1946 Model 18 Norton

Stretching the rules a bit, as this Norton is too young to feature on this website; but the photo found on Flickr is too nice not to include.

It's a 1946 Model 18. Giveaways are the front brake drum on the right-hand side of the machine, the way the headlight is fitted to the forks with four brackets and - just visible- the smooth appearance of the upright gearbox.

What's this then?

A cutting from one of the old Motor Cycle magazines, does anyone have the answer as to what this is? Some suggest it may have to do with water injection or some sort of dual fuel set-up, a war-time bodge due to fuel shortage? It seems to be fitted to an early 1920s Big Four Norton.

Roger: "I think we can rule out the dual fuel idea as this would require a large gas bag or a generator unless there is a sidecar hidden at the back of the picture. In any case there isn't a mixing chamber or feed to the carb.

The water injection idea would not require timing as the vacuum from the down stroke on the inlet cycle would suffice and the reservoir is too small.

The answer may lie in the absence of valve springs, there is a cylinder where they would normally be. How about a desmodromic side valve conversion with the valves closed by the contraption driven from the exhaust cam, operating push rods going down through holes bored in the cylinder finning. This would allow direct operation of the closing pushrods by a lobed cam in the top assembly. Lubrication of these cams could be via the reservoir which would feed oil to the "apparatus" while the camshaft bearings appear to have greasers.

Given the overhead valve conversion featured earlier this may not be as far fetched as it seems!

There is a fatal flaw in the design however! The drive uses a Bowden type cable which was probably intended for driving a speedometer from the look of it. The Ford Focus uses a similar cable in torsion to open the bonnet with a key. The one on our Focus failed after three years because it couldn't stand the repeated changes in direction which for opening the bonnet is not that many times. The cams would place a similar load reversal on the cable especially if a light spring is used to hold the valves closed."


Update: find the answer by clicking this link.

How can one woman simultaneously satisfy 12 men?

Check this out! Those are huge! Now that's my kinda gal!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Nystrom on a c1926 racing Norton

By Simon

Here's another of Per Nystrom - perhaps with the same bike. It comes from a 1927 edition of the Swedish magazine Motornyheterna and the caption probably says 'Per Nystrom with his factory Norton. The cycle parts are probably from a 1926 model'. OP1853 is a Birmingham registration number. 

The front brake is not connected and there is no oil tank atall! But look carefully and you'll see the manual oil pump fitted in the petrol tank - just below his right hand. Perhaps he was using the bike for sprints - or something similar - and was not using the automatic oil pump in the crank case. The tank would need to be from an earlier OHV bike ('23-ish?) where no separate oil tank was fitted. This would also explain use of the Dance grips on a strap. These were made by the John Bull Rubber company and one could buy them with the strap - or to go on the more usual mounting plates on the tank.

Although the picture is only a photocopy and lacking clarity, it looks as if the bike still has beaded edge rims which would be likely if it was a Model 25 but less likely if it was one of the 1926 Works bikes which sported 21 x 3 wired on tyres back and front. Compared to the other Nystrom photo, the carb. looks different but the Dance knee grips seem to be the same. You will notice the hand written comments....... who's got it now??

Wiley De and Sam Elliott Comparison

Some of you know who this is.
Left half of the photo snagged from Dave Mickelson's Facebook Photos.


Was someone blow drying Willey's hair? Was he moving a a great clip?. He looks like he means business!

1928 CS1 Norton

Nice projects still surface. This 1928 Norton CS1, and quite a few spares, were recently bought by Bill in the US.

V-twin Norton

Another one sent by Howard: "A photo of a V-twin Norton in Hobart, back in the early days. The Norton is the motorcycle on the extreme left"


Is it the same Norton as in this picture, taken at a dealer's showroom in Hobart?

Nystrom on a c1926 racing Norton

By Simon

Here's another photo from Sweden. It shows Per Nystrom on board what seems to be a 1926/7 racing machine - sadly the photographer has concentrated on the photogenic Mr Nystrom rather than the lower half of the bike! However one can see TT Webb forks and just behind the carburettor, part of the oil tank lug as fitted to Model 25s and works bikes with large oil tanks. He must have fitted a smaller tank for some reason. I guess the photo was taken in '28 as there is an ES2 in the background.

I suspect it is a Model 25 but cannot be too sure. The only indication is that little bit of oil tank support lug one can see. But those lugs were fitted to ordinary frames as well if the customer wanted the large oil tank fitted. Nystroms seem to have had a very good relationship with the factory and had various cast-off racing bikes over the years which they used in local events to very good effect.

