staticmoves
VIP MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2012
- Messages
- 273

This would be my first resto attempt ever, mechanical experience= when I was 16 I popped the head off of my 86 YZ 125 and ham fistedly changed the piston and rings, popped it back together and wondered to "sweet mary joseph and the wee donkey" how hell the thing still works. Now being 33 I thought I would give it a shot again, ( this time a little more carefully). my wife and I being avid rock climbers and having our first child on the way. I thought, now that I will be more than likly spending a little more time around the house, and a little less time climbing, I don't want to go stir crazy. So I would purchase a basket case and a baby monitor. ( no particular order here )
So I scanned the local adds, and found a chap up in the hills selling what should be a 72 commando in a box(s)!.
I mosied on over to have a peek, and with the full support of my wife and 2 grand later, I was the proud owner of several boxes of nuts, bolts and parts that should form a 72 commando roadster. ( did i mention how fun it was explaining to my wife that these seemingly ill repaired boxes of parts was worth the $, and that yes it should materialize a motorcycle, and not just any motorcyle, but a Norton! )
Well with a smile on our faces I was off to the races on what may be the first of several vintage restorations.
I promise pictures will follow as soon as I figure out how to post them.
It has now been a year and a half since I brought the boxes of parts home, and our son is nearly a year old.
thus far it has been a joy and pleasure working on the roadster and is 65% completed. I want to take this time to express my thanks to all who take the time to post to this forum, as it has been a saving grace and wealth of knowledge and input thus far and will continue to be, and I hope soon I can help contribute to the pool.
So far I have had the enginge complete rebuild, frame tank and side covers painted, tank is metal, aquired a title ( a little bit of work here), upgraded to boyer ignition and power box ( though will leave M2, zenner, and rectifier in place, but wired or unwired accordingly ), corbin gunfighter saddle, polished stainless rims and spokes, avon tires, cool cat warning light assimilator, new wire harness, and several miscellenious parts later, I am hoping to have it on the road some time this summer.
Shortly I will post Photos of the progress, and any comments would be much appreciated.
Cheers!
Photo of the commando in a box(s)
The yokes repainted
The Z plates and chrome all polished up
The inventory count
The inventory
Meanwhile the tank and side covers are on vacation with someone who has more skilled hands then I
Trying my hand at paint ( just point and shoot... Right?) and the make shift paint booth
Let's try and slide and engine in the frame without scratching any of that new applied
BBQ paint.... ( just kidding )
After all that!... What do you mean the guy at the shop laced up the front wheel wrong.
Evidently the commando front disk wheel is among the toughest to lace if you don't know
The beta!
So we'll just take the wheels back and continue on with out them.
Oh, and while we're at it, could you lace them up with stainless rims and spokes, thank you.
Hummm... I'll just tuck this wire here and patch with a little tape here. And what the heck are these extra wires for?
This butt shot would look much nicer with a plate and rear wheel!
I am starting to post the photos as links as they are to large and are getting cut off in the post.
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... a2c4b9.jpg
So I have installed OEM Lucas turn signals
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... 957fbf.jpg
A fresh set of coils and amber reflectors ($20 each "ouch"! For a reflector!)
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... 1ab3be.jpg
New oil lines OEM, and even the original charging socket. And as you can see I am still waiting on my transmission AWOL!
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... 0aedd9.jpg
This butt shot is a little tidier with some new short stems and the wiring neatly tucked out of the way.
And so now we are up to date on current project status.
I hope the photos post ok, as I am working from my smart phone.
my appollogies, i just noticed that a few of the photos I posted got cut off, the files must have been a little to large.
So I scanned the local adds, and found a chap up in the hills selling what should be a 72 commando in a box(s)!.
I mosied on over to have a peek, and with the full support of my wife and 2 grand later, I was the proud owner of several boxes of nuts, bolts and parts that should form a 72 commando roadster. ( did i mention how fun it was explaining to my wife that these seemingly ill repaired boxes of parts was worth the $, and that yes it should materialize a motorcycle, and not just any motorcyle, but a Norton! )
Well with a smile on our faces I was off to the races on what may be the first of several vintage restorations.
I promise pictures will follow as soon as I figure out how to post them.
It has now been a year and a half since I brought the boxes of parts home, and our son is nearly a year old.
thus far it has been a joy and pleasure working on the roadster and is 65% completed. I want to take this time to express my thanks to all who take the time to post to this forum, as it has been a saving grace and wealth of knowledge and input thus far and will continue to be, and I hope soon I can help contribute to the pool.
So far I have had the enginge complete rebuild, frame tank and side covers painted, tank is metal, aquired a title ( a little bit of work here), upgraded to boyer ignition and power box ( though will leave M2, zenner, and rectifier in place, but wired or unwired accordingly ), corbin gunfighter saddle, polished stainless rims and spokes, avon tires, cool cat warning light assimilator, new wire harness, and several miscellenious parts later, I am hoping to have it on the road some time this summer.
Shortly I will post Photos of the progress, and any comments would be much appreciated.
Cheers!
Photo of the commando in a box(s)
The yokes repainted
The Z plates and chrome all polished up
The inventory count
The inventory
Meanwhile the tank and side covers are on vacation with someone who has more skilled hands then I
Trying my hand at paint ( just point and shoot... Right?) and the make shift paint booth
Let's try and slide and engine in the frame without scratching any of that new applied
BBQ paint.... ( just kidding )
After all that!... What do you mean the guy at the shop laced up the front wheel wrong.
Evidently the commando front disk wheel is among the toughest to lace if you don't know
The beta!
So we'll just take the wheels back and continue on with out them.
Oh, and while we're at it, could you lace them up with stainless rims and spokes, thank you.
Hummm... I'll just tuck this wire here and patch with a little tape here. And what the heck are these extra wires for?
This butt shot would look much nicer with a plate and rear wheel!
I am starting to post the photos as links as they are to large and are getting cut off in the post.
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... a2c4b9.jpg
So I have installed OEM Lucas turn signals
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... 957fbf.jpg
A fresh set of coils and amber reflectors ($20 each "ouch"! For a reflector!)
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... 1ab3be.jpg
New oil lines OEM, and even the original charging socket. And as you can see I am still waiting on my transmission AWOL!
http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg5 ... 0aedd9.jpg
This butt shot is a little tidier with some new short stems and the wiring neatly tucked out of the way.
And so now we are up to date on current project status.
I hope the photos post ok, as I am working from my smart phone.
my appollogies, i just noticed that a few of the photos I posted got cut off, the files must have been a little to large.