c1929 Model JE Norton

By Simon

An unusual pic of a 1929-ish JE - note the Birmingham registration number, Webb forks (rather than ES Druids) etc.  Perhaps a works bike...

Martin: "The Birmingham OX registration series was first issued in July 1927, and it ran until July 1928 when the VP series started, which also ran for about a year. The JE is unlikely to have been registered much later than late 1927, as most registrations were made around the time of the motorcycle shows, and then again at the start of the better weather in March and April."

c1930 Model ES2 Norton

Sent by Al

"I previously sent a shot of my grandfathers Norton at Hayling Island on this web site - my uncle just sent these pictures through to me of another Norton. I believe the first shot was taken in Southsea, the second obviously at Lands End; the mystery is who is the girl in the last shot - not my grandmother! I can claim to have an interest in Nortons running in my blood!"

The Norton is a 1929 or 1930 Model ES2 or CS1. TP5676 was issued from Apr. 1924 to Feb. 1931 and would have been issued by Portsmouth County Borough Council (currently Portsmouth).

666 ... Resident Evil

I drove by this house yesterday. There was nothing special about it except the address. It didn't look weird or anything, so I didn't bother taking a picture of it. However, I did take a picture of the mailbox.

I'm into things like skulls and such; you know, stuff that looks kinda bad ass. But this... I don't think I could live here. Honestly. It would creep me out. Besides, what do you think it would do for your re-sale value?

I think it is kind of cool how they played off of it though. Note the black creepy mailbox in comparison to the others in the bank of mailboxes, and the positioning of the numbers are kind of like the almost triangle on Damien's head from the Omen.



I guess if that is the address you end up with, why not be clever about it.

Still creepy.

Early OHV heads

A discussion spurred by pictures of a Model 18 Ron is selling; it's a 1928 model but clearly has an earlier cylinder head. The fins 'on top' are higher near the exhaust. The fins on later heads are all the same hight. Also check this entry.

Simon:"The good thing about this particular 1923 head (above; not a very good picture!) is that it still appears to have its original valves and springs - see the drawing (below).  Note that the valve sizes agree with recorded history that the early OHV engines had a larger exhaust than inlet valve.  I guess it's a bit 'anorak' to record this sort of stuff but it's not written down anywhere else as far as I know"

"Regarding valve springs.......I don't propose to go into detail about the various valve spring retainers as there are bound to be chaps who pop up and say theirs are different in some way or another! However it seems to me that MOST of the '26 to '28 OHV engines were fitted with retainers which take the following springs:

Outer - length 2.125 outer dia. 1.490 inner dia. 1.170 wire dia. 0.160 number of coils 7

Inner - length 1.845 outer dia. 0.950 inner dia. 0.740 wire dia. 0.105 number of coils 7

Peter Roydhouse made the comment to me a while back that Norton springs were unduly strong and he suggested using springs from post war 350 engines BUT the diameter of these may be too great for use on the open pushrod engines and one would have to change the valve spring retainers. Might be better to get the spring maker to use a slightly lighter gauge wire to reduce poundage although he would need to stick to the internal diameters given."

1923 Model 16H Norton

Sent by David in the UK

David: "I have recently unearthed this Norton 16H. It has been in a shed for the last 30 years and I think it is quite interesting as it has a separate oil tank and a mousetrap carburettor. I have been told it was raced by a Mr Jack Underwood. The bike will be kept in this condition and not restored."

Simon: "The numbers (frame number 65XX and engine number 42XX) match up - albeit the frame number is shown in the Works records as 65XXs. However the info in the records is disappointingly sparse. The model is shown as 16H and the magneto number as 122914, with Brown and Barlow carburetter and 26 x 2 1/2 tyres.  No gearbox number given. On the despatch details page, all that is entered is the 'card number' (I guess this is the works job card or build card for the bike) 3743. At this stage, this situation seems to have been commonplace - on this particular page (the first that exists incidentally) of 19 entries only 10 show the dealers to whom the bikes were sent and no end user details are shown atall. Despatch dates shown for the ten are all in the range November '22 to January '23. All were 16Hs. 


Regarding the 16H, it does look 'later'. I guess yes a 1923 model originally. I think the separate oil tank was fitted to the '23 works bikes and doubtless could be ordered if wanted but perhaps was a later fitment. The tank looks wide for this date. Also note the forks are the posh variety of Druids with the dampers - not fitted as standard. Fitting a mousetrap Binks was the twenties equivalent of the 'go faster' stick-on stripes for cars in the fifties/sixties. But bear in mind that the early twenties 16H could be made to go. Driscoll reckoned his ex works 16H was better by far than the first OHV bike he got! The oil pump is a later fitment too - furthermore it is a Pilgrim and not a Best and Lloyd. 


I don't know of any Jack Underwood though there are a couple of J. Underwoods who were VMCC members in the 1988 VMCC members list - one living in Blandford and the other in Crawley. One of them (the Blandford one) was a member in 1973 but neither in 1960....Judging by the Blandford Underwood's membership number he must have joined the club in the late sixties.  None of this is really much help!"


Martin:"The registration is a Gloucester County Council one issued in 1929, so whatever it did between 1923 and 1929, it did so with another identity.  By 1929, a 16H would have been passe, but as I know from running a 1920 16H, they have a lot more spirit than many early OHVs, and it would still have been a capable performer in 1929."

c1929 Model CS1 Norton

Sent by Allan in the UK

Allan sent this photo of his Granddad in the 1930's. The Norton is a c1929 Model CS1.

Martin: "The VB series of numbers was issued by Croydon Borough Council between 1927 and 1931, but the first VB number issued in 1929 was VB4575, so it is fair to assume that VB4845 was also issued in 1929."

1935 Model CS1 Norton - For sale

This 1935 CS1 is for sale at Ron's. Asking price £18,000.00. Contact Ron directly, the CS1 is not on his website.