The Access Norton Velocette Thread

speirmoor

speirmoor

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I'm sure some of you have ridden one or more of these. Post stories/pics of your current Velocette or past owned Velo. Heres a current project of mine to get things started. Hopefully it'll be up and running this summer.
The Access Norton Velocette Thread
 
The Access Norton Velocette Thread


My soon to be first Velo, a '54 MSS on its way from Liverpool to Vancouver. Hope to see it in the raw in a couple of weeks.

Thereafter I hope to learn "The Delights and Economy of Velocetting" as described in pre-war adverts on the subject.
 
I have friends who are total Velo nuts. Including classic racing.

Here are a few photos. Included in the collection are MT001 which is a 1934 works 500. This bike won tge Ulster TT in 1934 and got 3rd I think in the TT. It came to NZ after that and has won the NZ TT many times. They also have two KTT Mk 8. Mk1, Mk3, Eldee 2 and two DOHC 350 and 500 works replica girder fork bikes made by my friend. These two bikes are going to the Manx this year with the NZ team being put together by Peter Lodge. He is the ES2 guy whose bike has taken 2 3rd places in the Manx the past two years.
 

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johnm said:
I have friends who are total Velo nuts. Including classic racing.

Here are a few photos. Included in the collection are MT001 which is a 1934 works 500. This bike won tge Ulster TT in 1934 and got 3rd I think in the TT. It came to NZ after that and has won the NZ TT many times. They also have two KTT Mk 8. Mk1, Mk3, Eldee 2 and two DOHC 350 and 500 works replica girder fork bikes made by my friend. These two bikes are going to the Manx this year with the NZ team being put together by Peter Lodge. He is the ES2 guy whose bike has taken 2 3rd places in the Manx the past two years.
Click to expand...
Would this be the blokes you are referring to?

 
Tornado said:
View attachment 113139

My soon to be first Velo, a '54 MSS on its way from Liverpool to Vancouver. Hope to see it in the raw in a couple of weeks.

Thereafter I hope to learn "The Delights and Economy of Velocetting" as described in pre-war adverts on the subject.
Click to expand...
Sweet! Engine/gearbox looks identical to mine. Is yours a 350 or 500cc ?
 
speirmoor said:
Sweet! Engine/gearbox looks identical to mine. Is yours a 350 or 500cc ?
Click to expand...
'54 MSS (which were all 500's).
I've since learned how to tell a 350 from a 500 all alloy engines (post war)...by checking for the two smaller pipes draining oil from head to the pushrod tube, only on the 500's.
 
Well, got my MSS sitting next to my Commando now. Took 3.5 month in transit from Liverpool to Vancouver.
All seems in good nick, as per photos in AD and description from seller. Docs that came with included a page from a dealer in 2019 stating bike was restored in the '90s and had upgraded crankcases, flywheels and crank bearings in 2010's ( from a well known race prepare of the day).

Took me more than 1 hr to figure out how to get the tank off. Very low clearance from handlebar brackets etc. Secret was to move bars slightly over one side to permit bracket to pass inside the tank tunnel.

Got carb stripped to verify jetting and clear circuits.

Bike has ei BTH mag. Anyone know if resistor plugs/wires are an issue? Has a 10kOhm cap and no plug resistor (Champion N3C).
 
Tornado said:
Well, got my MSS sitting next to my Commando now. Took 3.5 month in transit from Liverpool to Vancouver.
All seems in good nick, as per photos in AD and description from seller. Docs that came with included a page from a dealer in 2019 stating bike was restored in the '90s and had upgraded crankcases, flywheels and crank bearings in 2010's ( from a well known race prepare of the day).

Took me more than 1 hr to figure out how to get the tank off. Very low clearance from handlebar brackets etc. Secret was to move bars slightly over one side to permit bracket to pass inside the tank tunnel.

Got carb stripped to verify jetting and clear circuits.

Bike has ei BTH mag. Anyone know if resistor plugs/wires are an issue? Has a 10kOhm cap and no plug resistor (Champion N3C).
Click to expand...
Best take the resister caps off. Magnetos work happiest with real wire high tension leads and no resister caps or plugs.
 
