Hi folks, I have a bit of a bitsa Norton Commando on my hands, I'll give you all the story/details and if you wouldn't mind just give me an idea of any issues I might run in to and anything to look out for while I give it a bit of a resto-mod.
Initially I bought (what I thought was) a 1973 850 Hi Rider turned Roadster, previous owner(s) had done away with the daft ape hangers, silly seat and slid it down the road a time or two by the way it looked. It now had US bars, Corbin seat and big old weld round the timing side of the crankcase. The thing kicked over and had decent compression but upon further examination when I took the engine apart for a refresh it was a real throw together, 850 bottom end bit of side play in the crank, a chewed up cam, worst I've seen and 750 Atlas barrels and head needless to say that the engine and frame numbers didn't match up. A previous owner had been in some form of accident and thrown the bike back together with presumably whatever he could get his hands on.
The fella I bought it off felt awful and had an unmolested 74' 850 Roadster as well with no gearbox which he sold to me for a real bargain for feeling like he'd screwed me over, he had no idea the bike was such a bodge job. Fast forward to today, I've done a top end refresh on the 74' 850 engine which seems all in good order and back together, I'm going to use it in my 73' frame/roller which was in better condition all round compared, bar the frankenstein of an engine.
As it stands I just want to get the bike running reliably and work on full restoration stuff as and when I can afford it. I'm taking the two Amals from the 74' bike as the 73' had a 30mm Mikuni which is the wrong size anyway for an 850. Using MkIII adjustable isolastics on the rebuild, from what I've gathered I need to take a bit off the front engine mount for it to fit right, that I know. New sealed wheel bearings, read mixed things about these as far as having to mill out the hubs or whether they fit right in? New fork seals and dust covers as well as rear shocks. Basically replacing and upgrading what I can of all the perishable rubber parts. The 73' bike also had a Pazon Ignition system which I intend to use, so maybe that means upgrading my coils as well, I hear they are rather thirsty.
Anything that you guys would advise and recommend? Hopefully that essay makes sense of my odd Norton situation. I already don't intend to sell the bike pretty much ever so the numbers thing doesn't bother me but I just want it running right, it's going to be my daily, eventually.
Many thanks from a 24 year old Brit, just moved to US a year ago, got more project than I bargained for! :shock:
Initially I bought (what I thought was) a 1973 850 Hi Rider turned Roadster, previous owner(s) had done away with the daft ape hangers, silly seat and slid it down the road a time or two by the way it looked. It now had US bars, Corbin seat and big old weld round the timing side of the crankcase. The thing kicked over and had decent compression but upon further examination when I took the engine apart for a refresh it was a real throw together, 850 bottom end bit of side play in the crank, a chewed up cam, worst I've seen and 750 Atlas barrels and head needless to say that the engine and frame numbers didn't match up. A previous owner had been in some form of accident and thrown the bike back together with presumably whatever he could get his hands on.
The fella I bought it off felt awful and had an unmolested 74' 850 Roadster as well with no gearbox which he sold to me for a real bargain for feeling like he'd screwed me over, he had no idea the bike was such a bodge job. Fast forward to today, I've done a top end refresh on the 74' 850 engine which seems all in good order and back together, I'm going to use it in my 73' frame/roller which was in better condition all round compared, bar the frankenstein of an engine.
As it stands I just want to get the bike running reliably and work on full restoration stuff as and when I can afford it. I'm taking the two Amals from the 74' bike as the 73' had a 30mm Mikuni which is the wrong size anyway for an 850. Using MkIII adjustable isolastics on the rebuild, from what I've gathered I need to take a bit off the front engine mount for it to fit right, that I know. New sealed wheel bearings, read mixed things about these as far as having to mill out the hubs or whether they fit right in? New fork seals and dust covers as well as rear shocks. Basically replacing and upgrading what I can of all the perishable rubber parts. The 73' bike also had a Pazon Ignition system which I intend to use, so maybe that means upgrading my coils as well, I hear they are rather thirsty.
Anything that you guys would advise and recommend? Hopefully that essay makes sense of my odd Norton situation. I already don't intend to sell the bike pretty much ever so the numbers thing doesn't bother me but I just want it running right, it's going to be my daily, eventually.
Many thanks from a 24 year old Brit, just moved to US a year ago, got more project than I bargained for! :shock:
