In at the (very) Deep End.. A Norton Story.

I will try to get to Mick's place this week, and get some Norton pictures.

I'm daft enough to do it Kev so don't get me started

Got an 84 Yam 1100 I could swap for something if you know anybody who has a rusty pile of junk at the bottom of the garden.

Thanks Kev, appreciated.

Rob, I'm down your way before Xmas to see Joe and talk Guzzi.

I saw Joe the other day he said you were coming to Loughborough. Hopefully I'll see you when your here.

Hey Kev,

You are going about this in the hardest way possible but definitely the most interesting and rewarding .
Best of luck with gathering up the parts you need. This is gonna be a real nice bitza

I look forward to the many posts that you will be making from the "Deep End".

Ok I know it's not a plunger, but I still thought you guys should see it...

:eek1

A little progress report...

Not much happening right now, still collecting parts, but in amongst those parts I found some new old stock ribbed alloy racing mud guards, and a full set of engine plates. I have also sent the Roadholders off to be vapour blasted, ready for paint.

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you all, just not a lot going on here yet, I am waiting on some warmer weather so I can get out and play.

But. that does not mean I have done nothing, oh no, in fact I have done lots of nothing, and I am getting pretty good at it too I have also had a go at actually doing things too, so we shall talk about that.

Can you fit an overhead cam Norton Manx motor in a standard ES2 500 plunger frame?

NO!

I know this to be correct as I asked an expert on such matters, and as he just happened to have is Inter Manx clubman on the bench he showed me why. It seems that although the frames are the same, they are also different. They use the same basic components, but they are set up in a different way. The front downtube on my ES2 is 17" between the top and bottom spiggots, where as on the Inter frame it is 19 1/2" because the OHC manx engine is taller. Also the rear plunger suspension units on my frame are vertical almost (well they are now, but that is a different story) and on the Inter frame they slant forward at the top. There are other differences too, pedal positions, tank brackets, etc.

So while Mick had the bike on the bench I thought it only right to grab some pictures, well why not.









There is also a nice looking Manx rep ES2 on ebay right now too



Nice, but a bit too clean and shiney for me, I like them to look like a used race bike, and not a show bike, but it will sell I am sure.

Dude :huh

All that rust and crust... your killing me...drool!

Things have happened in the Norton world, first of all, I have managed to get a manx oil tank, not a copy, but a real one! that is where the excitement ends:eek1 as what I have paid a kings ransom for is in fact severly rusted and damaged, and will need loads of remedial work done before I can even get to think about paint or oil. But it is going to look so cool on the bike when done. as soon as it arrives you will see it, warts and all, but it should end up looking like the one here..



Also I have finally managed to get my 19 cases stripped down and apart, so they will be off for vapour blasting this week. I was amazed to find almost "new" looking cams and oil pump under the cover. with no signs of rust or any wear marks, amazing when you think these cases came from a leaky shed down by the coast. one cam follower was seized, but some heat and plenty of penetrating oil soon had that free'd up and working again. Next is to pull the model 18 cases apart to get the crank out..

other parts bought this week...
Headstock bearings
Small end bush (NOS from the US)
Rear brake pedal.

Well where are we then?

Do you remember the "rust and crust" picture No? well let me remind you all, here it is...



And as you will notice the alloy parts are just a little crusty but things have moved on this week, my plunger units are polished, and I have a set of new black and chrome covers too. These aren't fitted just yet, as the plunger rods need to be shortened, but they may well be all done by the weekend.





And at the other end, we had this rusty old setup...



the dash panel is not going to be used, as I am going to fit a race style speedo holder, but the yokes are done now...

It was a good day...

I painted the frame today, it is drying in my kitchen!:eek1 it looks great though. I also had my Manx oil tank turn up today, and the ultra rare correct side stand.
So with any luck I may get the rear plungers fitted this week, and the tripple tree assembly, so it should start to look like a bike again.

I spent a little time tarting up the frame, well I had to do something about all that red primer that had been daubed (daubed = word of the day) about with what can best be described as a relish! but a morning of spray on oven cleaner, warm soapy water, and 400 grade wet and dry, soon had the frame ready for some paint.
And this is the result...



well that was yesterday, and my kitchen still smells of paint this morning! so as I was going to get some pictures, I thought I should see how the new oil tank will look when repaired, painted, and fitted, sometime in the near future.



I also have to find out how these tanks are hung on the frame, which probably means going to look at old Norton's, oh well, someone has to do it.

Love it how the bike looks mutch better than your garden!

Today was a good day, today was the first "build" day, I now have a few parts, and today they started going together

I had the rear plunger rods machined, and so today I took the frame, plunger rods, springs, and covers, over to Mick's place to get some help fitting them on the frame, Mick has a homemade spring compressor just for doing the plungers, a job that would be tough to do without the use of a tool.





And when I got back home I fitted the headstock assembly with the new bearings that turned up this week. I also have the parts needed to put the Roadholder forks together, so things are moving in the right direction.

He's got a fine collection of BBQ's though