Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames ?

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Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

Every time I read this it only ever says the proto type had the 531 tube.
Question for carbonfuckwit, what makes you think they used ERW tube, they are all miged, unless your bike is all bronze welded
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

My P!! dragster was anything but stock Norton, just don't know which parts inside or out. I could and did pick it up straddling it to move in the crowded garage attached where I live going to college then. Told it had 11 CR too but too young dumb to know anything else but nothing could catch it on two wheels or 4 with red lights flashing, BLATTT gone. Its candy apply red tank said Norton. Its hi speed vibration cracked my teeth but not its frame thank you. Builder sure put some efforts in it as every thing safety wired, even on engine like air craft.
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

ludwig said:
Built in a Norton factory , Norton engine , Norton frame nrs , sold as 'Norton' by Norton dealers ..
Why would it not be a Norton ??
Because it had a different frame ?
Then a Commando isn't a Norton either ..
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Yes, well some people do not consider any Nortons built after Bracebridge Street to be real Nortons (but note that I had placed 'Norton' within inverted commas-thus expressing irony).

Having the Norton name on it doesn't alter the fact that the P11 was a parts-bin special created to use up stocks of Matchless G85 CS frames.
The point that I was attempting to make to Carbonfibre was that the P11 frame had no Norton ancestry therefore the type of tubing and method of construction could hardly be compared with Norton production frames.
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

This is the first I have heard of a reynolds factory in Manchester, does anyone have any more details? The Renolds chain factory was in Mancheter, the place is still there, right next to the airport- Manchester International. Many thing have been made in Trafford Park, a big industrial estate, including Model T Fords and Lancaster bombers in the past so maybe Reynolds could have been there as I think 531 tube was developed for aircraft engine mounting subframes.
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

splatt said:
Every time I read this it only ever says the proto type had the 531 tube.
Question for carbonfuckwit, what makes you think they used ERW tube, they are all miged, unless your bike is all bronze welded
Click to expand...


I dont think the Verlicchi Norton frames used ERW tubing.............I know they did! They were heavier than the Reynolds frames built in the UK, but far cheaper to make, and had it not been for the ridiculous "Combat" spec motors, reducing production costs in this way could well have given Norton another couple of years before folding.
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

Carbonfibre said:
and had it not been for the ridiculous "Combat" spec motors, reducing production costs in this way could well have given Norton another couple of years before folding.
Click to expand...

The Norton-Villiers factory closed due to being overtaken by a series of events which finally ended up with NVT going into receivership-so Norton couldn't really have gone on any longer than it did: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_Villiers_Triumph


speedtwin said:
This is the first I have heard of a reynolds factory in Manchester, does anyone have any more details?
Click to expand...

The reference to Manchester could perhaps be wrong?
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

Maybe so but the "Combat" motors cost Norton an awful lot of money in relation to warranty repairs, and maybe even more in lost sales!
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

L.A.B. said:
That link is already posted on page 1 of this thread. :wink:
Click to expand...

Sorry, missed that.

Ken
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

Carbonfibre said:
splatt said:
Every time I read this it only ever says the proto type had the 531 tube.
Question for carbonfuckwit, what makes you think they used ERW tube, they are all miged, unless your bike is all bronze welded
Click to expand...


I dont think the Verlicchi Norton frames used ERW tubing.............I know they did! They were heavier than the Reynolds frames built in the UK, but far cheaper to make, and had it not been for the ridiculous "Combat" spec motors, reducing production costs in this way could well have given Norton another couple of years before folding.
Click to expand...

Come on noddy ,you didn't know the frames were mig welded together,
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

As I have a friend who used to visit the Verlicchi factory on a regular basis, I probably know more than most on here about how exactly they made the Norton frames!
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

Well, spring a surprise on us and prove you can write something - and not full of mistakes and half-truths - and give use a detailed description of how they build a Commando frame. !

Or even better, how they can produce of the order of ~ 450 frames a week, since that is quite a major effort. How many (workforce) would be needed for that, it would take a small army ?
Thats ~ one frame a minute for a working week.

One very capable welder, and an army of cutters, benders, tube profilers, filers ??
And an automatic jig that bends the tubes to shape ??
Or 10 welders, or 100....
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

When our chief buyer of 30-odd years, Bob Reynolds, retired, he was asked by Uncle Jim Renolds and Mick Duckworth if he was prepared to give an account of his time with Norton. He declined, because he "did not want to be led to the empty boasts of fictional achievements he now reads in every new interview of people like Ken Sprayson".
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

Rohan said:
Well, spring a surprise on us and prove you can write something - and not full of mistakes and half-truths - and give use a detailed description of how they build a Commando frame. !

Or even better, how they can produce of the order of ~ 450 frames a week, since that is quite a major effort. How many (workforce) would be needed for that, it would take a small army ?
Thats ~ one frame a minute for a working week.

One very capable welder, and an army of cutters, benders, tube profilers, filers ??
And an automatic jig that bends the tubes to shape ??
Or 10 welders, or 100....
Click to expand...

quote " That's- one frame a minute for a working day"I think your maths are slightly out..450 minute's is only 8 hours..i assume you ment ONE working day..not week...unless they only worked one day a week :lol: I think Carbon F will be wringing your neck on this one.
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

Rohan said:
Well, spring a surprise on us and prove you can write something - and not full of mistakes and half-truths - and give use a detailed description of how they build a Commando frame. !

Or even better, how they can produce of the order of ~ 450 frames a week, since that is quite a major effort. How many (workforce) would be needed for that, it would take a small army ?
Thats ~ one frame a minute for a working week.

One very capable welder, and an army of cutters, benders, tube profilers, filers ??
And an automatic jig that bends the tubes to shape ??
Or 10 welders, or 100....
Click to expand...


I think anyone reading your various posts might just feel that you have "mistakes and half truths" pretty well covered! Seems that the net has made pretty much everyone an instant "expert" on just about every subject under the sun!
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

ZFD said:
When our chief buyer of 30-odd years, Bob Reynolds, retired, he was asked by Uncle Jim Renolds and Mick Duckworth if he was prepared to give an account of his time with Norton. He declined, because he "did not want to be led to the empty boasts of fictional achievements he now reads in every new interview of people like Ken Sprayson".
Click to expand...


The underpaid doing the impossible for the ungratefull .

Is Rohan an accountant ? :p
 
Re: Where was the Reynolds factory that made Commando frames

Carbonfibre said:
I think anyone reading your various posts might just feel that you have "mistakes and half truths" pretty well covered! Seems that the net has made pretty much everyone an instant "expert" on just about every subject under the sun!
Click to expand...

I didn't think we would get anything.

And thats quite funny - given that you have just finished telling that lugged Norton frames used investment-cast steel lugs ! Malleable iron rules, OK. ?
- And, weren't aware that Commando frames were migged.

Building bikes is not rocket science. (many of the skills came from horse-and-buggy and steam engine days). As late as 1910, you could buy a little book to build your own motorcycle - from a kit, or make or source everything yourself. Although obviously primitive, a 1910 motorcycle had almost all the ingredients that a modern bike has - ( except electronics, obviously). All the casting and machining skills have barely changed, although obviously improved, especially for mass production. Even the basic ingredients haven't changed much - although alloys of everything have improved (much) over the years. The biggest change is probably that rubber wasn't black back then - vulcanising hadn't been discovered then, rubber was red..

hth
 
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