Norton Dragster and roadracer build eh!

skydt · Mar 16, 2010

Greetings from Canada eh! Just trying my skills at posting photos of my build projects, Am trying to build a dragster 750 up to 920 and a roadracer 750, and will post progress as time permits. Thank you for much assistance from Ken Canaga and Jim schmidt for there photos and technical expertise. Cheers mates.

Stuart

swooshdave · Mar 16, 2010

skydt said:
Greetings from Canada eh! Just trying my skills at posting photos of my build projects, Am trying to build a dragster 750 up to 920 and a roadracer 750, and will post progress as time permits. Thank you for much assistance from Ken Canaga and Jim schmidt for there photos and technical expertise. Cheers mates.

Stuart

lcrken · Mar 17, 2010

Hi Stuart,

good to see you on the forum, and moving on with the projects.

Ken Canaga

Foxy · Mar 18, 2010

Gday Stuart, great to see and read what plans you have for your Commandos! I for one will be watching to see what you do with the 920 dragster motor as Im building up an 850/920 RGM Kit. Are you using the 750 cases? If so beefed up I hope. Also the 920 conversion, Steve Maney barrels or liners? If the rest of it looks as good as the finish of the combustion chamber, should be a dazzler!
Foxy

skydt · Mar 19, 2010

Foxy.
My 920 was purchased in Durango Colorado in 1987 so I've had it a long time on the shelf, HPI kit I believe, I thought it was RGM but I bought a 940 kit from HPI before they dissapeared, and it's the same components, Arias pistons. I originaly wanted to build another 940 but getting advise on the subject of 920 vs 940 from Ken Canaga changed my mind to 920, I had built the 940 years ago and had tremendous trouble sorting it out mainly siezed pistons. The cases I am using are 1972 combat, modified internaly for oil pickup and external ring installed just needs welding and small reinforcing tabs as per Kens post on his mk 3 case mods. Attached some photos. Cheers.

Stu

skydt · Mar 19, 2010

lcrken said:
Hi Stuart,

good to see you on the forum, and moving on with the projects.

Ken Canaga

Hello Ken. Been lurking on here for ages, decided to share some things, be in LA in May for 40th anniversary would like to pop down and see Left Coast Racing. Cheers.

Stu

lcrken · Mar 19, 2010

skydt said:
Hello Ken. Been lurking on here for ages, decided to share some things, be in LA in May for 40th anniversary would like to pop down and see Left Coast Racing. Cheers.

Stu

Sounds good to me. We can coordinate a visit off-line. Drop me an email when you get dates sorted, and we'll work something out.

Ken

Coco · Mar 19, 2010

Looking good Stu. I'll drop by this weekend and see everything in person when I borrow that transmission tool. Please?

Colin

Doug MacRae · Mar 19, 2010

Mosport is in August, get that roadracer together for P2 Heavyweight and get it out there! --You can always drop in the 920 engine and run P3 Heavy if you like...

skydt · Mar 19, 2010

Doug MacRae said:
Mosport is in August, get that roadracer together for P2 Heavyweight and get it out there! --You can always drop in the 920 engine and run P3 Heavy if you like...

Doug. It's a possibility, working like a billy goat right now , just to get the thing together, am modyfying a commando frame at the moment for it but would like to get the Steve schmidt frame built for it, only two hands and half a brain!
Stuart

Foxy · Mar 20, 2010

Gday Stu, yep have to agree, its looking good. Just wondering ,I notice the conrod relief in the barrels are rather large, Ive read somewhere stating that 920cc gives sufficient clearance and these dont have to be as large as standard. Alot depends on what rods your useing, much too Seeley920,s disgust Ive purchased billet MAP,s. Anything special in the rod dept.for yours? Having the likes of Ken, JS and others on this forum looking over your shoulder is a huge help! Pencils with rubbers on the ends were invented as we can makes mistakes, this forum is brillant as gives the do,s and donts and options. I will have to post a thread soon regarding my build.
Rgds Foxy

montelatici · Mar 20, 2010

I was a roadracer in the 70s with contemporary bikes (including a 750 Commando) at the time and as I got older raced vintage bikes. Norton Commandos are difficult bikes for racing. They are not very reliable for racing and even if given the maximum treatment will run slower laps than a Manx. With me on them, my Yamaha 250 TD3 consistently did faster times than my 750 Commando that had to race in a more difficult class.

