Fastback sidecovers
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AFAIK the same steel panel was used from '68-'70.
''71 on used a fibreglass panel which used the same mounting arrangement as the Roadster (2 holes on the rear of the panel and a dzus fitting on a steel bracket riveted to the top near the front.
can you post a photo of what you have?
''71 on used a fibreglass panel which used the same mounting arrangement as the Roadster (2 holes on the rear of the panel and a dzus fitting on a steel bracket riveted to the top near the front.
can you post a photo of what you have?
88chips said:
Gidday Steve. if I read your post correctly, you say 2 RIGHT HAND covers for early Fastback.
68 to 70 Fastbacks had the oiltank itself on the right hand side. No covers. there is a steel left hand cover with a big black twist knob on the bottom right of the cover for retention.
71 on had 2 covers I believe , one on either side. these last 2 fastback models did not have the early style exposed oil tank. the oil tank was hidden by a side cover of similiar shape to the early fastback style of oiltank. I think the left side cover did not have the big black knob and and both panels was changed to fibreglass.
corrections welcomed Aussie bradley
Gidday Steve88chips said:
to the best of my knowledge 68, 69 and 70 all had the left hand sidecovers made from steel and had the big black knob at the lower right side of the cover for retention. 71 and 72 had a fibreglass left side cover without the big black retaining knob. the retention method of the fibreglass covers is unknown to me.
so if you have a steel cover with the big black twist knob, the odds are it is 68, 69 or 70. for fibreglass left covers without the black knob, these are 71 or 72. hope this helps
corrections welcomed Aussie bradley
Gidday Pierodn. mate I am not arguing here, just learning as always. r u positive that the left cover changed for 1970. i thought not many changes happened till 71 with new stuff everywhere. all of the photos I have seen of 70 fastbacks show the sidecover with the big black rotorlock knob. but I may be wrong.pierodn said:
has anyone got the 1970 illustrated catalog or advertising flyer showing the left side of the bike. having seen your wonderful Fastback, the black one, you obviously know your onions. but the parts book seem to indicate a change for 69 and then stayed the same for 70. so maybe the 69 and 70 left sidecovers were fibreglass without the big black rotorlok.
LAB, any chance of some comment here please. your encyclopedic knowledge has sorted me out a few times now. my parts book shows 060854 for 1968.the supplemet for 1969 shows a change to 061119 . the 1970 supplement shows no change to the left cover. Now I am confused.. there obviously was a change but what was it.
any other 70 fastbacks out there that care to chime in. again we have an interesting point here.
I get very curious about this sort of stuff. perhaps ZFD would enlighten us please. Andover would have the definitive answer.
best wishes to you Pierodn. thanks for your input. Aussie bradley
gidday grippergripper said:
thanks for that mate. do you also have the black rotolok button.
my 70 fastback has a left cover I made myself so I cant use my bike as an example. when I bought my bike it had been played with and fitted with a central 70 roadster tank and no sidecovers at all.
it looks like up to 70 steel left cover with Rotolok button, 71/72 changed oil tanks and side cover. all seems old school Norton until the big changes in 71.
Steve, I hope u have not become totally confused. it definitly looks like the parts manual has a change between 68 and 69 but to me this is now the mystery. how did the left covers change from 68 to 69.
Thanks Aussie bradley
DogT
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I am no expert on the 68 FB at all, and even the 68 'Spares List' leaves a lot to be desired. Looking at page 32, it shows the oil tank but no left side panel, nor does the book even mention the panel or oil tank or part numbers as far as I can tell. There are even some discrepancies in the 69/70 'R', 'S', and '70 Roadster' supplements that I have never been able to figure out. I do know the 69/70 'S' type and the 70 Roadster had fiberglass panels along with the central oil tank, but that's not too relevant to the FB. I hope you guys can figure it out. I find it amazing that the 'Spares List' didn't do much of a complete list for the early FB. It's almost as much a mystery as the parts for the central oil tank. Maybe at the time it was just too obvious.
Dave
Dave
Gidday Dave. for information purposes mate.DogT said:
" Commando spares list with supplements for 69 & 70"
page 22 OIL Tank section. 060511 oil tank only
Page 31 Accessory Cover section 060854 accessory cover assembled. this section clearly describes that there is a Rotolok.
Supplements section
page 44 starts spares list for 69 fastback
page 31 061119 Accessory cover (different p/no so must be some change).
page 48 1970 Commando all models no reference at all to Fastback side panels so can assume no change from 69 ???.
Dave, u r right, the bloody manual does cause confusion. The manual seems to disagree with what blokes actually have.
Steve ( 88chips) I still reckon you got a pre 71 cover.
best wishes Aussie bradley
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To the best of my knowledge.... Not saying this is an exhaustive list :wink: Just the most noticeable differences
'68 Mk I Fastback '68: round tank & tailpiece badges, points behind barrels, conical primary cover, steel sidepanel with Rotolock
'69 MkII Fastback, as above but without badge recesses - I think the headlamp ears were chromed at this point
'70 MkIII Fastback, later style engine with points on timing cover, tacho drive in front of barrel, later style clutch cover, New cylinder head which was a better quality casting - earlier ones are quite rough looking. upswept pea-shooter exhausts.
