cjandme said:
A few years ago I was able to fit my '69 frame in the plastic media blaster booth at work-(I know , I know , don't ask, I just snuck it in) and at that time when the paint was removed and I saw the Brazed joints I was thinking that because it was and early commando frame it wsn't as good as the later ones (stories of head tube cracking etc...with early frames). It sure is really light too.
"Curiouser and curiouser"! The '69 frame and also the '68 shown in the links below both appear to be MIG welded (welding experts please feel free to comment?).
http://www.nortonproject.org/1969.htm
http://www.nortonproject.org/1968.htm
cjandme said:
Anyway am I now to understand that it is made of better quality tubing than the later ones, and are my 75's Italian?
It has been said before that the Italian frames could be identified because they were made from metric size tubing, and we know from past discussions that some Commando frames do appear to have 60mm O/D spine tubes instead of the standard 2-1/4" (57mm) O/D, and 25mm frame tubes instead of 1.0" (25.4mm) however the metric-Italian frame/Imperial-Renolds frame theory has never been proven.
My Mk3's frame tubes certainly seem to be made from Imperial size tubing as it has a 2-1/4" 57mm O/D spine tube.