John Player Special restoration project

B+Bogus · Nov 12, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

kommando said:
The Issu link to the MK2A parts supplement is a flash shockwave which cannot be downloaded.

The trick is to go to the page source and you can pull out what it links to which is a series of JPG files

This is the first

http://image.issuu.com/150113041017-71b ... page_1.jpg

and the last

http://image.issuu.com/150113041017-71b ... age_72.jpg

You can download these to get 72 JPG files and then use a program to compile a 72 page PDF from the JPG files.

Well done that man!!!

grandpaul · Nov 12, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

All of that is instantly available on oldbritts and other Andover reseller websites.

Plus, I already have Kim's Norton disc.

What I needed was a way to list and update parts prices, etc.

grandpaul · Nov 17, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

I just won a tatty but reasonably complete fairing on e-bay UK for a great price. The kicker will be SHIPPING!

It will most likely just get a thorough cleanup and a new winsdscreen for now. If I end up restoring the bike it will of course get a proper patching and re-spray with whatever curative coating is recommended. Decals are available, and I already have the winkers, reflectors, brackets, idiot lights, headlamp switch, and meters. Just need to source proper mirrors.

dennisgb · Nov 17, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

That doesn't look tatty. Pretty solid...a nice repaint and will look like new.

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Now that I've got the correct fairing on the way, I decided I may as well "prep" the bike. Well, one thing lead to another and I ended up pulling the frame down clean and removing the power unit in one lump. I'm most likely just going to deep-clean everything, do some rust removal and wiring harness remediation, and go back together without powdercoat, paint, cad and/or chrome plating. Absolute minimum new parts including rubber isolators for the head steady, oil tank and mufflers, etc.

Found a few interesting things I've not seen on any of 20+ Commandos I've worked on; also, EVERY nut, bolt, and screw came out cleanly without a single slipped tool, busted knuckle, gnashed screw head or stripped thread. Even though some of the fasteners had some rust (like under the rear fender), they still extracted with zero fuss.

THEN, the rear iso bolt decided it was going to spoil the party. And it did. I used WD40 and a block of hardwood to smack on with a hammer, but it was NOT going to move a single millimeter. So, I cut loose the PTFE washers to give myself some working space, and zipped through the bolt and one end abutment to drop everything free; I have a bucket of good used end abutments if I decide to go back with new original stuff (the large rubber buffers are somewhat sacked), but might go back in with new vernier adjustables front and rear. Either way, a new through bolt is relatively inexpensive.

So, this will become a "refurb" thread.

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

It doesn't look bad from 10 feet away, but under the covers and behind the brackets is 40+ years of grime, spider webs, and patches of surface rust.

(Thursday, 1PM)

Here you can see the terminal doublers for the two Zener diode connections

Wasn't sure about this location for the Assimilator unit, can't recall seeing one oriented that way. Parts book diagram shows it in that area, but oriented vertically. Man, that exhaust crossover is trashed...

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

This is what I mean about grunge. No way for the bike to get really cleaned up without pulling stuff off

I'm going to assume everything is in it's place in this area, and the "after" photo should look similar, except thoroughly clean

I've only run across 2 other Commando with these "long neck" banjo fittings; typically they've been shorter

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Hiding behind the primary side Z-plate was this partial original JPN rear/lower fairing bracket; the fairing mount eyelet arm has been cut off the left side.

After removing the wimpy aftermarket fairing mount and cleaning the headstock, I found these...

After all that speculation (on my part) about JPNs possibly being the only Commando frames not to be drilled here, it appears I was wrong. In the immortal words of Gilda Radner as "Emily Latella" on SNL, "...never mind."

The carb slides slipped very cleanly out of dry, clean carb bores; rare, that

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

I thought I had finally encountered a set of "handed" spark plug caps that both read correctly right-side-up...

After I took these photos, I realized one coil wire was routed forward, the other rearward. Ah, so...

Now THIS is definitely a first (for me). Anyone ever see an Amal stamping "X'ed" out and re-stamped?

