More fender/tail lamp questions

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MikeG

MikeG

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In the process of mounting the stock tail lamp housing and bracket on my 71 roadster. I have a new housing and bracket and have taken all fender mounting hardware out. With the two lower front mount bolts in place and the bracket around the rear frame loop installed the lamp housing fits OK but the center mounting bolt that goes thru the fender and bracket # 062169 will not line up. The hole in the fender is too low to line up with the frame mounted bracket. Also, the bolts through the slotted lower mount holes are at the top of the slots, almost as if the fender needs more arch to it. Stock original fender AFAIK. I was thinking it could also be a bit of distortion in the rear frame loop but if thats the case the bending would have to be towards the front of the loop like the frame is "swaybacked" rather than drooping at the back of the loop . Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks
 
MikeG said:
In the process of mounting the stock tail lamp housing and bracket on my 71 roadster. I have a new housing and bracket and have taken all fender mounting hardware out. With the two lower front mount bolts in place and the bracket around the rear frame loop installed the lamp housing fits OK but the center mounting bolt that goes thru the fender and bracket # 062169 will not line up. The hole in the fender is too low to line up with the frame mounted bracket. Also, the bolts through the slotted lower mount holes are at the top of the slots, almost as if the fender needs more arch to it. Stock original fender AFAIK. I was thinking it could also be a bit of distortion in the rear frame loop but if thats the case the bending would have to be towards the front of the loop like the frame is "swaybacked" rather than drooping at the back of the loop . Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks
Click to expand...
If everything but that one hole lines up, you may have that bracket or the tray it connects to on wrong or the tray bent upward. Try putting the fender on loosely without the tail light and "clip - rear mudguard". Then the "clip rear mudguard". Then tighten. If that all works, convince the tail light to fit.
 
I see the frame as the origin reference. The frame bracket 062169 being bolted up first, then the lower 2 bolts on the battery bracket/horn mount. If reluctant for the rear loop holes to line up are likely that the frame loop is suspect. maybe the wrong combo of 71/72 tail light hardware
 
I spent 18 hours sorting my rear fender and tail light on my 72 roadster......it was a bitch as you already know.I hand fitted and made minor tweaks and adjustments....one at a time.I also made rubber "shims" to insulate and "shock-rubbermount" everything that touched the fender bolt holes...tailight fairing....tag bracket...you get the idea.This was a very time consuming affair with lots of thought and meticulous cutting and hole punching.I walked away from this work many times...however after the deal was done and I had the tailight doing the "anti droop" the fender insulated and mounted properly....was well worth the effort.I have noticed 0 movement since completing this job.I have ridden the bike plenty so if it was gonna move it would have already done so.I can see why most of the early bikes have the "Droop" because this really is a royal pain in the ass
 
The Norton tailight gives real meaning to the term 'Fettling.'
There's alot going on with the fender, frame, tailight and rear wheel alignments.
 
UPDATE! After much fettling and fussing I got the fiberglass housing to sit as level as possible and it has no strain on it. I had to fabricate a new bracket #062169 slightly longer than the original and use a rotary file to slot the holes in the fender at the frame loop. It already had extra holes drilled in it from a PO for plate mounting so I was not too worried about further modifications. My next question concerns the bracket # 062038. Does it mount to the inside or the outside of the fiberglass housing? And is there supposed to be a backing plate for the lamp unit it self? I see it listed for the fastback models but not the roadster. Without it the lower half of the rubber will just flop around and not be water tight. It is an original Lucas lamp, not a repop.
 
The fiberglass housing is not supposed to be level (wish it was). Do you have 06.0644 - it's used on all AFAIK. Pictures would certainly help us help you.
 
Pictures...and success! My problem was, looking at the AN parts diagrams on OldBritts, plate # 060644 is listed for fastback only, but it or something like it is needed on the roadster too. Also it looked like the spacers and long screws were also fastback only. I had that part amongst a box of stuff I had around so after some test fitting it all made sense.
 

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If you think this is a PITA, try assembling the fender mount, plate bracket, tail light, housing, etc, on a Fastback. It's even worse. I recall a couple of long skinny screws that are supposed to hold almost everything in place. But of course they don't.
 
I'm finishing up the rebuild of a '74 Roadster that I rescued from a guy who was going to throw it in the dumpster. It was a complete rebuild of the engine, gearbox, forks, swing arm, wheels, brakes, wiring etc. The biggest pain in the ass of the whole job is the freakin rear tail light! I'm about ready to trash it and buy some sort of aftermarket one.
 
In the FWIW department. I ended up with duplicates on the fiberglass housing 061122 and bracket 062038 if anyone is in need. Brand new from AN. Send me a PM if interested.
 
eo1bart said:
I'm finishing up the rebuild of a '74 Roadster that I rescued from a guy who was going to throw it in the dumpster. It was a complete rebuild of the engine, gearbox, forks, swing arm, wheels, brakes, wiring etc. The biggest pain in the ass of the whole job is the freakin rear tail light! I'm about ready to trash it and buy some sort of aftermarket one.
Click to expand...
73-75 square tail light?
You should contact your NENO tech advisor! Or use the tech talk on the NNENO forum. Easy peasy.
 
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