Norton Model 50 Slimline Featherbed

caferacerdude

caferacerdude

Joined
May 1, 2014
Messages
8
Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum, I live in Australia & own a 1962 Norton 650 SS & approximately 2 1/2 1961 Norton model 50 slimline featherbed 350 singles. This model is relatively scarce but is basically an ES2 with a 349cc engine, I'm in the process of restoring one of them back to factory original condition or as close to as I can get it. Now my question is: has anyone out there got one of these or done an original resto on one who will be able to offer any advice or help with this project? One thing I'd like to know is does anyone know a recipe or modern equivalent for the Norton colours: Forrest Green & Dove Grey? You can follow the resto on the facebook page: Norton Model 50 slimline featherbed restoration. Looking forward to hearing from any one interested in this topic.
 
I've got a tank with Forest Green traces still on it.
It was recently discussed here somewhere that Forest Green is not very far away from British Racing Green.

Norton Model 50 Slimline Featherbed


It was also discussed, extensively, on the NOC Forum that Dove Grey is more a shade of white (almost).
The NOC, somewhere, lists modern paint matches.
Although being UK doesn't translate too well to Oz version.
Maybe someone can find the link ?

We'll watch with interest.
P.S. More than a few owners tweak them to 500cc, not being very hairy chested ponies in them as stock ?
 
Ha ! That facebook page looks familar.
We've had this before, elsewhere, and the discussion about 1961 Model 50 and colours.

The 1961 brochure says the ES2 was Forest Green and Dove Grey 2 tone,
and the Model 50 was a "Smart two tone finish in Black and Dove Grey".

Bit tough to see here, but the last words on each are about the colours.
http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac34 ... a5786a.jpg

Wonder if the export spec varied in colours offered. ?
That Green/White-ish seems popular, bikes are being changed to that finish....
 
THANKS EVERYONE, that was very interesting & will hopefully be of great help for my resto, I do have lots of paint left on the tank, guards, battery box & oil tank etc. that I could possibly take along to one of those paint matching places that supposedly only need a sample of the original paint to effect a match, has anyone ever tried this type of service & were the results satisfactory? I'm not too sure if the paint on the bike is original factory paint or a Malaysian respray from 30 odd year ago, the latter I feel, but I like the colour better than the black & white ( I've already got one black Norton ) but as the paint is damaged in places & I'll have to strip the tank to fix whatever is causing those bubbles under the paint some time soon ( I'm not looking forward to finding out the extent of that problem) I figure I'd try to find out a recipe for the afforementioned colours. Something else I'd like to know is what is the correct size ( number of teeth ) for the gearbox sprocket for solo use & are these readily available in the 1/4" sprocket size as well as the 5/8" X 1/4" chain as opposed to the 5/8" X 3/8" sizes?
 
I can't help as far as colors but I do have a running and riding '62 Model 50. The current color and paint scheme is in no way stock. The bike was already painted like this when I bought it. It was missing a few top end parts, carb, push rods, all wiring and everything electrical related. It also needed a new piston and rings. It also has a few non=stock items on it generally looks ok.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbYdeXnKPew[/video]
 
Looks good & sounds great Scrambler, hopefully mine will be a runner in the not too distant future, as always.....time & money are the enemy ;)
 
If you ever need pictures to compare what you have to what i have just let me know. There may be cases where what I have isn't correct but it might still help figure things out.
 
Thanks for that Scrambler, you never know when you might need help but you sometimes know who to ask when you do. They look as though they're a sweet ride if not exhilarating, I've heard them called the world's safest motorcycle, can't wait to try it out & see how it compares to the 650SS :)
 
You can get different sizes of Dove Grey spray cans form RS MotorBike Paint. Their reference is 14314. The colour matches exactly the Dove Grey of my Dominator.

But I didn't find something matching the Blue. Their Atlantic or Tunisian blues are for from matching.

They are very reliable and proposed me to try the Tunisian blue for free (including postage and packing).

L.
 
Well, so much for the rather aptly named RS motorbike paints.....I emailed them through the special email function on their web site to enquire about colours & whether or not they would ship to Australia etc. 10 days ago & so far I've not had a reply, though while thumbing through an old ( Dec 1992) ' Classic bike' magazine I started to read an article about the restoration of a 600 Dominator Deluxe & it said that BMC 'Arabian Grey' was a match for Dove grey according to the Norton owners club UK. Now, I'll have to check & see if anyone can do a match for this.............Ah, another path to wander down!
 
caferacerdude said:
I do have lots of paint left on the tank, guards, battery box & oil tank etc. that I could possibly take along to one of those paint matching places that supposedly only need a sample of the original paint to effect a match, has anyone ever tried this type of service & were the results satisfactory?
Click to expand...

Paint can't (easily) be shipped from overseas, its listed as dangerous goods ?

If you have original samples of paint to match to, just about any local paint/panel shop should be able to do a good match - paint shops don't just use a standard paint code to match paint repairs, they ALWAYS have to eye match the colour. Most of em are pretty good...
 
That's what I was thinking as well but I just wanted a few considered opinions to help me with my decisions, thanks every one who has offered me their advice, it' always appreciated.
 
I have recently picked this one up, 62 model 50, a few non standard features but a good runner
If only I can get the front brake to work!

Norton Model 50 Slimline Featherbed
 
That is an exceptionally tidy looking bike.
Like the ES1 moniker. !

If you take some sandpaper to the drum and shoes (watch for the possibility of asbestos),
and thus remove all rust and lumps and bumps,
and then rub some chalk on the shoes and see where they make contact can be quite instructive.
 
fredful said:
I have recently picked this one up, 62 model 50, a few non standard features but a good runner
If only I can get the front brake to work!
Click to expand...

If that's a single leading shoe brake, your trailing shoe may be hitting the drum before the leading shoe. Does the brake feel sharper if you apply it while the bike is rolling backwards?

The centre hole in the back plate is a close sliding fit on early models. Late 1960s Dominator manuals recommend drilling the hole 1/32" oversize, so the plate can be centralised by holding the brake on while you tighten the spindle nut.
 
Further on the Model 50
New radius ground brake linings on the front and she stops well enough now.
Now I have a question to pose, there is a breather hole directly under the primary side main bearing that drops oil straight on the road,
I would like to either block the hole or direct the breather to a catch bottle.
Does anyone have experience in this matter or should I just learn to love the mouthful of oil she spits out when she starts?
Freddy.
 
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