Have a -59 Venom in clubman trim. Bought a few years ago from an old aero mechanic. With a Mikuni, belt drive and 12V generator. Had some minor issues with it, all easily fixed.
Runs well and starts easily if done exactly right. Reason I bought it was that I looked at new Thruxton back then and thought it was the most beautiful bike I've seen. Second reason was that I have a good friend with 7 or maybe 9 Velos, including KTT and Thruxton. Though he has restored his late fathers Inter and is now collecting pieces to build a 7R. Not a complete Velocette addict.
 
Tornado said:
Well, got my MSS sitting next to my Commando now. Took 3.5 month in transit from Liverpool to Vancouver.
All seems in good nick, as per photos in AD and description from seller. Docs that came with included a page from a dealer in 2019 stating bike was restored in the '90s and had upgraded crankcases, flywheels and crank bearings in 2010's ( from a well known race prepare of the day).

Took me more than 1 hr to figure out how to get the tank off. Very low clearance from handlebar brackets etc. Secret was to move bars slightly over one side to permit bracket to pass inside the tank tunnel.

Got carb stripped to verify jetting and clear circuits.

Bike has ei BTH mag. Anyone know if resistor plugs/wires are an issue? Has a 10kOhm cap and no plug resistor (Champion N3C).
Click to expand...
Congrats on your new bike, may you have many happy Velo days.
 
Mike40M said:
Have a -59 Venom in clubman trim. Bought a few years ago from an old aero mechanic. With a Mikuni, belt drive and 12V generator. Had some minor issues with it, all easily fixed.
Runs well and starts easily if done exactly right. Reason I bought it was that I looked at new Thruxton back then and thought it was the most beautiful bike I've seen. Second reason was that I have a good friend with 7 or maybe 9 Velos, including KTT and Thruxton. Though he has restored his late fathers Inter and is now collecting pieces to build a 7R. Not a complete Velocette addict.
Click to expand...
This MSS has a belt drive and is 12v negative earthed. In my exploring yesterday I came across a super secret hidden toggle switch. Need to inspect it further as it might be a mag ground out defeat switch for anti theft purposes, but it seems to depower brake light, so no certain about any mag defeat.

Today I hope to try to locate all the grease fittings and hit them with a fresh couple of pumps. The swinging arms grease points seem to have been upgraded such that they point outwards, not downwards, making easier access possible. Folks on velo forums seem to gripe alot about accessing those points.
 
Ok confirmed secret switch is just for lighting and horn, does not affect Maggie. Not sure why needed, as a thief won't care if lights not working.

Bike has turn signals fitted but they were not flashing when on. Replaced the modern flasher with another I had on hand and all working fine now.

Going to be a bit weird not having a front brake linked brake light, only rear brake has a switch. Any off shelf solutions to that?
 
Tornado said:
Ok confirmed secret switch is just for lighting and horn, does not affect Maggie. Not sure why needed, as a thief won't care if lights not working.

Bike has turn signals fitted but they were not flashing when on. Replaced the modern flasher with another I had on hand and all working fine now.

Going to be a bit weird not having a front brake linked brake light, only rear brake has a switch. Any off shelf solutions to that?
Click to expand...
Just wondering why you'd want a front brake light switch?
 
Today I went through all the grease points with a few fresh pumps. Checked compression, got 90 psi tops. No clue if that is considered fine (bike is 6.8:1 compression ratio...Commando gets 145-155 psi at what, 8.5:1 CR?).

Checked for spark on kick overs...quite feeble little thing compared to commando big fatty. Apparently this is normal for the new EI type BTH Maggie's with an external coil mounted remotely (it's about the size of the flasher relay!). Word is the spark is very high intensity and so gives a very small spark?!?

Tomorrow I'll wheel it out side, pour in some guzzulean and give 'er the beans for first time....
 
On bikes with drum brakes you are supposed to use both brakes when braking. In case you have to reduce speed fast. So no real need for a front brake switch.
I guess that the hidden switch is to prevent people from tampering with light and horn switches when the bike is left unattended.
Evil people says that no lock is needed on a Velocette. A thief able to start them hasn't been born yet.
 
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