Frame repair worth it?

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A few years ago I was going to build a second bike, so looked at a Commando frame. I walked away. I apologise to you guys that love Commandos in their original form. But there are much better frames than the original. You have plenty from which to choose - Seeley, Rickman, Rob North, Harris, Egli. All you need to do is make engine plates and rebalance the crank.
 
acotrel said:
A few years ago I was going to build a second bike, so looked at a Commando frame. I walked away. I apologise to you guys that love Commandos in their original form. But there are much better frames than the original. You have plenty from which to choose - Seeley, Rickman, Rob North, Harris, Egli. All you need to do is make engine plates and rebalance the crank.
Click to expand...
Al, your questions and frame choices would only be relevant if the bloke was asking "what frame would be better than a commando frame to go racing with"
The bloke wants to repair or replace his "commando frame"
You keep telling us over and over how bad the design of the frame is , we know your opinion
A well set up commando (for the road) is a joy to ride and extremely smooth and easy on the rider
A badly set up commando is bad really bad
Try riding a commando one day (hopefully a good one) and report back cheers
 
I figured that I had better add this because it's a relevant issue. The early bike probably has a 27 degree steering head angle and a smaller yoke 2.25" offset than later bikes. Changing the frame to a later model frame will give the bike 28 degree steering head angle and increase the bike's trail numbers. That will make the bike more stable going straight, and slightly slower handling (but not noticable for street riding probably)

There may be issues with the early yoke's compatability with the later frame's steering stop lug and possibly the steering head races too... I'm not really sure, since knowing the details of these things isn't my "thing"... Luckily, there's a few people here who know these things and hopefully will chime in for your benefit...
 
850's had the 28 headstock, 750 27 headstock is the basic rule, there may have been some very late 750's with the 28 headstock and fitted with the 850 ANG marked yokes.
 
Purchased used frame from ebay and had it and other misc. parts powder coated. Just completed disassembly and reassembly. Need to take to shop to finish off electrics. Will purchase vin tag from Andover when I get around to it.
 
Doc187 said:
Purchased used frame from ebay and had it and other misc. parts powder coated. Just completed disassembly and reassembly. Need to take to shop to finish off electrics. Will purchase vin tag from Andover when I get around to it.
Click to expand...

It would be somewhat advisable to purchase, stamp and fit the vin plate to the headstock before assembly of the front end...
 
Fast Eddie said:
It would be somewhat advisable to purchase, stamp and fit the vin plate to the headstock before assembly of the front end...
Click to expand...

Definitely. If there are any traces of the rivets in there they will fall down into the steering head bearings. Not a good idea.
 
johnm said:
Definitely. If there are any traces of the rivets in there they will fall down into the steering head bearings. Not a good idea.
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Agreed. I didn’t think about that but makes sense. I installed tapered bearings but don’t like the gap top and bottom. Will probably go back to OEM bearings.
 
Duct tape works wonders. Seriously, the front end will probably come off soon to redo the steering head bearings.
 
Doc187 said:
Purchased used frame from ebay and had it and other misc. parts powder coated. Just completed disassembly and reassembly. Need to take to shop to finish off electrics. Will purchase vin tag from Andover when I get around to it.
Click to expand...

If you didn't already know, Andover Norton will stamp the VIN plate for you according to a reply from Joe Seifert, yes the El Presidente replied in person when I asked about that subject.

That original frame although time consuming would not be to hard to refurbish. (By an experienced fabricator welder, not a welder)
Of course by the time you did the usual braces and re paint it would look like the later frame anyway ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Presidente
 
Frame repair worth it?
Frame repair worth it?
Time Warp said:
Of course by the time you did the usual braces and re paint it would look like the later frame anyway ?
Click to expand...

My 68 frame fitted with later brace.
 
Time Warp said:
If you didn't already know, Andover Norton will stamp the VIN plate for you according to a reply from Joe Seifert, yes the El Presidente replied in person when I asked about that subject.

That original frame although time consuming would not be to hard to refurbish. (By an experienced fabricator welder, not a welder)
Of course by the time you did the usual braces and re paint it would look like the later frame anyway ?
Click to expand...
Yes, AN will stamp it. Have to provide pic of title for confirmation.
 
black cat, was your 1968 frame broken on the top tube, like the one in this thread?
Did you repair the frame, including putting the lower brace in it?
I have a broken 1968 frame that looks a lot like the one in this thread, and wonder how difficult it would be to fix it.
Straightening and sleeving the large diameter tube seems tricky, and adding the tube brace with that weird shoe in place also seemed kind of tricky.

Stephen Hill
 
Stephen Hill said:
black cat, was your 1968 frame broken on the top tube, like the one in this thread?
Did you repair the frame, including putting the lower brace in it?
I have a broken 1968 frame that looks a lot like the one in this thread, and wonder how difficult it would be to fix it.
Straightening and sleeving the large diameter tube seems tricky, and adding the tube brace with that weird shoe in place also seemed kind of tricky.

Stephen Hill
Click to expand...
Definitely doable. I was quoted $600-$800 for non sleeve repair and $1200 for sleeved repair. Quote did not include top brace but could be added easily by competent welder/frame fabricating outfit.
 
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