.
Have the holes been drilled wrongly?
You appear to have alloy aftermarket engine plates??
Have the holes been drilled wrongly?
Head steady
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p400
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post a photo of your P11 and let's compare
Typical! Answer my question by asking me a question, I'll take that you don't want anyone's help.
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Norton P11 motorcycles came from Norton with alloy engine/gearbox plates.
Aftermarket alloy plates are made, but I'm not sure how one would be able to tell if they were aftermarket or not by looking at a photo. The after market plates I've seen are visually exact duplicates.
If all the spacers are correct and the mounts were all loosened up, it would all go together as long as the OP has the right head steady, and the frame is not bent.
I'd put a floor jack and properly shaped wood block under the engine to help get it aligned. Rocket science it is not.
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Bernhard, I am guessing that the bike in post #4 is not that with the problem, but one being shown for comparison?
But given the vibrations inherent with these bikes/engines I would be loathe to tighten anything that had to be forced into position, so loosening all appropriate fasteners and trying again would top my list too, assuming (as questioned elsewhere) these are all OE parts and were fine before dismantling..
But given the vibrations inherent with these bikes/engines I would be loathe to tighten anything that had to be forced into position, so loosening all appropriate fasteners and trying again would top my list too, assuming (as questioned elsewhere) these are all OE parts and were fine before dismantling..
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For those that have a hard time following: The floor jack is to hold the motor in position while all the mounts are loose, not force it into position. It would take more than 2 arms to do it any other way. I always work on my vehicles by myself, and get things done without assistance. A floor jack is often a necessity for me. Probably not used much by arm chair advisors though.
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I don't believe I suggested anywhere that it was. Just agreeing that another try might be the best way forward before condemning the headsteady out of hand.
Also do believe Bernhard may have got his bikes mixed up..
(Written from the comfort of my armchair. Should I have stood to attention?)
Compliments of the season etc. etc.........
As good as this drawing is, it does not show the top holes centre to centre, in fact they are enlonged holes, you could file 1/8 inch off each one to get the 1/4 inch discrepancy.
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I generally feel like I'm too vague, and have to explain myself a lot.
I have arms on my chair, but I spend a lot of time in the garage as well. I have to go out there today and build a battery box for my P11. Oh no, hijacking talk.
Best to you and yours in the year to come.
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Thank you. Sadly a heavy frost last night and snow forecast means it'll be armchair over garage for a while yet 
Ron L
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Found it. The one I originally took off my '67 P11. Cockeyed slot at one end, hole at the other end, and made of pig iron. Brush painted with aluminum stove paint almost 50 years ago for that stupid kid custom look. Replaced it with an alloy piece I made.
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Ron L
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Found it. The one I originally took off my '67 P11. Cockeyed slot at one end, hole at the other end, and made of pig iron. Brush painted with aluminum stove paint almost 50 years ago for that stupid kid custom look. Replaced it with an alloy piece I made.
OEM head steady is aluminum, not iron, so someone must have made this one before you obtained the bike.
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Strap looks correct but you are not going to get it on with the front bolt tight.
That is just how they fit.
Be careful not to cross thread either bolt.
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The Bob Blair, Steve Zabaro prototype P11 had a flat (aluminum?) head steady on it, if one is to believe the images, and stories on the interweb.
The aluminum head steadies with the bends in them were used on production motorcycles. What I find unusual about the head steady I pulled off the bike I got in boxes in 1971 is it had the cocked slot in it like the production bike head steadies. I don't know why they would bother making that slot cocked instead of a straight slot. I also don't know why they would replace the aluminum head steady with an iron one, but they did.
OK I'm done with the unauthorized high jacking. Return to your regularly scheduled programming.
The aluminum head steadies with the bends in them were used on production motorcycles. What I find unusual about the head steady I pulled off the bike I got in boxes in 1971 is it had the cocked slot in it like the production bike head steadies. I don't know why they would bother making that slot cocked instead of a straight slot. I also don't know why they would replace the aluminum head steady with an iron one, but they did.
OK I'm done with the unauthorized high jacking. Return to your regularly scheduled programming.