Lower stamping reads "R 33", but is X'ed out; then, carb was re-stamped "L 34" (edit: carefully re-took proper photo)

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

I'm really torn about even removing the head, as the bike seems relatively oil-tight and has great compression. However...

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Even with the carbs off, I couldn't wrestle the MkIII airbox in place due to the metal tab. Is that different from the MkIIA?

Just for grins, the tank cover and dual seat, placed in the vicinity, but not actually in place. That is one ugly seat body...

I've seen worse. A LOT worse...

It's actually relatively clean back here with no evidence of the usual horrible oil weepage and grime buildup; this is actually one of the cleanest old Commando engine crevices I've seen.

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Here is where all of the JPN headlight and instrument section harness used to connect. Someone has tagged a few wires, so they've been messing around in here. Still all but one original connector; the red one has been bodged and soldered back together (that's not a fuse under there).

Some forward-thinking individual has cut bits of rubber hose and used them to cover each bare lead from the front harness connections. Better than average bodgery.

Oops! First casualty of the entire electrical system removal - an already broken terminal on the horn relay

L.A.B. · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

grandpaul said:
Even with the carbs off, I couldn't wrestle the MkIII airbox in place due to the metal tab. Is that different from the MkIIA?

Yes (as both B+Bogus and PeterJoe already pointed out):

eliminate-doubt-this-jpn-t23470-15.html#p308338
eliminate-doubt-this-jpn-t23470-45.html#p308553

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

That's it for the filthy, dirty harness

Next was the rocker feed hose assembly. Knocking the connections loose, it was evident that the oil pump is working well because the top end was wet from the few kicks I had given it the day I checked it out before handing over the cash

Another first (for me); an all-original chain oiler control with the knob still intact. I have two in a bin somewhere, both missing the clamp/knob that squeezes the cigarette-filter-like material to slow down the flow. A thought occurred to me that this beauty could be re-tasked to automatically keep the OEM swingarm spindle lubed instead!

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Several firsts for me, this time it's the original chain oiler crossover bolt tube with the flute for the oiler tubing brace

This is DEFINITELY the most original Commando I've ever taken apart, with the exception of a '75 MkIII High Rider that didn't have a few of these details.

The first order of assembly of a Commando at the Norton factory back in the day: bolt the horn to the battery tray and install it!

The bucket of filthy bits is already overflowing...

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Good news: there's oil in the primary. Bad news: it's thick & BLACK. At least it's not creamy & clumpy...

I need to research the numbers on this rotor (no markings apart from "LUCAS" on the stator, but it is lighter brown than the standard ones) to confirm that it is indeed a high output unit per spec-

Primary case is actually quite clean for it's age. Appears to have never been opened...

Nater_Potater · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

grandpaul said:
Wasn't sure about this location for the Assimilator unit, can't recall seeing one oriented that way. Parts book diagram shows it in that area, but oriented vertically.

That's exactly how my '74 lays, and, for some reason, a lot of the harness wires on mine align better with the '75 schematic than the '74 schematic. Granted, I don't own a JPN, but, with the skins removed, yours looks very much like mine. I wonder if mine wasn't some goofy late-year crossover/mish-mash of '74 and '75 parts. Too bad I didn't get an electric start to go along with it!

Nathan

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

A bit of shimming under the throttle housing; I need to find out the vintage of it...

Backside of the primary chaincase is fairly typical apart from the fact it's never been touched by an errant drive chain (note the typical swingarm spindle tube contact area)

Very tall drive sprocket (22 teeth). All of the teeth are in great shape; if it's original, it's low miles. Certainly the chain was not well-lubed

grandpaul · Nov 20, 2015

Re: Eliminate doubt on this JPN

Disassembly moving right along. The alternator rotor slid off the crank nose with very little effort of the 3" Posi-lock puller; primary drive sprocket was not as cooperative! Using the proper 2-bolt puller, I had to bear down on the bolts pretty good then gave it a sharp rap with a hammer and it popped off.