1973 850 Budget "Rustoration"

New Project!
The goal of this project is to spend as little money as possible, and to build a very rusty and ugly (and hopefully somewhat mechanically sound) Norton 850 with existing functional original parts that I own. I have chosen a worthy carcass that has spent over 30 years outside under a tarp. Engine and gearbox, will be from parts collection, and I have begun the teardown. I am really looking forward to a fun and hopefully straightforward assembly, with the finished project looking like it crawled out of the ground. Let the fun begin!
Gatsby

The second bike from the left will be the chosen bike to be revived.




I have a set of original Fire Flake blue tank and side covers. I filled the tank with vinegar, and a lot of nuts and bolts. Over the course of three weeks, I would shake the tank every day and adjust the angle. This removed a surprising amount of the interior rust. Once I was satisfied, I lined the tank with a POR15 tank sealing kit as per instructions. Hopefully it does the job.



Finish tank mock up on the stead


This gearbox was embedded into the dirt floor of a shed for who knows how long. I opened it up, and it was in good shape, and no wear on teeth. I installed a new layshaft roller bearing and new gaskets. There was rust on the inside of the outer cover, so I had to harvest some parts of another gearbox I had. Great care was taken to keep the dirt from the shed floor intact


Bike is almost completely broken down now. I hope to get more work done this weekend.

What a great project

gatsby said:

New Project!
The goal of this project is to spend as little money as possible, and to build a very rusty and ugly (and hopefully somewhat mechanically sound) Norton 850 with existing functional original parts that I own. I have chosen a worthy carcass that has spent over 30 years outside under a tarp. Engine and gearbox, will be from parts collection, and I have begun the teardown. I am really looking forward to a fun and hopefully straightforward assembly, with the finished project looking like it crawled out of the ground. Let the fun begin!
Gatsby

The second bike from the left will be the chosen bike to be revived.
View attachment 116334



I have a set of original Fire Flake blue tank and side covers. I filled the tank with vinegar, and a lot of nuts and bolts. Over the course of three weeks, I would shake the tank every day and adjust the angle. This removed a surprising amount of the interior rust. Once I was satisfied, I lined the tank with a POR15 tank sealing kit as per instructions. Hopefully it does the job.


View attachment 116335
Finish tank mock up on the stead
View attachment 116337

This gearbox was embedded into the dirt floor of a shed for who knows how long. I opened it up, and it was in good shape, and no wear on teeth. I installed a new layshaft roller bearing and new gaskets. There was rust on the inside of the outer cover, so I had to harvest some parts of another gearbox I had. Great care was taken to keep the dirt from the shed floor intact
View attachment 116338

Bike is almost completely broken down now. I hope to get more work done this weekend.View attachment 116339

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You might start a trend - I've wondered about just sticking my junk together instead of putting in the recycle bin! Please keep posting about it.

Good luck. Should look interesting when done.

I couldn't do it. My impulse to clean mechanical things before I work on them would get in the way.

A mate of mine rebuild a Harley WLA like this, stored in a barn in Crete since soon after WW2. He made it mechanically perfect but didn’t clean off any of that Crete dirt or rust or paint anything. He then rode it a LOT. A very cool bike.

I love it when I have multiple same/similar bikes that i can strip apart and choose all the best parts to build one good bike. Even better when you get a SECOND "decent" bike!

Sell the remainders and recoup your cost - GOLDEN.

Progress today on front forks.

I used a lot of heat and effort to get them apart. Lots of black sludge inside the sliders. The left hand slider is garbage as the inside bore is collapsed in one area. It looks like someone at one point was beating it on the outside (see pic). I grabbed another spare to use.

I gave the fork stanchions a little rub with 2500 grit wet sand paper, and some WD 40 and that seemed to smooth a couple of bad spots. I reused the bushes. New fork seals and short fork gaters were installed. The sliders slide up and down nicely.

One damper rod was in great shape, however the other was a little pock marked. It will have to do though. Once these are buttoned up, I will be rebuilding a front brake calliper.

Lots of fun so far!
Cheers,

Gatsby

Pic where someone beat the outside of the slider and ruined it.






Removing brake pistons is one job I absolutely hate. I have yet to find a proper tool. I have been lucky with air compressors, however I have some that are seized in real good. I’m open to suggestions for a proper tool

A job I always hate. Removing stuck calliper pistons. Plug and calliper will clean up with some light sanding. New seals and pistons will need to be ordered.

I sprung for new adjustable isolastics. These are always satisfying to slide in.

"Rustoration"?
Thats the way Kiwi's say it!

I am unable to help myself. Wet and dry and then the buffer. And this could use another half hour of work...Sadly in pain watching the rust
thread.
Pray for me.

Onder said:

I am unable to help myself. Wet and dry and then the buffer. And this could use another half hour of work...Sadly in pain watching the rust
thread.
Pray for me.

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Very Nice!!! I suffered through a "Shiny at all costs" rebuild on my last project (link below). Making use of some leftovers now!

gatsby said:

A job I always hate. Removing stuck calliper pistons. Plug and calliper will clean up with some light sanding. New seals and pistons will need to be ordered.

I sprung for new adjustable isolastics. These are always satisfying to slide in.
View attachment 116400View attachment 116401

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DAAAANG!!!! That's crustier than anything I've come across on calipers AND trans cradles...

grandpaul said:

DAAAANG!!!! That's crustier than anything I've come across on calipers AND trans cradles...

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The crustier the better!
After Halloween - I will be harvesting some parts from my display. Here is a picture from last year. Super crusty fenders!

Looks like it has the potential to be a good ten-footer. .

Meet RatlasTotally rebuilt no rust removed! Thought I had more pics!

Love a good rat bike, they don't need to look pretty to be reliable for everyday riding, back in late 1982 I had a major fire on my freshly built Commando/Featherbed conversion, back fired from the carbs and velocities stacks no air filter and a leaking new petrol tap, I was on the bike when it caught fire after kicking it, new tank paint job, speedo, top frame paint, new wiring and one melted seat, lucky all damage up top, getting the bike home I started on the rewiring and the seat taken to get redone (one week turn around) I left the burnt paint job on the tank and frame, the cracked and melted speedo, the bike looks like it just came out of a fire lol, but I had it fired up next day after the fire and after getting the seat back I rode it like that for over 2 years or more, I even put it in a bike show once and it was the only rat bike there and won a prize, as well my Norton didn't have any stands so was always leaning on posts, fences and even house, it really looked the part but it just kept going, never let me down.
After a few years like that I decided to do a new paint job and get it looking good again, but I did like the scruffy look and me being an old school biker I looked the part when riding it, I looked scruffy long hair and a big full red beard and a rotten looking Norton, it also drew a crowd wherever it was leaning on, but now it's showing its age but I am not going to change it with dents and chipped paint on the tank and flaking paint on the frame, its still runs great and is still old reliable, why change.
I look forward to seeing your version of a rat bike and will be following your build and ride time after its back on the road.

Ashley