Updating a Combat Commando

Back story:

I picked this bike up from a friend some years ago, in all I bought a Triumph, BSA and 2 Norton big twins from him. This '72 Combat came to me in the form of a not-quite rolling (no axles, just long bolts) chassis, with a fresh Leo Goff built engine (Memphis Motor Werks). Apart from that, it had a Norvil 13" fully floating front disc brake, and an ARD micro magneto new in the box. I liked the look of the Corbin seat, but it was WAY too hard for my taste. Bodywork was nice "10 foot" stuff, lots of debris in the fresh paint.



I picked up this Dunstall bodywork some time later and tried it on for size (along with new Thomaseilli adjustable clip-ons, clubman rearsets, and a set of peashooter mufflers)...



I wasn't too sure I had fully acquired the taste for this look

I tried the Corbin seat with a High Rider tank and liked the look (a LOT), but that seat was just too hard...

So, it ended up with the LR tank & dualseat. I acquired the taste.



I've ridden it some, but with so many bikes, it ended up being neglected. With no emotional attachment, it went up for sale last year and sold to a guy from California. The new owner wanted the bike to look the same, or very similar, but in polished alloy, including new shouldered wheels.

So, I sold off the bodywork on e-bay, set up an order with Evan Wilcox (6 month waiting list), unlaced the wheels and sent the hubs and spokes to Buchanan's (spokes were already Buchanan's best).



Wheels got back about a month later, meanwhile a set of new Avon Roadriders and new tubes and rim strips arrived; all of that got done quickly.

Evan sent me this photo the day he finished the seat; then I told him to go ahead and make me a set of sidecovers (e-bay Indian burn).



Almost to the day, (6 months), the bodywork started arriving. First thing I test-fit was the fairing; turned out the steering arc aperture was too small, could hardly swing thru half the normal arc...

So, trimming time...



Much better! Full range of steering travel, just need to adjust the control lever and bar angle for full operational clearance (this ought to be fun)



I hound a matching pair of thin, flat, chrome brackets that I easily bent into perfect Z-patterns and mounted the lower/rears in conjunction with the front gas tank mounting studs. Piece of cake, all rubber isolated, as are the adjustable front mounts, and as will be the seat & sidecovers. Tank has proper front and rear thin and thick foam pads, plus all the rubber washers up front and rubber bands at the rear.

Installed a new wiring harness (I never rode it at night, so never needed a wiring harness with the magneto). Almost half the wires go unused with a magneto and modern regulator/rectifier.

Had to fabricate a bracket for the left sidecover, but I had a spare cover on hand, so making the pattern was easy.



Just waiting on the seat to arrive from Wilcox to finish everything up, will have to take the removable seat pan to my upholsterer and have him do a leather number on it, still need decals Might have some on the shelf), idiot lights (might also have some on the shelf), fuel taps & gaskets, and fuel line (sold that stuff with the old tank). Then, an oil and plug change (carbs are already clean and ready to go, along with a new battery). I think the bloody final nail will be the screw-in microswitch for the front brake light, it has to get here from France.

Looks good.

Apart from the toast rack on the tank. What’s that all about ?!

Fast Eddie said:

Looks good.

Apart from the toast rack on the tank. What’s that all about ?!

Click to expand...

Client specified.

I liked it a lot better before you updated it.

batrider said:

I liked it a lot better before you updated it.

Click to expand...

Hey, whatever the buyer wants...

I think when it's all done and I get some beauty shots, it'll look much nicer than dim garage off-angle shots.

Right Sidecover fitted up (still needs the rubber buffers)



Left sidecover fitted up nicely...



Petcocks and & bits for fitting up-

Seat arrived last Tuesday (12/4) , I took the upholstery pan to the guy that's going to fix it up, and set to mounting the tail/base. I need to fabricate a nice solid bracket spacer, it needs to come up about 1/2". Maybe I'll use 1/2" box aluminum tube... Rear fender has to go (or maybe I'll chop it off just ahead of the top of the tail section, so it can keep sling off everything.



Client has specified black leather sides, gray leather top, pleated as the original Dunstall was pleated, and with white piping cord between top and sides.

"Whatever the paying client wants"

grandpaul said:

Back story:

I picked this bike up from a friend some years ago, in all I bought a Triumph, BSA and 2 Norton big twins from him. This '72 Combat came to me in the form of a not-quite rolling (no axles, just long bolts) chassis, with a fresh Leo Goff built engine (Memphis Motor Werks). Apart from that, it had a Norvil 13" fully floating front disc brake, and an ARD micro magneto new in the box.

Click to expand...

https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/ard-magneto-for-commando.13611/

https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/ard-magneto.16114/

grandpaul said:

... Rear fender has to go (or maybe I'll chop it off just ahead of the top of the tail section, so it can keep sling off everything.
"Whatever the paying client wants"

Click to expand...

cut the fender just below the rear tube, then use one of the rear grabrail clamps, and drill one hole in the center of the fender to hold it up

850commando said:

cut the fender just below the rear tube, then use one of the rear grabrail clamps, and drill one hole in the center of the fender to hold it up

Click to expand...

Way ahead of you, that's why I mentioned where I'd cut it. The fender acts as structural support for the seat base, so it needs to keep the 2-bolt clamp.

i suppose that'll work too...

hey GrandPaul; where did you get the windscreen? i assume the alu pattern fairing is a duplicate of the original dunstall, i may be looking to source a dunstall windscreen to fit a fairing...

Someone used to show up at the vintage bike corral at the Springfield Mile with an all-alloy Fastback and half-fairing. It looked great in person, but pictures kinda blinded out with all that shiny stuff.

Yep, it's blingy alright.

Upholsterer is having a dickens of a time getting a piece of gray leather in the right shade (for the top), and proper foam without having to buy an entire roll...

Upholstery was done on 1/12, exactly as specified by the client - Black lower, white piping, gray top, rolled stitch . Nice padding for two, without the typical Dunstall "hump" for the fender clearance, resulting in almost full-thickness foam at the top.



Marked rear fender for trimming, just below the frame clamp.



Installed a temporary gas tank & seat to test ride it on 1/17. Took a few kicks and it sputtered a bit, but ran great and idled (a tad high) after a couple of minutes of setting the mixture. Pulls like a freight train!

Bodywork mostly installed, time for some quick photos and a better test ride with my "tester" plate installed.



Very nice look altogether, just need the front fender. 1/18



Front view