Jaguar and Norton combo

EstuaryBoy · Jul 31, 2022

Onder said:
Thread? What thread was that?

It was the one where the title starts with the word: 'Jaguar'

Nice photo of it too..... Goes on to mention: ' The E Jag has an alum block Chevy with corvette 6 speed tranny. Either one will get you to your destination on time. '

There's a bit about some old bike, too......

(Trailer doesn't get a mention, though)

lcrken · Jul 31, 2022

acotrel said:
My Seeley 850 has the Mk3 frame, but it is pretty much the same deal. He has even got the TTI gearbox.

Actually, that's a Quaife 5-speed, not a TTI. The outer cover does look similar to the TTI, but it isn't. I don't think the TTI boxes were available yet in 1984. If they had been, I'm sure Martin would have used one. He wasn't shy about spending money on the bike.

Ken

Onder · Jul 31, 2022

<wasn't shy about spending money on the bike>

ha ha ha oh, that covers an awful lot of us on AccessNorton!!!

Onder · Jul 31, 2022

Burn those invoices. If the old lady ever saw half of them ....

Schwany · Jul 31, 2022

EstuaryBoy said:
(Trailer doesn't get a mention, though)

Too difficult to justify being offended by a motorcycle trailer. Otherwise, it would get a mention or twenty.

acotrel · Jul 31, 2022

lcrken said:
Actually, that's a Quaife 5-speed, not a TTI. The outer cover does look similar to the TTI, but it isn't. I don't think the TTI boxes were available yet in 1984. If they had been, I'm sure Martin would have used one. He wasn't shy about spending money on the bike.

Ken

When I bought my TTI box, Bruce Verdon said his boxes are copies of Quaifes,

acotrel · Jul 31, 2022

It is rare to see a Seeley Commando which is so well developed. It takes a lot of experience to get one right. What I have learned, I learned from crashing.

acotrel · Jul 31, 2022

If I had a road-going Commando or an E-type Jag, I would keep them as original as possible. What are you going to do with them, if you hot them up ? Their value is in what they are. When you ride or drive them in their original form, you get to experience a part of history. Modified, they are pretty useless. For racing in club events, you can buy much better.

acotrel · Jul 31, 2022

'Daytona '87 was the only race the bike managed to finish, ' - Probably too many engine modifications ? Reliability is important, you cannot win if you DNF.

N0rt0nelectr@ · Jul 31, 2022

baz said:
Now that is a cool combo !

I remember watched Fred race at Firebird raceway in Phoenix way back when. He was racing the Norton and they were running the "vintage" class with some modern class. The modern bike were launched first followed by the "vintage" class. Fred had worked his way through the "modern" bikes and was first over all when the checker flag came down. I was cool to watch and laugh.

lcrken · Jul 31, 2022

N0rt0nelectr@ said:
I remember watched Fred race at Firebird raceway in Phoenix way back when. He was racing the Norton and they were running the "vintage" class with some modern class. The modern bike were launched first followed by the "vintage" class. Fred had worked his way through the "modern" bikes and was first over all when the checker flag came down. I was cool to watch and laugh.

That was probably this bike, Fred's Commando racer. This is a fairly early iteration of it, at Daytona in 1986. I eventually ended up getting it, along with all his other Norton bits, when he moved on to racing Ducatis and such, in a trade involving a basket case (crashed) Vincent Rapide. Various parts of it ended sold, or in boxes, or on my race bikes, and a lot of them are still around. The ported race head ended up on my grandson's MK3, and the wheels are on my current MK3 restomod project.

Ken

lcrken · Jul 31, 2022

This is what Fred moved on to racing after Nortons. This is Fred (standing) and his race bike at Daytona in 2002.

Ken

Chris · Aug 1, 2022

Hi Ken
Funny that. Every project that comes along aquires something from one of the bikes that went before!

Dogsbody · Aug 1, 2022

Back in the 80s a friend of mine had an E type with a V8 motor that had been built by/for Man in a Suitcase actor Richard Bradford. I sold it for him to a dealer who restored it back with a Jag engine.

lcrken · Aug 1, 2022

Chris said:
Hi Ken
Funny that. Every project that comes along aquires something from one of the bikes that went before!

Waste not, want not, right?

And with current prices, I have a lot of motivation to use something I already have instead of buying new.

Ken

Schwany · Aug 1, 2022

lcrken said:
This is what Fred moved on to racing after Nortons. This is Fred (standing) and his race bike at Daytona in 2002.

View attachment 97101

Ken

Definitely a move up the performance ladder. 998 or 996 SPS, or S? I had a 996S with Ohlins suspenders and a few other nice modifications, but it was a street ride. Best bike I ever owned by a wide margin. I'm sure Fred enjoyed racing it.

Ducati dominated WSB with similar for a while, and did OK in MotoGP for a minute. What won on Sunday sold on Monday. I know I'm off topic and offensive, but at least I'm consistent.

acotrel · Aug 1, 2022

I built my Seeley Commando 850 in 1978. I did it just because it was a good thing to build, and it was similar to a Gus Kuhn Commando. But I never believed in it because of what was inside the motor. I thought it would be completely hopeless without extreme modification. I finally got around to racing it in about 2003. I have never used any other motor which was so responsive to minor tuning. If you use the heavy crank in a certain way, it is excellent. When I was young, I had many hotted-up Triumphs. The Commando motor is far superior. I think a lot has to do with the rod length to stroke ratio. And the combustion chambers and ports are better.
If I had been serious about racing when I built the bike, I would have extensively modified the motor and probably stuffed it.
I would not use titanium parts inside an engine. If titanium cops a beating, it changes dimension very quickly. With a Commando engine, you do not need lightened valve gear.

baz · Aug 1, 2022

acotrel said:
I built my Seeley Commando 850 in 1978. I did it just because it was a good thing to build, and it was similar to a Gus Kuhn Commando. But I never believed in it because of what was inside the motor. I thought it would be completely hopeless without extreme modification. I finally got around to racing it in about 2003. I have never used any other motor which was so responsive to minor tuning. If you use the heavy crank in a certain way, it is excellent. When I was young, I had many hotted-up Triumphs. The Commando motor is far superior. I think a lot has to do with the rod length to stroke ratio. And the combustion chambers and ports are better.
If I had been serious about racing when I built the bike, I would have extensively modified the motor and probably stuffed it.
I would not use titanium parts inside an engine. If titanium cops a beating, it changes dimension very quickly. With a Commando engine, you do not need lightened valve gear.

How does your Seeley compare in vibration to standard commando you said you'd ridden???

baz · Aug 4, 2022

baz said:
How does your Seeley compare in vibration to standard commando you said you'd ridden???

It'd be nice if you answered any of my questions regarding you riding a commando acotrel !

MikeG · Aug 4, 2022

So judging by the reaction to a reengined Jag, I guess nobody on this forum has a Triton or any other featherbed framed special?

Not that I don't understand the reaction. I get a kick out of the hot rodders that claim to have a Model A, or 40 Ford, or-pick your vehicle-with a chevy V8, THM transmission, disc brakes,air conditioning, all leather interior and modern suspension but still think they have an original classic car.

Jaguar and Norton combo

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