Hi All, I've just purchased a 1973 Norton Commando 850 s/n 304549. I have a 1969 Triumph Bonneville so I'm not new to Brit Bikes. The bike was last ridden 20-25 years ago and has been in storage since. It's numbers matching and all original, the clutch was free and the engine spun with compression. So I bought it Wednesday and am going to restore it to ride. My only prior experience with Norton was in 1971, a summer party after graduating HS. I was drinking a beer, minding my own business when Harry Erickson came over. Harry was the local tough guy, a body-builder who was rumored to have a steel plate in his head. Harry came wobbling over, three sheets to the wind, and asked me how I was doing. I said "fine". He looked at me, took the last drag on his cigarette, pulled my shirt pocket out and dropped the butt in. I said to myself, "self, man up or get your ass kicked". I looked at him in the eye, reached into the pocket and pulled the butt out by the hot end, tossed it down & poured some beer on it. Harry looked up and said, "wanna see my bike?" I said "sure" and he took me over to look at his black 750 Commando. 42 years later I've got a Norton of my own. My Brit bike guy has the bike now and will start in on wheels and brakes. I took the seat, side covers, gas tank and carbs as these, along with electricals, are things I can handle. I've boiled the carbs in Pine-Sol and restored them with Amal major overhaul kits. Oh, it did come with a complete and original tool kit. Next step for me is getting the rust out of the gas tank & getting it and the sidecovers painted. I'm hoping to get it back in condition to ride by the end of the summer. I do have a quick, first question. I'd like to pull the gascap prior to sending the tank out for overhaul. Both sides of the pin hole are nothing but rust, any suggestions on how to remove that pin? I do have a parts and shop manual that I picked up from OldBritts. Thanks in advance, photos to follow.
New to Norton & Forum...>
- Thread starter ommief
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I would opt for the proper sized punch and start tapping away. If I recall correctly it is a roll pin which will be hard(er) steel that I would not want to try drilling. I think the roll pin may even be a spring steel; it's brittle hard.
The cap is some sort of zinc die cast and the pin (roll pin) should come out with judicious use of a small hammer and drift punch. The key is to get the proper sized punch. Go to a decent hardware store and size up the drift punch you need. Maybe a little pre soaking with ATF cut thin with some solvent will increase your likelihood of success.
The cap is some sort of zinc die cast and the pin (roll pin) should come out with judicious use of a small hammer and drift punch. The key is to get the proper sized punch. Go to a decent hardware store and size up the drift punch you need. Maybe a little pre soaking with ATF cut thin with some solvent will increase your likelihood of success.
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Hey Ho ommief. If the cap opens and closes then likely the pin will be normal drift out tap tap tap but don't need to knock it all the way out of the, leave it hanging in one side for much easier re-installing. Knocks out either way so pick you best swinging clearance. The seal can just be worked out of its lips and a new one worked in. Sometime can vent get blocked. Be weary of the disc brake and check fluid every gas stop for a while. Old school steel tank method is Devil's Lye type boil out to bare metal to then alcohol proof coat or take ya chances with. OH yeah double check primary chain is seemingly too loose when cold.
Once you get a mostly fully fettered Commando between your legs you'll be cocky enough to stuff lit butts down anyone's pockets too, just like the rest of us, who've struggled with a simple ole Commando, again and again.
Once you get a mostly fully fettered Commando between your legs you'll be cocky enough to stuff lit butts down anyone's pockets too, just like the rest of us, who've struggled with a simple ole Commando, again and again.
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If the pin involved is truly a roll pin, then you should really use a roll pin punch of the correct size - as near the same diameter as the compressed diameter of the roll pin without being larger or TOO much smaller. A drift punch is not the tool to use on a roll pin - it is tapered with no locator. Soaking first with a proper penetrating fluid is, of course, a very good idea. A trick we often use in the shop if an area needs to be exposed to penetrating oil for a length of time but can't be immersed is to wrap the area with an old piece of rag or tie on a piece of old sponge and soak that. Keeps the penetrating fluid in contact. With your cap open, this would be easy to do.
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Welcome. I became a semi-convert from Triumphs to Nortons two years ago. I like cruising at 70 without my hands and bum going numb from vibration. My own Commando is within a couple of hundred of your engine number. Many of the parts and problems of the carbs and electrics are very similar to Triumphs. Nortons have their own quirks, though, as you will learn. Where Triumph bottom ends were nearly indestructible, Nortons are not; the 850 should be okay. The isolastics are unique, the clutch is different and of course they are not unit construction. There are a handful of special tools. Most parts are readily available and there are a few upgrades to make your Norton a reliable and fun machine to ride.
You will find this forum very helpful. There are some brilliant mechanics with a wealth of knowledge and experience who will help you and a few eccentrics who will entertain you.
You will find this forum very helpful. There are some brilliant mechanics with a wealth of knowledge and experience who will help you and a few eccentrics who will entertain you.
Thanks very much for the kind welcome and the helpful advice! I unbent a paper clip and scraped the crud/rust out of both ends of the fuel cap holes. I then brought some bolts up and found one that fit the hole and caught the pin all around. A screwdriver and a small hammer, some gentle taps and following the suggestion pushed the pin out to where the cap came off and it's still sitting in the cap. Great! Cap cleaned up nicely as well. Now, the tank needs to be cleared of rust and prepped for painting. I'm all ears for any suggestions - I was looking at www.gas-tank.com for derusting and vintage-vendor up north for painting. Solid choices?
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As mere kids we recovered very crappy rusted outboard tanks by Devils lye type boiling. Lesser DIY methods are phos acid and nuts/screws to dislodge stuff the lye boil will get all by its lonesome. Then can order the coating to DIY or send to the shop. DEFINITELY ask about ethanol tolerance which in steel tank would be the coating itself. Shades tree hillbillies can recover tanks on the cheap so anyone can that cares too, if time to do so, otherwise work for wages time to pay others.
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ommief said:
I was very successful cleaning the tank with straight white vinegar. I bought 5 gallons poured it in and let it soak for a week. After draining the solution through a strainer, pour the soup back in. Put some nuts and bolts in there with the vinegar and give some good shaking to break up what you can. If you have some hardened sludge at the bottom, still, you may need to put a couple more fresh gallons in there. I also have a fiberglass rod (an old fishing pole works) to poke around an break up the sludge.
This came out after the first soak:
Before:
After:
Guido
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I used this to clean my tank. I didn't use the sealer, just the cleaner and metal prep.
http://www.por15.com/CYCLE-TANK-REPAIR-KIT_p_59.html
http://www.por15.com/CYCLE-TANK-REPAIR-KIT_p_59.html
Nater_Potater
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You'll find the distinction blurring quite regularly...christulin said:
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