This is probably the primary reason this build was able to be undertaken, with a fair measure of 'originality' for the final result.
A stash of Nortons satin chromed nuts and bolts and fasteners, all done in satin chrome, for Model 7 Nortons.
Some new, some used, some redone, some grungy.
Several bikes worth, in fact. At quite reasonable cost....
Probably not one 'standard' fastener in the whole lot - all of them are Norton specials, to a smaller and larger extent.
Did Nortons make them themselves, and plate them - or buy them in from somewhere - anyone know ??
P.S. Try finding all of these from modern sources...
Some updates - a gearbox was sourced from fleabay.
Needs a rebuild, of course, so borrowed one from another project.
Slotted screws show signs of some applied muscle ... !
Not that easy to source new either.
The elusive head steady.
Seems to be a demand for these, might have a few spares made up, although they are only a tube flattened at each end.
Seats for Nortons present a bit of a problem.
No-one makes the myriad of different types and sizes to suit all the earlier models, (?)
so a universal fitment type needs to be adapted these days .
Unless anyone knows a stash of old seats someplace ?
The bracket shown needs to be rivetted to the nose of the seat, to connect to the front mount on the frame under the tank.
This gives the l-o-n-g pivotted action that gives a comfortable sprung ride.
The other note with universal fitment seats is that the pair of springs under the back of the seat need to be 9 inches apart, to suit the frame brackets.
For whatever reason, the seat frame comes predrilled with 3 sets of holes either side, but none of them pair to be 9 " !!
A bit of reinforcement may be in order here, too many holes may weaken the whole plot.
Perhaps not a concern on smooth roads these days, back back when roads were rough, this would soon have been sorted out.
And you often see old seats in less than perfct condition, so they obviously had a rough time...
The stays for the lifting handles for the rear mudguard presented a bit of a problem too.
They are available on fleabay from India. But are not right.
The local fabrication guru made me some up - they are part curved, in several directions,
so I supplied some rijjinal ones and some measurements, and he made up jigs and fabbed them up.
Neat work. (pic to follow).
The 4 sets of rear guards I have seen/measured were all slightly different in measurements,
so it would seem that they have to be made up to suit the measurements of each individual guard.
Makes mass producing them a tricky prospect...
Exhausts are the next bit to consider.
Armours sells "Model 7" pipes and mufflers.
But the pipes jut forward, quite a bit, and the mufflers are more like Matchless ones.
Found a genuine pair of pipes, rather scrappy, but still with the original sweet curve downwards and outwards from the exhaust port,
not that jutting forward style.
Now, to find someone to make some up from these as patterns.
One of the stainless guys seems to know what he is on about.
And, he flash chromes them too, for that genuine chromed look...
Don't know why someone has welded small extensions to these ones ??
Spotted along the way.
Just for interest.
Not quite standard there !!
A local stainless merchant does covers for the plunger suspension springs at the back.
With a flash of chrome to make them look more authentic.
Hopefully should never rust.
Coat of blue and they look like they grew there.
They are a shade tight over the springs though, we shall see...
A pair of plunger shafts for the back suspension turned up.
Not so easy to find these days, although whole sets turn up now and then.
(Do folks remove them from the frame, and then never refit them ?).
A little rusty looking, just need a clean and polish.
Someone did a batch of front stays for the front guard.
That tight bend at the end is a little tricky to do well.
No adjustment for length possible though, so we hope they got it right.
The 26 tpi cycle thread nuts are correct, always a good sign...
Another one spotted along the way.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1950-NORTON-D ... 1492607066
Few departures from stock there, and a lot of poonds starling... ?
Polychromatic blue dommies coming out of the woodwork.
This one is noted in Hemmings, described as a 1953.
Looks more 1954 with that front brake and headlamp...
Featherbed of course.
Poly blue was listed as an option from early in the 1950s, it seems.
http://assets.blog.hemmings.com/wp-cont ... 00x446.jpg
either way, nice bike already made better since you've had it. Cheers
