Ok, I can do this! box of parts = 72 commando?

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staticmoves

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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!
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

Photo of the commando in a box(s)
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

The yokes repainted
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

The Z plates and chrome all polished up
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

The inventory count
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

The inventory
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

Meanwhile the tank and side covers are on vacation with someone who has more skilled hands then I
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

Trying my hand at paint ( just point and shoot... Right?) and the make shift paint booth
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

Let's try and slide and engine in the frame without scratching any of that new applied
BBQ paint.... ( just kidding )
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

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!
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

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.
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

Hummm... I'll just tuck this wire here and patch with a little tape here. And what the heck are these extra wires for?
Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?

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.
 
Hiya and welcome to the site. Another rebuild topic is always good news, can't wait for the finished article! and when you finish the rebuild you will have enough bits left over for your very own box of bits, that's when you know the job is done :D

Photos are easy to post once you suss it out, if I can do it anyone can!

CB
 
Alrighty another Combat back in the works! Best model and example of what Norton was all about, both good and bad. Sounds like you are over most the mechanical curve ball lesions. Do realize that cycling is rather more dangerous and out of your control than rock climbing unless enemy team decides to roll boulders on ya w/o telling ya ahead of time. Once rolling check the front brake fluid at each gas stop to make good and sure it ain't blowing out unknown. DO NOT SET PRIMARY CHAIN WITH ANY TENSION COLD and check for sure when warmed well - before full HOT or can injure shafts and bushes engine to tranny.
 
Picture instructions in first sticky I think. But short is get photobucket account and post photo there, link to code at bottom of dropdown when pointer is over pic. photobucket has unlimited picture storage. Not sure what they get out of it unless you want expanded subscription.

right click on this pic and copy image location and paste image code in notepad or similar, you'll get the pic.

[ATTACH=full]43619[/ATTACH]

Oh, let's see it and good for you.

Dave
69S
 

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  • Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?
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Nice Blue Beastie and rock wall. Just R clip in image and tag view image then tag image to expand full size and back arrow to return direct to post again. Can expand further by ctl/+ keys.
 
I don't know why, but I can look at that picture all night long. Maybe it's all the work I know I have in it.

DogT
 
We've all put a ton of work in our various bikes but can you imagine the time it took to build that wall?
 
Mini Mo said:
We've all put a ton of work in our various bikes but can you imagine the time it took to build that wall?

For a dry stone wall of that type a good wall builder can do about 3 metres a day (not including regular tea breaks) :!:
 
I doubt if the slaves that built that wall got any tea breaks.

Dave
69S
 
Stone walls like this were mostly built by farmers themselves w/o TV or motor craft to distract them. All Norton looms have police options for horns, sirens, lights and radio. Nice wire job even with the extra useless clutter. Just imagine how good your next one will be : )
 
Cheshire bloke said:
Hiya and welcome to the site. Another rebuild topic is always good news, can't wait for the finished article! and when you finish the rebuild you will have enough bits left over for your very own box of bits, that's when you know the job is done :D

Photos are easy to post once you suss it out, if I can do it anyone can!

CB
by the look of the box(s) of extra bits I have aquired already, you'd think I've already built two other commandos.
 
hobot said:
Alrighty another Combat back in the works! Best model and example of what Norton was all about, both good and bad. Sounds like you are over most the mechanical curve ball lesions. Do realize that cycling is rather more dangerous and out of your control than rock climbing unless enemy team decides to roll boulders on ya w/o telling ya ahead of time. Once rolling check the front brake fluid at each gas stop to make good and sure it ain't blowing out unknown. DO NOT SET PRIMARY CHAIN WITH ANY TENSION COLD and check for sure when warmed well - before full HOT or can injure shafts and bushes engine to tranny.

Thank you for the heads up, well recieved.
 
DogT said:
Picture instructions in first sticky I think. But short is get photobucket account and post photo there, link to code at bottom of dropdown when pointer is over pic. photobucket has unlimited picture storage. Not sure what they get out of it unless you want expanded subscription.

right click on this pic and copy image location and paste image code in notepad or similar, you'll get the pic.

[ATTACH=full]43620[/ATTACH]

Oh, let's see it and good for you.

Dave
69S[/quote]

She's a beauty!
 

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  • Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?
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    161.1 KB · Views: 91
I forgot to mention in my initial post, that the cylinders were bored one over and 9:1 pistons installed, hopfully for longevity.
 
NICE staticmoves, Looks like you realy got your s!#t togeather How dose your wife feel about the corbin ? My wife loves to ride.
 
Norton-Villier said:
NICE staticmoves, Looks like you realy got your s!#t togeather How dose your wife feel about the corbin ? My wife loves to ride.
Well for the most part, we don't ride two up right now with the new addition to the family ( in the event of an accident ), and us north americans have to get used to the right side shift, so lets just consider it a stylish saftey feature for my wife :D
How ever for the moment we have the BMW to 2 up on if she would like to go for a spin, ( she is kind of partial to ABS ) 8)
 
I have updated original post, added 4 more photos, and had several Tea breaks since the last post 8) .
I will be posting new photos as links as they are getting cut off due to size.
 
Very clean work Staticmoves. A tip for the future ,the gearbox goes in before fitting the engine , so you will be unbolting a few things to achieve this. Also those early headsteady plates were prone to fracture from all the vibration so you may consider a future replacement. Peter , driving a black and gold 72 Combat called Crazy.
 
The '72 Combat engine can be pivoted up forward for gear box to clear the low down dirty breather baffle by removing the rear 3 cradle bolts, and head steady of course. The headsteady plate has a fatgue zone at its narrow neck so some put in the big ole clunky boxed 850 type but someone before me fixed it like this. I did the drilling for fun.

Ok, I can do this! box of parts =  72 commando?
 
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