750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build

milfordite said:
Curious as to why you are using the Norton rear wheel. Is that in the rules? I used a Suzuki GS550 rear wheel on my race bike because it was lighter, has a better cush drive, and you could change sprockets.
Click to expand...
details pls? prob mag? disc/drum? suz axle? spacers?
 
Schwany said:
Any happy progress on this salt flats build?

I realize getting it done is far more important than updating this thread, so when you get a chance of course.
Click to expand...
Been meaning to get back here sooner but been a busy last month and a half with work. But there has been progress! Namely getting the exhaust fabricated up. First hurdle was to get the right dimensions for the muffler bodies and tips translated into flat form for sheet metal blanks. Luckily I did 3D CAD in a previous life and have AutoDesk Fusion 360 to help with that. Was given measurements for the design by Leo Goff so all I had to do was draw it up. Couple hours of fiddling with a 3D model and I got the parts turned into flat forms.
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build

Next came cutting out the blanks and re-learning how to use a slip roll to make conical shapes to use for the mufflers. Sadly there weren't any places near me I found that were willing to do such a small number of parts laser cut so that meant it was time to break out the jigsaw. Now for the fun of trying my hands at the slip roll. Took some time and a few pieces of scrap lying around to get the feel for it. Eventually got the main bodies, tips, and slip-on sleeves rolled out and nearly wore out my shoulder on the hand crank slip-roll. I will NOT be doing this thick of metal in these kinds of shape without an electric roll next time!
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build

Had to wait a few weeks for the weather to warm up/clear of enough to break out the TIG welder. But finally got an afternoon where I could get these all welded up. Certainly not the most professionally done mufflers but I feel pretty good about these for my first attempt.
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build

More in the next post. Ran out of room for pictures.
 
Ended up getting the old original motor out of the storage crate to put in the frame to work on the headers. I didn't get any pictures of the process for doing the headers but did get some of the final product. The headers are 1 5/8" dia. out of a friends old Atlas stock that were kinda rough and needed to be re-chromed anyway so he let me have them to work with. Had them stripped and got to work. Obviously had to make some adjustments to get the headers to fit the Commando frame and allow for the custom mufflers. I made a couple welding clamps out of the scrap sheet that I used to hold the headers in place and tack weld. Took another afternoon of fitting, tacking, and adjusting before I got them to where they cleared all new/custom bits. I had to make the right side angle down a little more than the left to clear the shifter throw but otherwise spot on for where I was wanting them to be. Also pictured are the new Falcon rear shocks purchaced from Andy Molnar. A much needed upgrade to the rear suspension. I've also played with lowering the front end about 1-1.5"
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build

Now for some of the more pretty aspect. The gas tank came back from paint last month! Andy Anderson did a fantastic job doing this one for me. All the lettering was done in free hand gold. LOVE the outlining he did as well. The pictures truly don't do it justice.
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build

Also made a steel chain guard to meet the SCTA regs. Nothing super fancy but it still needs a little work to get it aligned and clearing the rear tire better.
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build


And one of the non pictured new developments is a new 23T gearbox sprocket from TTI. I need to get a new chain to size. Still got plenty to wrap up but I feel like its hitting the home stretch
 

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I too made scaled-down peashooters for my Commando from thin-walled stainless, but with the rear cone removable, so that I could experiment with different internals and damping material.
For the rounded front end (and most stressed part) I used kitchen spoons which are a thicker material.

750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Buildfree image upload

750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build

750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
 
ludwig said:
I too made scaled-down peashooters for my Commando from thin-walled stainless, but with the rear cone removable, so that I could experiment with different internals and damping material.
For the rounded front end (and most stressed part) I used kitchen spoons which are a thicker material.

750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Buildfree image upload

750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build

750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build
Click to expand...
Stainless kitchen spoons ?!

F*cking genius !!
 
When welding sections of header pipes together, I use a clamp like this:
750cc Norton Commando Salt Flats Build

It is a C clamp ithe a angle iron welded to the swivel of the clamp. A nut is run up on a bolt. Another angle is welded to the head of the bolt. Excess length of the bolt is cut off of the the bolt flush with the nut. The nut is then welded to the anvil of the clamp. This alows the clamp to be positioned variously. The legs of the angle align the walls of the header pipe. A clear lens from a welding hood can be used to check alignment and minor adjustments made.
 