jseng1 · Mar 21, 2010

Good to see your progress with the Nort projects. I'll send you any updates on the racing frame as they come along.
I hope your reinforced cases hold up. Mine did but I wasn't running heavy 920 pistons. If yours fail - you're option is going to lighter pistons. Engine builders go to so much work - but many miss that step.

http://users.gotsky.com/jimschmidt/monoframe.html

skydt · Mar 21, 2010

jseng1 said:
Good to see your progress with the Nort projects. I'll send you any updates on the racing frame as they come along.
I hope your reinforced cases hold up. Mine did but I wasn't running heavy 920 pistons. If yours fail - you're option is going to lighter pistons. Engine builders go to so much work - but many miss that step.

http://users.gotsky.com/jimschmidt/monoframe.html

Jim. Piston and rod combo is on my mind, just have to figure out how to get the cash! Am working on it. Following your manual as close as I can. This frame is still my goal.
Stu

jseng1 · Mar 22, 2010

Stu

Check yur bearing housing after you weld/reinforce those cases. I had to remachine & sleeve my bearing housing when it warped and expanded.

jim

dkump · Mar 22, 2010

I was thinking about building a road racer and I would like to know if you have fitted a modern front end on the Norton Frame. I do not know what would fit? Are you using the 19 inch or have you went with lighter 18 inch rims. For your road racer are you useing the isolastic mounts or have you went ridged. If so how do you deal with the vibration at high rpm? dickkump@cox.net

skydt · Mar 23, 2010

jseng1 said:
Stu

Check yur bearing housing after you weld/reinforce those cases. I had to remachine & sleeve my bearing housing when it warped and expanded.

jim

Will do Jim it's on my list of things to check and do.

swooshdave · Mar 23, 2010

dkump said:
I was thinking about building a road racer and I would like to know if you have fitted a modern front end on the Norton Frame. I do not know what would fit? Are you using the 19 inch or have you went with lighter 18 inch rims. For your road racer are you useing the isolastic mounts or have you went ridged. If so how do you deal with the vibration at high rpm? dickkump@cox.net

Have you not read GP's threads? Poor guy can't keep modern front ends off his bikes! :mrgreen:

skydt · Mar 23, 2010

dkump said:
I was thinking about building a road racer and I would like to know if you have fitted a modern front end on the Norton Frame. I do not know what would fit? Are you using the 19 inch or have you went with lighter 18 inch rims. For your road racer are you useing the isolastic mounts or have you went ridged. If so how do you deal with the vibration at high rpm? dickkump@cox.net

No modern front end, just an updated stock one as per jim Schmidts race book, has a suzuki bushing part in it though, with alum bits to boot. I have a spare 1986 gsxr front end that I have had thoughts of playing with, but just have not got my head around fitting that yet. I am using 18" akronts front and rear wm2 wm3. I have an 1974 interstate 850 among others that is my regular ride and test bed, and have fitted a copy of the keith 1069 head steady 1/2" ball joints what a difference it made! So I made one for the front too have not ridden it with this mod yet. I live in Saskatchewan Canada the true frozen North! So no riding weather yet. I have no idea where I will be regards vibration but will try balancing the crank to low 60% it is lightened quite a bit and I have not finished with it yet. Cheers.

Stuart

skydt · Mar 23, 2010

Foxy said:
Gday Stu, yep have to agree, its looking good. Just wondering ,I notice the conrod relief in the barrels are rather large, Ive read somewhere stating that 920cc gives sufficient clearance and these dont have to be as large as standard. Alot depends on what rods your useing, much too Seeley920,s disgust Ive purchased billet MAP,s. Anything special in the rod dept.for yours? Having the likes of Ken, JS and others on this forum looking over your shoulder is a huge help! Pencils with rubbers on the ends were invented as we can makes mistakes, this forum is brillant as gives the do,s and donts and options. I will have to post a thread soon regarding my build.
Rgds Foxy

fOXY. Barrels were in this condition more or less when I bought them, I have cleaned them up a bit but their finished form is a ways away yet. Rods are stock and polished to the best of my ability, not sure if i will smooth and polish the caps yet. Cheers.

Stuart