GRAB LIFE BY THE HANDLEBARS

Ride to Live, Live to Ride.

I saw a Harley Davidson dealership billboard today.
It said "Grab Life by the Handlebars".
I'd Never heard that one before.
Thought it was mighty cool.

Bartrop, Australian GP, 1939 Model 40 Norton

Contributed by Dennis: "An interesting pic of Bert Bartrop on the line at the Australian GP, Bathurst, Easter 1939. It is his Junior entry, riding number 6. I see in the report of the race that Bartrop was second for 18 laps, then was passed by eventually winner Eddie Wannick, and second man Jim Madsen, both on Nortons and third place man Don Bain on a 495cc OHC Velocette. Bartrop came 4th.

Behind is Harry Hinton on a BSA, number 12... Harry Hinton was known for his Norton exploits and the Hinton Dynasty with Nortons....Sons Eric and Harry Junior (who was killed riding in the Gold Cup event at Imola, Italy, April 1959), then Eric's son Peter....all great riders.

Evocative pic...note the highcrown Cromwell helmet."

Stanley's 1933 TT winning Model 30 Norton

From: "The Motor Cycle, January 18th 1934, page 74-76". Click the pictures for a full page version. Contributed by Alf.

1931 Model 20 crankcases wanted

An email from Albert in Malta: "I wonder if you could help me? I gave my 1931 Model 20 crankcases for welding as I discovered some hairline cracks around the bearing bosses. The "professional" welder I gave them to managed to ruin them for me (he did not normalise the cases prior to welding) and they are now useless, as they cracked up when cooling down. Do you know anyone who might have a spare set for sale? 1931 and 1932 Model 18 are similar. Best regards, Albert"

Anyone who has a spare set of cases or an engine  for sale can contact John and I'll forward your message to Albert.

Replica 1920s chain guards for sale

Reece in New Zealand is having a batch of 1920s Norton chain guards fabricated. Two types of guards will be made, as shown, though the first batch will consist of the open type only. He has sent me one of the open guards to fit to my 1927 OHV Norton and it looks absolutely correct in every detail; as expected, no one is more fussy about details than Reece! The size is spot on and the only thing I had to do is drill two holes and fabricate a small bracket where it fits to the front engine plate.

Reece is now taking orders. He is not sure about the price yet as it depends quite a bit on the number of guards that can be made and shipped around the world in one go, but expect to see something in the 250 euro bracket for the open type. Anyone interested can contact me.

1927 Model 25 Norton

By Simon

Here's a catalogue illustration of the Model 25 used for publicity purposes in 1927 by the factory. This shows evidence of a clever man with an airbrush (or whatever technique was used at the time) and there seem to be a few variations from the state in which most of them were sent out. The carb. seems to be a TT Amac, and the so-called pneumatic footrests are in evidence. Also the rear wheel is a 'non-detatchable' brake drum type.... interesting, none the less.

Roger: "The technique used in this illustration is most interesting. The image is a photograph using the technique of a (sometimes grubby) white sheet as the background which is agitated so that its movement removes any blemishes and creases during the relatively long exposure (like in this photo). What is unusual about this picture is that it is taken in a studio with frontal illumination on both sides. The shadows form a cross behind the machine whereas outside pictures taken around midday give a direct overhead light with shadow underneath.

Retouching and masking was done on the negative, not difficult as the pictures were taken on a large format plate camera - hence the small aperture for good depth of field and crispness of the image. Masking was done with a white masking fluid which could be washed off . There is a lovely image of George Tucker on a kneeler sidecar outfit in the mid 20s which was published in Motor Cycle. Years later a journalist removed the background mask to reveal that the location was the Little Paddock sheds at Brooklands and the detail of the cars in the background was stunning."

1928 Model 34 Norton

Contributed by Howard: "This photo was taken at Penrith Speedway, New South Wales, Australia, probably in the late 1920s or early 1930s"

The Norton is a 490cc OHV Model 34, easily identified by the 4-speed gearbox and the final drive on the right hand side of the machine. The half round shape of the oiltank suggests a 1928 model. The front forks are sidespring Druids, one would expect Webbs.

Compare the motorcycle to this one.

1925 Works Norton

By Simon

Further to the previous blog entry: I have seen this photo before (there is a copy of it in a war-time issue of Motor Cycle/Cycling) and it shows a 1925 Works Norton as used by Bennett, Shaw, Craig and others at the time.