Zachary

Before you put the headers on the Goff ported head, could you take pic of the exhaust ports if he worked on the exhaust side? I'm curious to see what gets done for land speed racers.
 
Rule book says engine needs to be the same oem manufacturer as the frame. I'm guessing they mean the cases, so you might get a opinion from a scta inspector if your cases are aftermarket, make sure you get it in writing if it goes your way.
 
George Hirvela said:
Rule book says engine needs to be the same oem manufacturer as the frame. I'm guessing they mean the cases, so you might get a opinion from a scta inspector if your cases are aftermarket, make sure you get it in writing if it goes your way.
Click to expand...
So I've already been over this with another rider that's been out there with aftermarket cases and didn't have problems passing inspection with them.
 
Zachary Brown said:
Ended up getting the old original motor out of the storage crate to put in the frame to work on the headers. I didn't get any pictures of the process for doing the headers but did get some of the final product. The headers are 1 5/8" dia. out of a friends old Atlas stock that were kinda rough and needed to be re-chromed anyway so he let me have them to work with. Had them stripped and got to work. Obviously had to make some adjustments to get the headers to fit the Commando frame and allow for the custom mufflers. I made a couple welding clamps out of the scrap sheet that I used to hold the headers in place and tack weld. Took another afternoon of fitting, tacking, and adjusting before I got them to where they cleared all new/custom bits. I had to make the right side angle down a little more than the left to clear the shifter throw but otherwise spot on for where I was wanting them to be. Also pictured are the new Falcon rear shocks purchaced from Andy Molnar. A much needed upgrade to the rear suspension. I've also played with lowering the front end about 1-1.5"
View attachment 118850View attachment 118851
Now for some of the more pretty aspect. The gas tank came back from paint last month! Andy Anderson did a fantastic job doing this one for me. All the lettering was done in free hand gold. LOVE the outlining he did as well. The pictures truly don't do it justice.
View attachment 118852View attachment 118853View attachment 118854
Also made a steel chain guard to meet the SCTA regs. Nothing super fancy but it still needs a little work to get it aligned and clearing the rear tire better.
View attachment 118855View attachment 118856

And one of the non pictured new developments is a new 23T gearbox sprocket from TTI. I need to get a new chain to size. Still got plenty to wrap up but I feel like its hitting the home stretch
Click to expand...
Is there no requirement for a chaingard on the underside?
 
baz said:
Is there no requirement for a chaingard on the underside?
Click to expand...
Rule book states "the chain/belt shall be guarded from the center of the front sprocket or pulleys to the rear most edge of the rear sprocket measured vertically". Doesn't mention anything about underside protection.
 
Zachary Brown said:
Rule book states "the chain/belt shall be guarded from the center of the front sprocket or pulleys to the rear most edge of the rear sprocket measured vertically". Doesn't mention anything about underside protection.
Click to expand...
As far as I know over here in classic racing you need a lower guard and not a top one I believe?
After all that's where you are likely to get hurt if part of your body got stuck in there
I thought it might be the same rule for land speed racing
 
With exhaust systems, you cannot presume that what you make is going to work well in the circumstances in which you intend to use the bike. I once fitted a 2 into 1 exhaust system to my 500cc Triton. It took a lot of modification and adjustment of cam timing and jetting to get it to work well. You will need somewhere to test the bike, and adjust all of the variables. If you get an increase in torque, you will probably need to raise the gearing to realise it. The Commando motor is very deceptive, due to the heavy crank - they always seem to spin-up at the same rate regardless of how much torque you have. Raising the gearing should not make a bike accelerate faster - it happens with a Commando motor. When the heavy crank is spinning high, nothing stops it. A lot of guys do not know how to race-change up through the gears - they pause on the up-changes. One of my mates used to do that, but one day he watched me riding, and heard the difference. I would never have told him.
 
Last edited:

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