as a 1967. Back in 1996 I wrote the British Norton club and received a nice letter from a Mr. N.Hilton (club secretary) outlining a bit of history on the bike. As he said in the letter," Your machine 123671 is listed as a Commando Fastback which was dismantled and used for experimental work at the factory date, by this entry is September 19th, 1968 (probably disposed date). It is enterd along with other machines(G15 types) in numerical order, the other being built in September 1967." he then says, " I find it difficult to determine the actual date of original build for 123671. As I may have told you in my previous letter the machine you have is the second listed number, 123666 is supposed to have been the first show model, 123677 was possibly experimental and was sold to Byron Black in the USA, date 14/8/69. Your machine was dismantled on 19/11/68. I suspect that 123671 was rebuilt at a later date using the same number."

I am assuming that is why it came with the later body work but that is obviously a guess. The footpegs are quite crude/coarse compared to latter models. I purchased the bike from a guy in Queens,NY and he got from the original owner who had kept it in a basement in Brooklyn for many years.

Mmm...a two-tone Fastback tank and you've got two of them ! According to Roy Bacon, burgundy red and silver was to special order only for 1969. I've never even seen one. I think that when the bike's running again, you should tour Europe so that we can all have a look at it

The two tone was shown on the same brochure as the 'R' type and the first 'S' type which tend to confirm the 1969 date for the trim at least. History would seem to suggest that the Fastback appealed to the more traditional buyers who kept to the plain finishes.

The Plumstead bikes were chromed onto unpolished forgings so the dull finish is correct.

Welcome to the forum. Intersting bit of history on that bike.

'Glass tanks will start to bubble and/or de-laminate, then leak. It isn't a pretty sight.

By all means, line it PROPERLY, following the instructions carefully and letting it cure fully.

79x100 said:

Mmm...a two-tone Fastback tank and you've got two of them !

Click to expand...

The second one showed up on e-Bay about five years ago and no one bid on the thing. Go figure. I do have an extra tail section though it is in a rather beat shade of red. Can't imagine that my painter can match the original but a bunch of my Moto Guzzi 1000S parts are going to him in the next week or two and I will bring it along for an opinion.

Its too bad I never found out who had the bike originally because it would be nice to know how he got the two tone paint option or if it was added later. The frame is the original one and I had the extra downtube welded in soon after I found out about the problem.

black cat said:

79x100 said:

Mmm...a two-tone Fastback tank and you've got two of them !

Click to expand...

The second one showed up on e-Bay about five years ago and no one bid on the thing. Go figure. I do have an extra tail section though it is in a rather beat shade of red. Can't imagine that my painter can match the original but a bunch of my Moto Guzzi 1000S parts are going to him in the next week or two and I will bring it along for an opinion.

Its too bad I never found out who had the bike originally because it would be nice to know how he got the two tone paint option of if it was added later. The frame is the original one and I had the extra downtube welded in soon after I found out the problem.

Click to expand...

I suppose that 99% didn't know what the tank was. Sometimes that most over-used eBay term 'rare' doesn't mean 'sought after'

A good painter with a bit of imagination should be able to get fairly close to the finish and even if it's a bit off, no-one but you will know as hardly anyone has ever seen the real thing !

I'm not sure you have to get too paranoid about fuel reacting with an original glass fastback tank. 3 mates of mine have original fastbacks and run with ordinary pump fuel which here in Australia has E10. One of these bikes sits around of months with the same fuel. I've asked several times if any have experienced leaking or goo in the carbs. None of them has had a problem. This tells me 2 things - Either US fuel is different, or the resin in some tanks changed during manufacture? Personally I would just fill 'er up and ride it and if a problem becomes a problem deal with it then.

Mick

Nice bike! I have only seen one of the candy red and silver fastbacks ever! As to the seat, the only decent replica seat I have found is from R.K. Leighton in England. Most replica pans do not fit the curve of the tailsection properly.

The two prototypes, during the time I was at N-V (April 67 - July 68), were never fitted with the Fasback bodywork. They had ugly petrol tanks, no center stand or prop stand (we had to lean them up against something when we parked them!). Whether they actually had frame numbers, I'm not sure, but they would have been made in early 67 and testing had started when I joined the firm. The first fastback was all silver with an orange seat and the "green blob" logo, and was on the stand at the 1968 Motor Cycle Show at Earl's Court (early in the year - maybe February?).

Not long after that, the R&D group started supporting the AJS Stormer program and the Commando stuff all went back to Plumstead.

Blackcat,
I'm interested to know if your frame is the earliest original type which would verify the manufacturing period. The original frame did not have the horizontal brace tube that extends from the rear junction of the main tube to the bottom of the steering stem. Allegedly only the 1st 600 frames were made like this. Ken Sprayson of Reynolds Tubing told Norton's Dr Bauer that the frame was weak and likely to crack at the down tubes from the steering stem. Bauer didn't believe him but they did. Thus the 2nd series of frame with the brace tube came about and current owners had the option to refit with this.

I have only seen 2 original series Fastback here in Melbourne, one was taken out of the crate by the dealer and put on display and its still there at Peter Stevens Motorcycles. Absolutely mint original nick, with the AMC primary case etc'. The other was imported from the States as a barn find wreck.

Mick

Ron L said:

Nice bike! I have only seen one of the candy red and silver fastbacks ever! As to the seat, the only decent replica seat I have found is from R.K. Leighton in England. Most replica pans do not fit the curve of the tailsection properly.

Click to expand...

Ron,

Thanks for the information on the seat.

ML said:

Blackcat,
I'm interested to know if your frame is the earliest original type which would verify the manufacturing period. The original frame did not have the horizontal brace tube that extends from the rear junction of the main tube to the bottom of the steering stem. Allegedly only the 1st 600 frames were made like this. Ken Sprayson of Reynolds Tubing told Norton's Dr Bauer that the frame was weak and likely to crack at the down tubes from the steering stem. Bauer didn't believe him but they did. Thus the 2nd series of frame with the brace tube came about and current owners had the option to refit with this.

I have only seen 2 original series Fastback here in Melbourne, one was taken out of the crate by the dealer and put on display and its still there at Peter Stevens Motorcycles. Absolutely mint original nick, with the AMC primary case etc'. The other was imported from the States as a barn find wreck.

Mick

Click to expand...

Mick,

Here are some photo's of the frame which still has the original gusset. I added in the horizontal tube soon after buying the bike and the welding is fairly crude compared to the factory welds:







Clocks:



Title:

These would be the areas to be watching very carefully.

YOIKES!!!

Found this on the web.