The prints above show a slightly retouched 1925 works bike and the other - rather less doctored - the 1926 version. Both seem to have been used for publicity purposes by Nortons at the time. Note the '25 machine has a non-standard front brake and forks, while the '26 machine is extremely similar to Woods' winning bike (but not it!).

I actually owned one of the 1925 engines during my mis-spent late youth (my wife will tell you I am still in it!). It was installed in a 1928 frame and was, after a long spell in the Murray Motor Museum in the IOM, nicely rebuilt about twenty years back and lavishly described in the Classic Motorcycle as 'Bennett's 1925 TT Winner.' The only parts which came from Bennett's machine are the crankcase and oil pump. These parts literally seem to be all that is left of the 1925 Works bikes of which several were built and all listed in the records. 

The records show the 500s as simply OHV. No less than 18 machines were put together for the TT and sidecar TT, some of which are shown as spare bikes. There is little detail by way of the specification. All but one machine were fitted with B and B carbs. The exception was the solo on loan to the Spanish rider Macaya which was fitted with an Amac. All were fitted with C.A.V magnetos. New pattern brakes and oil (pump) pedal are also mentioned. The new pattern brakes refer - I suspect - to the different front brake. There are no comments about the dry sump system. 

Incidentally, I still have the very standard head, and the sole racing cam that was still in it (marked TTG). The flywheels in it when I had it were modified ES2 steel ones. The barrel was destroyed in a con rod fracture incident at Brands Hatch....but as usual, I am wandering from the point.

I would not describe the 1925 Works OHV Nortons as Model 18s due to the incorporation of the then new dry sump system but I guess, equally, they were not yet Model 25s. No one has yet been able to tell me if the flywheels were steel in these engines or cast iron: by the time of the 1926 TT they were certainly steel and the dry sump arrangement changed and simplified. However, the mainshafts of the '26 works engines were 1 inch whereas the 1925 versions were still 22mm. When Nortons produced the Model 25 for the 1927 season it, too, had steel wheels but, as is so often the case, there were slight cost cutting changes in that the mainshafts reverted to 22mm and racing cams were not fitted as standard. Further, the majority of the Model 25s sold were fitted with standard CS gearboxes rather than no kick-start racing LS boxes. A bit like a twenties version of the Gold Star.... 

The 1925 Works bikes had a footrest and brake pedal set up like the standard Model 18s of the day - the lot mounted on a short vertical tube located below and to the front of the gearbox lug. If you dropped the plot onto a footrest, the whole lot could twist round and jam the clutch.... By 1926, the Works bikes had a different and more user friendly set-up, the footrests and pedal being mounted on a supplementary pair of plates - see the picture above, which is not in fact a very good sketch. The pedal itself was changed and was virtually the same as that used later on the '29/30 Model 18s/16Hs etc although with a different length spindle. Model 25s also seem to have been fitted with this pedal rather than the standard type in use in 1927.

The outfit Driscoll was loaned for the '25 sidecar TT was a four speeder so bore very little resemblance to the three speed TT bikes. It did of course have a 588 dry sump engine in it, with which Driscoll was singularly dis-satisfied at the time - hence fitting one of his own Brooklands engines for the event itself. The records show the machine loaned to Driscoll simply as 588 OHV.

1925 Norton racer

This is Jimmy Shaw at the 1925 Ulster Grand Prix on his OHV Norton; note the strange combination of an early dry-sump lubrication and the cable-operated handpump, just visible above his knee. The (rather poor) photo below shows Jimmy on the same motorcycle leading Alec Bennett on a similar Norton. Of particular interest to me, note the underside of the petrol tanks! This looks very similar to the extension as fitted to the tank of my 1927 racer project.

Roger's comments: "This picture is quite a find. The (dry sump) Model 25 was the production version of the 1926 TT winning machine so I don't think that you can call the Norton in the picture a Model 25. The Model 25 also had a different arrangement for footrest and rear brake mounting. The real significance is that the picture shows one of the "Model 18/19s" prepared for the 1925 TT.

Pat Driscoll was loaned one of the 588cc versions by the works for the sidecar race. He subsequently bought it and converted it to the wet sump system that he favoured. Looking at the pictures of his outfit and the Norton team at the TT I can't see the extension to the tank. The angles make it difficult to be absolutely sure in all cases but one of Pat's outfit shows no sign of it. This means that it was likely to have been fitted for the Ulster as a special tank making it more likely that they would have remained in Northern Ireland hence the Jimmy Shaw connection with at least one part of your 1927 flat tank Norton."

