Combat Motor

If a real 72 Combat or Combat spec quickest way to find out is set timing to 32* period end of story. Next way is how I checked after knowing the CR was 10, asked DynoDave for his text list/cart of each crank degree vs cam lift and measured off rockers to get darn close matching results to know an intact 2S cam was installed. No speculation nor opening actual engine. A 3rd check of Combat spec CR +2S cam and decent ring seal is compression check expected 190s PSI. I think the extra lash is more to help bottom end power rather than mechanical safety. Oh yeah only original Combat paint schemes i have seen are all black with gold but do not know if came in other colors that year.

Are real Combats a bit more growly sounding?
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ-BsKp42dc[/video]

I'm thinking this is a Combat. I blew up the photo of the motor and the spacing of the head to motor is a classic sign.

Re: Things I've seen on craigslist/Ebay
by jaguar » Wed Jul 01, 2015 1:30 pm

http://burlington.craigslist.org/mcy/5101065339.html

Hi chaps.
Spleens all vented until next time? Good.
Anyone heard from 'mrelmo' the original poster?
I am still curious for more information.
Ta.

hobot said:

Oh yeah only original Combat paint schemes i have seen are all black with gold but do not know if came in other colors that year.

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Why do you keep digging yourself a deeper hole? You are right. You don't know.

There were yellow ones because I got one (roadster).

needing said:

Spleens all vented until next time? Good.
.

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More self-righteous trolling from Owen ?

Since you don't seemed to have noticed, hobot and dynodave are attempting to rewrite technical history here.
Fortunately, wiser minds have prevailed. And kept the record straight for future readers...

'72 colors for US roadsters were black, signal red, signal orange, yellow and fireflake blue.

Ok a handfull of colors offered I did not know Commando came in. After my P!! and lost in 75 plus life in big city nothing came close to statisfy the need for speed and fear of the close encounters after a year use catching air cresting freeway over passes so did not even know Commandos with isolastiics existed. There is a spoof article withholding names to protect the guilty that supposely details the Combat engine fiasco and this would be a good place to post it for future reference if found again. My 1st Combat in 99 which ran great but leaked everywhere so only reason I opened it up, to find bent crank and cracked cases so that may be another characteristic of a real Combat ran norma American southern rebel style before me. Afterwards ran like ordinary Commando till smaller head ports and bigger single carb and 2-1 mega phone with end opened - then it started to match the P!! excitment by accidental combo I still want to reproduce again.

and JUST WHAT has dynodave posted that is incorrect. as to hobot there is one that has been run off of forums and is just hard headed along with non teachable. remember there is an ignore feature here.

Rohan said:

Since you don't seemed to have noticed, dynodave are attempting to rewrite technical history here.
Fortunately, wiser minds have prevailed. And kept the record straight for future readers...

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Combat authority



The usual suspect - ministry of misinformation.

Dances with Shrapnel said:

Combat authority

The usual suspect - ministry of misinformation.

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Nice shirt! Does it come in any other colours?
Ta.

it is a 73 with the serial # 235252 so it should not be a combat motor, but the head has the letter C stamped on it, maybe someone switched heads, is there a way to identify the head as coming from a combat engine, or would it not matter just switch to lower compression pistons and milder cam

Pistons wouldn't matter for they would be the same either way. The cam maybe stock also with someone wanting to gain performance by adding the combat head. If it runs well enjoy it. If needed you can add a thicker head gasket from JS motorsports.

mrelmo said:

it is a 73 with the serial # 235252 so it should not be a combat motor, but the head has the letter C stamped on it, maybe someone switched heads,

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Yes, probably.

mrelmo said:

is there a way to identify the head as coming from a combat engine,

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Well, without removing it, the "C" is a reasonably good indication of it being a Combat head.

mrelmo said:

just switch to lower compression pistons

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Probably difficult fitting lower comp. pistons? You could fit a thicker head gasket, or a fit a (de)compression plate under the barrels-if necessary, however, just because it may have a Combat head doesn't mean you need to do anything.

mrelmo said:

and milder cam

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If it has the original standard camshaft or if it has had a Combat camshaft fitted, there's no reason to change.

Btw it was dynoDavid Comeau winning INOA rally dyno contest he earned his name from - that pointed me at smaller port head when my 1st Combat hogged out ports C head went missing in Limbo with M.A.P. in Florida. There is lash and spark time and octane issues to be aware of if Combat spec from factory or otherwise. For newbies it was found out that putting a standard cam in w/o lowering CR lead to detonation and its know a more aggressive cam w/o increased CR hinders starts, idle and low rpm response. Does anyone really think after the Combat Bomb hit Norton they issue any Combat spec engines outside the listed numbers range. One of the skills of Commandoom is measuring everything to nail down condition and identity.

I got tired of jerks on other lists reactions when just asking questions or stating facts, like here only listing what makes a real factory issued Combat and how to measure it not on variations outside of recognized for warrenty legal purposes during Norton stressed recuse and production numbering confusion.