Norton project identification – plunger frame 435xx, 79x100 engine (1920s/30s/40s?)

Hello everyone,

First of all, a brief introduction. My name is Adrian, I am based in Poland and work as a vehicle appraiser specialising in historic vehicles. I am also accredited within the Classic Data system in Germany.

I would greatly appreciate your help in identifying this Norton project.

I am trying to establish as much detail as possible, including:
- exact model,
- approximate year of production,
- what the correct engine specification should be,
- and whether the parts shown in the photos belong together as a matching set.

It is quite possible that I will also be looking for missing components in the future to complete the bike, so any guidance in that direction would also be very helpful.

Many thanks in advance for your time and expertise.

Kind regards,
Adrian

01. Frame from the left side with a different engine (that's what I received information):
02. Frame number (435xx):
03. The engine is from this model (that's what I received, but is the engine number different from the frame number?):
04. Frame - general view:
05. Frame from the right side - general view:
06. Steering wheel, front suspension and fuel tank:
07. Saddle:
08. Covers:
09. License plate base
10. Frame, steering wheel, front suspension and fuel tank: https://imgur.com/AoCgEz5

10. Frame, steering wheel, front suspension and fuel tank:

None of your pictures are showing, I think imgur has an issue with the UK and blocks us or my PiHole assumes its ads. I use https://postimages.org/ and that does work for UK and most other places.

The pics are up for me (USA).

kommando said:

None of your pictures are showing, I think imgur has an issue with the UK and blocks us or my PiHole assumes its ads. I use https://postimages.org/ and that does work for UK and most other places.

Click to expand...

Thank you very much for the information, Kommando, I'm getting started on this. I was wondering why there was such silence :/ so now I understand!

t ingermanson said:

The pics are up for me (USA).

Click to expand...

I understand, thank you for the information T ingermanson.

So I used Postimages and shared a gallery with the above photos that wouldn't load. Here's the link (hopefully it works now): https://postimg.cc/gallery/8s3f0bk
I will try to post the same photos below separately and allow myself to post my welcome text with a request.

Hello everyone,

First of all, a brief introduction. My name is Adrian, I am based in Poland and work as a vehicle appraiser specialising in historic vehicles. I am also accredited within the Classic Data system in Germany.

I would greatly appreciate your help in identifying this Norton project.

I am trying to establish as much detail as possible, including:
- exact model,
- approximate year of production,
- what the correct engine specification should be,
- and whether the parts shown in the photos belong together as a matching set.

It is quite possible that I will also be looking for missing components in the future to complete the bike, so any guidance in that direction would also be very helpful.

Many thanks in advance for your time and expertise.

Kind regards,
Adrian

To add full size pictures to a message you can use the 'Hotlink for forums' option in Postimages.

Engine year is 1933. SV of 500cc from the 79x100 so a 16H.

L.A.B. said:

To add full size pictures to a message you can use the 'Hotlink for forums' option in Postimages.

Click to expand...

Thank You L.A.B.!

Engine year is 1933. SV of 500cc from the 79x100 so a 16H but a rigid not a plunger frame. Frame and engine numbers did not match until 1945, so you have to enquire at NOC or VMCC to see if those numbers left the factory as one bike.

Interesting find! How did an apparent 1939 model 16H end up in Poland? Ex-military bike for hauling a sidecar equipped with a machine gun? Or a British dispatch bike left in Germany and shipped to Poland in the post-war era?

- Knut



From Wikipedia:

After the end of hostilities in 1945 there were many thousands of Norton Model 16H motorcycles all over the world. Some continued in use by the British and Commonwealth Armed forces until the end of the 1950s. Many were sold by the War Department to other armed forces, including the Dutch, Belgian, Danish, Greek and Norwegian Army which used the 16H throughout the 1950s. The remainder were sold to dealers who converted them to civilian colours and specifications. The civilian Norton had a short center stand and the usual rear wheel mounted main stand. The girder fork springs, wheel rims and the headlamp were chromed giving it a more refined look. Not many Civilian Norton 16H motorcycles with girder frames were made making them the rarest of this model.