1924 16H Norton

Mail from Stephen in the UK: "Please find attached photograph of a very original 1924 16H Norton"

Jon's 1935 CS1 Norton

Jon from the UK sent me these pics of his 1935 CS1 Norton: "This is my CS1. It’s reliable and fast enough to tour Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man and original enough to win the odd cup at local shows. It hamstrings me a bit as she is not just original period, but original as shipped in September 1935. The numbers all match the dispatch log except for the magdyno (Frame, Engine, Gearbox, Forks, Tank even the (cut down) duck tail on the rear mudguard has matching build numbers)."

A letter by Stanley Woods

In an appealing tale about the first CS1 Norton , Walter Moore claims that his OHC design was first used at the Isle of Man TT circuit in 1927 when the engine had never been tested before. Moore had rushed two fresh CS1 motors to the island, hiring a tugboat to get himself there overnight. Once landed, he faced the challenge of convincing the team mechanic and rider to fit and race the new power plant. By the end of the next day, the 17th of June 1927, the CS1 and Alec Bennett had won the Senior TT by over eight minutes.

While Walter Moore claimed to have rushed the CS1 engines straight from the workshop to the TT, Stanley Woods has another story to tell. Woods was known for his sharpness and vitality in later life, making his comments more than credible.

This contribution is by Simon: ”In his letter (transcript provided below) Woods mentions going to Stuttgart for an event in May 1927 which rather knocks on the head the Walter Moore tale about taking a couple of untried engines over to the IoM for the 1927 TT in a hired boat. He also says he was loaned the production CS1 initially issued to Jimmy Guthrie and by chance I have a rather poor print of what is perhaps this very machine, with Stanley on board, at the '31 Scott Trial to which he refers. The registration of the bike is KS3900 and this was issued in the Roxburgh area - just a few miles from Guthrie's home town of Hawick. Note this shot shows quite well that the bike is fitted with the special 7 inch front brake used on the Works racing machines rather than the 8" Enfield type used on the production versions of the CS1. Cheers S”

15.9.86

Dear Mr Adams

Thank you for your order – your CS1 picture and your chatty letter.

As you remark, I had quite a lot to do with the CS1! I worked on the assembly of the first race model – what a last minute rush the final assembly was! Completed just after 1 o’clock on a Thursday in May 1927 – out into the street at the back of the Norton factory – near the centre of Birmingham – a push start and full throttle in 1st gear – into 2nd – brakes – turn around and back to the factory rear entrance where a lorry was waiting. Up into the lorry, where a mechanic was waiting to drain off the fuel as we raced to the central rail station to catch the 2 o’clock train for London and Harwich for the night boat from Harwich to the Hook of Holland – then a full day by rail to Stuttgart in S. Germany for its first race!

Practice Saturday morning and the race on Sunday – I led easily until I broke a gudgeon pin (USA wrist pin?)! Back to the factory for a quick modification and then the CS1 led the field for the 1927 Season.

At the London Motorcycle Show in November 1927 the first production model was on show. Jimmy Guthrie was signed up for the 1928 team and Nortons sent him that machine so “that he could learn to ride a Norton!”

September 1928 the Company replaced my ‘hack’ “Model 18” with that bike and I used it in almost all types of event until I left the Company at the end of the Season 1933.

Although she was not designed for trials – a ground clearance of about 3 ½ inches – I was most successful and was Trials Champion of Ireland three years – local road races, sand races and cross-country events solo and sidecar – sometimes with a high compression piston and Alcohol fuel – what a bike! And never let me down. I think that her best performance was fastest time in the famous (notorious!) Scott Trial in 1931 – that was about 50/60 miles over the open Yorkshire Moors – I could go on for pages! They don’t make bikes like that today! Thanks again for your support.

Sincerely yours

Stanley Woods

PS Bikes like that! The 500cc Velocette that I rode in the 1979 Classic Lap (“Geriatric TT”) and also in 1980 – 81 – 82 and 83 was the bike I raced in the 1937, 8 and 9 Senior TT – Raced after the war and is still good for 125 MPH - and happy at that. SW

1935 CS1 Norton

This 1935 CS1 is for sale at Yesterdays; it looks very decent to me.

The Junior TT Assen, 26th of June 1937

The brochure; someone took it for granted that a Norton would win!

Dutch rider Bakker Schut with his Model 40 Norton.

Dutch rider Piet van Wijngaarden again, with his 350cc International factory racer; note the many trick bits compared to Bakker Schut's Norton above; rear suspension, square cylinder head, large front brake, magnesium crankcase, rev counter... I can see at least four other Nortons behind him.

Freddy Frith working on his bike and chatting with Joe Craig. The Norton looks identical to Piet's motorcycle.