'71 MkIV Fastback - revised frame with centrestand on gearbox cradle, fibreglass covers both sides, fastened as per Roadster (no rotolock) oil tank & battery tray as per Roadster, later type fork yokes & Headlamp brackets, chainguard, Lucas alloy switch clusters (yuk!) Green blob clocks changed to later type 'globe' - Not 100% sure but I think the ammeter was dropped at this point? Cush drive rear wheel.
Fastback LR also available, but not sure if this was the first year?
'72 MKV Fastback, revised engine breather (not good!) disc brake, optional indicators (may have been an option in '71, but not sure?)
After this I don't know.... :roll:
'68 Mk I Fastback '68: round tank & tailpiece badges, points behind barrels, conical primary cover, steel sidepanel with Rotolock
'69 MkII Fastback, as above but without badge recesses - I think the headlamp ears were chromed at this point
'70 MkIII Fastback, later style engine with points on timing cover, tacho drive in front of barrel, later style clutch cover, New cylinder head which was a better quality casting - earlier ones are quite rough looking. upswept pea-shooter exhausts.
'71 MkIV Fastback - revised frame with centrestand on gearbox cradle, fibreglass covers both sides, fastened as per Roadster (no rotolock) oil tank & battery tray as per Roadster, later type fork yokes & Headlamp brackets, chainguard, Lucas alloy switch clusters (yuk!) Green blob clocks changed to later type 'globe' - Not 100% sure but I think the ammeter was dropped at this point? Cush drive rear wheel.
Fastback LR also available, but not sure if this was the first year?
'72 MKV Fastback, revised engine breather (not good!) disc brake, optional indicators (may have been an option in '71, but not sure?)
After this I don't know.... :roll:
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B+Bogus said:
According to the available information published by Roy Bacon, Steve Wilson and the NOC, etc., the Fastback got the "camshaft points" in September 1969, at 133668.
The Fastback MkII (with peashooter exhaust system) was introduced in September 1970, at serial 139571 -but was a relatively short-lived model only lasting until January 1971 (141717 last Fastback MkII, - Bacon).
Fastback MkIII (from 141783 -Bacon) with triangular shaped oil tank and RH side panel, revised frame, yokes, cradle mounted centre stand, etc., etc..
Fastback MkIV, for 1972 (from 200000).
There was no Fastback MkV as the model along with the LR version was discontinued around the end of 1972.
http://www.nortonownersclub.org/models/commando
Gidday Les and B. Bogus
those last 2 posts is a damn fine summary of the Fastback. those reports are very comprehensive. That sort of stuff goes straight to my library.I have learned a lot.
that pretty settles it as far as 68/69/70 had steel accessory cover with Rotolok. I have been told that early 68 had stuff peculiar to that model that was not on the later stuff.
However there remains one last mystery. If both 68 and 69 had steel accessory cover with Rotolok knob, what was the change that required a change in part no???.
I know, this is academic, but this is a Commando forum. Fastbacks were the first Commando , the first model off the production line.
I really like Fastbacks, saw the poster on the inside cover of Two Wheels magazine in 1970 when I was about 13 or 14 years old.. really did influence the direction of my life.
I was riding a James with a 125 cc Villiers engine at the time. grade 9 at school I think.. Took to 20 before I got one..
Still got it. gets a bit hard to kick now, but I manage.
So, can anyone help solve the last mystery please , what was the change that required achange in part no .
any concours standard builders of Fastbacks here that may have an answer please.
best wishes to All. Aussie bradley
those last 2 posts is a damn fine summary of the Fastback. those reports are very comprehensive. That sort of stuff goes straight to my library.I have learned a lot.
that pretty settles it as far as 68/69/70 had steel accessory cover with Rotolok. I have been told that early 68 had stuff peculiar to that model that was not on the later stuff.
However there remains one last mystery. If both 68 and 69 had steel accessory cover with Rotolok knob, what was the change that required a change in part no???.
I know, this is academic, but this is a Commando forum. Fastbacks were the first Commando , the first model off the production line.
I really like Fastbacks, saw the poster on the inside cover of Two Wheels magazine in 1970 when I was about 13 or 14 years old.. really did influence the direction of my life.
I was riding a James with a 125 cc Villiers engine at the time. grade 9 at school I think.. Took to 20 before I got one..
Still got it. gets a bit hard to kick now, but I manage.
So, can anyone help solve the last mystery please , what was the change that required achange in part no .
any concours standard builders of Fastbacks here that may have an answer please.
best wishes to All. Aussie bradley
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B.Rad said:
It is something of a mystery, and I haven't as-yet been able to find the reason for the change of part number.
The only apparent difference as far as I can tell, was the addition of the '750 Commando' side panel decal for '69.
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I replaced my rotoloc fastening with a captive nut on the battery tray and a thumb screw through the panel. The steel side panels are getting rare and expensive.
The thing that has always stumped me is the fitting at the forward end of the rear mudguard (fender) The parts list shows a square plate with three bolts and spacers, that drop down from the frame cross member, but the early frame has no holes in the cross member to suit the plate. This must be for the 71 onwards i guess. What went before?
The thing that has always stumped me is the fitting at the forward end of the rear mudguard (fender) The parts list shows a square plate with three bolts and spacers, that drop down from the frame cross member, but the early frame has no holes in the cross member to suit the plate. This must be for the 71 onwards i guess. What went before?
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