A long term MK3 rebuild

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Cheshire bloke

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Dec 18, 2011
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Yes as the title suggests this is a long rebuild of my 1975 Mark 3 Commando (in my intro post a few days ago I think I said it was a '76!) To date it's been about 20 or so years in-between starting then stopping for a couple of decades, so here are a few photos now I've sussed out how to post them.
You will see the original bike parked up soon after i bought it from a guy in Liverpool UK for £850, one pound per cc not bad value for money eh? the tank was hand brush painted and he did a good job and it stayed like that until I got it professionally painted silver. The bike is originally an Interpol as used and abused by scouse plod, and was police white, you can just see a bit of white paint under the rear mudguard (fender). Other photos show the bike at home nestling up to my Triumph Sprint which looks huge in comparison to the slim Norton!

A long term MK3 rebuild


A long term MK3 rebuild


A long term MK3 rebuild


A long term MK3 rebuild


A long term MK3 rebuild



Hope you enjoy the photos I'll be posting more soon and cracking on with the rebuild (slowly of course)
 
Are those air horns original Interpol? Love those crash bars. Do you have any more original Interpol parts? It would be cool to have one in restored condition (after you had an Interstate, roadster, Fastback and cafe)
Your bike is looking good, what are your plans for it stylewise?
 
Cheshire bloke said:
A long term MK3 rebuild
Click to expand...
The headlamp brackets are fitted on the wrong sides so they are also upside down. When fitted correctly, the adjustment slots will be horizontal.
 
The intention is to rebuild it into a very nice Mk3. I would like an Interpol but I rode it around for a few years with that massive Avon fairing (still got it somewhere) and to be honest it got on my nerves, the single seat, front mudguard (fender) and panniers are lost, the crash bars are long gone, and the tank is probably a police version because the filler cap seems more forward than a normal tank, what do the Norton collective think, is there such a thing as a MK3 police tank? So maybe a police version will be another project? Air horns are my addition, tried to get them playing 'yankee doodle dandy' but didn't have enough puff hah ha! And the headlamp brackets! ahh the headlamp brackets!!! well, it was all thrown together for a house move and some parts just sort of got put on wrong somehow! thanks for spotting the deliberate mistake LAB it will be rectified (they are stainless by the way and still look good after all these years). A very important decision will be made in the new year...stick with silver or go with deep lustrous glossy black hmmm
 
Cheshire bloke said:
and the tank is probably a police version because the filler cap seems more forward than a normal tank, what do the Norton collective think, is there such a thing as a MK3 police tank?
Click to expand...

Yes, the police Interpol tanks often had the filler cap further forward (because the radio was often mounted on the tank) and I've seen several other Interpol 'Interstate' tanks with the filler cap in the same position as yours.
 
cheshire bloke wrote;
i bought it from a guy in Liverpool UK for £850, one pound per cc not bad value for money eh?
Click to expand...

Times are hard at the moment, and I am a Yorkshire man (i.e. careful with money for those elsewhere in the world), but I am prepared to be generous as it's christmas, and I will offer to double your money and take it off your hands for £1700 :lol: :lol:

cheshire bloke wrote;
stick with silver or go with deep lustrous glossy black hmmm
Click to expand...

I have a black (although it is more of a dark grey) interstate tank that I keep as a spare for continental trips and such like, and I personally prefer the silver colour to black on the Interstate. This is because it has quite a large surface area, and I think that the silver colour makes the bike appear more svelt,. Maybe it's because I have a poor paint job on mine that I feel this way, but I will be changing mine at sometime in the future. With paint colour, it is always a matter of personal preference of course.
 
I too have an ex liverpool mk3 inerpol and can confirm that the tank is the same with the filler cap further forward than is usual. It also had four threaded holes in the top for mounting the radio instead of the tray on the earlier dommie shaped interpol tanks. Is it in the KKF ***P reg range?
 
Hey! careful with the offers lads.. £1700 not a bad starting point but after all this time it is now part of the family and as such will fetch a considerably bigger lump of cash, pounds or dollars (no Euros please!) :D.
As for the registration number (UK plate) it is indeed KKF ***P myjota are you psychic or something? :shock: or more likely was there a batch of Interpols all sold at the same time? Mine originally came from Hicklings in, I think, Penny Lane Liverpool. Got any pics of yours just to compare?
 
Nice starting point Cheshire bloke, Will be watching your progress with enthusiasm & I too think that the silver is a better color for the interstate tank.
 
Cheshire Bloke and Myjota, Liverpool is only only a 45min thrash on a Commando from Shropshire. You're welcome to visit the Shropshire NOC mtg. (we need all the support we can get)
 
So silver it is then! save me a bit of money that will (we have short arms and deep pockets in Cheshire just like Yorkshire folk :) ) I will need to paint the side panels again as they have suffered a bit over the years, got a batch of transfers and stickers from the Stafford Classic Bike Show in the UK and just need to stick em somewhere clean and painted!

Thanks for the kind offer gripper I will certainly take my Norton to the NOC club night, some nice roads in Shropshire, just might take a while to get there, 20 years and counting :D although I was indeed a NOC member a long time ago.
 
All the Liverpool interplods came from Arthur Hicklins Motorcycles on Lark Lane and they were registered in batches so all the mk3s had these regs - I also have an ex Liverpool police 750 (GTJ 75K) and a mate had GTJ 80K. Incidently they were disposed of through Parkfield Motors Auctions in Aigburth Rd. Sadly Arthur died many years ago and the shop shut and Parkfield motors is now a McDonalds
I got 750 in 1979 and the 850 in 1980. I used to have a contact at the Smithdown Lane Police garages and could get hold of all the records so knew the best ones to buy. The mk3 is in big bits at the moment for a rebuild but remember that it was flat out at 90mph but did 75mpg due to worn out camshaft (every cloud has a silver lining) .
 
Got a parcel today with these little beauties in it :D

A long term MK3 rebuild


A long term MK3 rebuild


These Mk1 Premiers look really well made, every bit as good as the originals, (probably a lot better!) and delivered as promised in about 3 weeks. Good to see Amal / Burlen fuel systems still making original fitment carbs.

Time to crack on with the rebuild :D
 
Didn't those premiere carbys come with anodized slides?

Dave
69S
 
Yes they do come with anodised slides, they just don't show up too good in the pics. I've not had chance to rip them apart yet, but the slides do look like they will take a lot of wear, although in reality I can't see me ever wearing them out :(
 
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