Dutch champion Piet van Wijngaarden and the winner that day, John 'Crasher' White; Joe Craig stands between them. The rider on the left is Lo Simons with his 250cc Excelsior. On the right are Walther Winkler and his 250cc DKW.

Cool Saddle for the iron horse

The old West renewed.

Front forks

Finding out what type of front forks should grace your vintage Norton is not easy. Numerous designs have been used and some look quite similar while there may be many differences in the details. Reece sent me a few pics of his collection of vintage front forks and a description. Reece:"...and I don't want to put too many years and models on these as I guess any bike could be ordered with anything and will open a can of worms!"

No 1. Druids. c1923-1925. Has a front brake anchor point.
No 2. Druid. Late 1920s. Round tube, no tapering.
No 3. Webb. Standard weight, tapered tubes.
No 4. Webb. Heavy weight. Heavy weight forks have larger tapered tube, 4" damper discs instead of 3", larger diameter spindles etc.Note the 'modern' mudguard bracket
No 5. Norton. 1934 on. (note check springs, splayed legs, two grease nipples top-front spindle, left side brake anchor)
No 6. Webb. Standard weight. Early 1930s. Similar to number 3 but with small differences.
No 7. Druid. Early 1920s. Mk II, mainly fitted to Big Four and 17C models.

...and Martin's suggestions:

"Just a few random thoughts re forks. I concur with your remark about the wide variety of forks fitted to vintage Nortons over the years. It is fair to say that hardly two are the same. However, up to 1924, most Nortons were fitted with standard sidespring Druids of middleweight or heavyweight pattern (fork No 1). The belt drive bikes seem to have lighter weight forks, but probably still called middleweight by Druid. Main difference between the two is the width of the blades and the diameter of the pivot spindles.

In the early 20s a new design was introduced by Druid called the 'Mk II' in which the lower links pass through a secondary linkage which carries two tension springs up the centre which allow the forks to wobble horizontally as well as vertically. Sounds like a plate of jelly and handles like one too! These were mainly fitted to the bigger sidevalve bikes like the Big Four as they suited sidecar and other heavy use. (fork No 7).

The Webb single spring design (fork No 3) came in around late 1924 for the OHV bikes and was a huge improvement for those that tried them but not everyone was convinced, like Graham Walker who insisted on keeping on with the sidespring design. The early ones (1924 and 1925) had flat fork damper plates without turned over edges and then in 1926 they introduced the familiar spinners to apply the damper spring pressure and added the turned over edges so the friction discs are hidden from view and road dirt. These are easily recognised as the blades have straight (ie not tapered) tubes and are also parallel sided not splayed out. They look quite light and they are, and were superseded by heavier forks with tapered tubes. There is a man in New Zealand who makes both types of damper plate in case someone needs such things...

In about 1926, the sidespring Druids with round front tube and oval rear tube were replaced by the 'RT' (round tube) design (fork No 2) using heavyweight round tubes front and rear and in a diamond shape not the familiet triangle. These were fitted to all the sidevalve models until the early 30s as far as I know, and are sound forks if a little short action as the spings are far stiffer than the long single central spring of the Webbs, and they have little or no dampers fitted.

The parallel blade Webb design (fork No 4) came in for the first of the cammies, the CS1, and was then adopted on the late 20s OHV bikes. It is a lot heavier than for No 3. Fork No 5 is the post 1933 check spring design which carried on right till the end of girders in 1946 with one or two small variations and weight differences...

Here endeth my halfpennyworth on girder forks...

Martin

PS In Scotland we have a national drink (apart from whisky) called 'Irn Bru', which it is claimed is 'Made in Scotland frae Girders'... Perhaps this explains why they are so hard to find these days!!

Deltran Battery Tender Junior Review

I got a Deltran Battery Tender Junior for my motorcycle.
This little gem self maintains your battery. It cycles on and off on it's own when needed, unlike most trickle chargers. All you have to do is plug it in and walk away. Your battery will be ready to roll when you are.


It has a small compact size. Leave this end plugged in to the wall by where you park your bike.

The photo below shows a discrete little plug in that you attach to your battery and leave the pigtail for easy quick accessibility.

I installed mine in about 5 minutes- start to finish. It was super simple. As you can see in the photo below, I left a little extra length on the plug in end so I can pull the cord out for easy connections.

Just tuck back in for a discrete look.

This is so simple yet so convenient. I would recommend this to anyone.
If you are interested in getting one of these, I found mine at Jafrum.com.
It was shipped in days and this product sell for a fair price.