Would anyone be so kind?

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Hello;
I'm a new member and just purchased a 1973 Norton Commando S/N 235403 and was wondering where might be a good site to go for model and parts information?
Please forgive the village idiot level of my question but paid 900.00 USD for the bike and am excited to restore.
Any comments, flames or information would be welcome.
regards
jeff wheeler
 
Jeff,

First: Welcome.

Second: The benefits of this site are incalculable. The best advise I could give you would be to read as much on this site as you can for one month. Don't buy a thing until you've read for a month and you'll save a lot of money and time and you'll end up with a much better Commando.

Third: For a complete restoration and mods, be prepared to spend $10,000, unless the bike is already in very good condition. That's with free labor (yours, I assume).

Fourth: Once you are finished you will consider what ever money and time spent is well spent. Having a Norton is less like buying a motorcycle, more like acquiring a hobby.
 
Hi Jeff,

Interesting VIN. Roy Bacon, who is quite often incorrect, says the last 750 was 230935 built Oct 1973, ref Norton Twins Restoration p216. Is it possible you have a short stroke 750 motor? These have 850 type cylinders.
 
A shop manual with a parts list is invaluable. I like paper but you can get Kim White's CD that has them too. Exploded views in a parts book give you a visual of how things go together that can't be beat. Also when ordering parts it helps to have part numbers. NOC has a site with quite a bit of archived info that's nice. It also gives you an idea as to the lengths Norton owners go to in this hobby. So, just when you think you've truly gone off the deep end, you look at what other people have done and can say, "Seems rational to me."
 
illf8ed said:
Interesting VIN. Roy Bacon, who is quite often incorrect, says the last 750 was 230935 built Oct 1973

I don't think there's any evidence to dispute the fact that 230935 was the last recorded 750 MkV model to be manufactured according to the NOC records?

We don't actually know if this is a 750, as one of our members has apparently seen an 850 with a 235*** serial?
 
I hope the $10,000 figure that is often mentioned doesn't scare Jeff away. I'm not disputing the amount but I think it can be spent gradually (over 20 years of weekend and winter projects if necessary) so you can still ride and enjoy the bike while the restoration is taking place. Mods and all new parts are great and can make a big improvement but a lot of Commandos are being ridden for a lot of miles as produced.
 
batrider said:
I hope the $10,000 figure that is often mentioned doesn't scare Jeff away. I'm not disputing the amount but I think it can be spent gradually (over 20 years of weekend and winter projects if necessary) so you can still ride and enjoy the bike while the restoration is taking place. Mods and all new parts are great and can make a big improvement but a lot of Commandos are being ridden for a lot of miles as produced.
Yes I would agree I bought my 74 850 an unfinished project spent maybe 500 pounds on it to get her up and running then gradually improved the bike step by step.
It can be done :)

To get an idea of parts checkout Oldbrits Fair Spares US and RGM, Norvil and Andover Norton UK...prices will vary a lot so a bit of research can save a lot of money example Stainless Steel Rocker Feed complete from $140 to $240. :)
 
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