Norton Villiers Commando 1968 Re commissioning an adventures at 30

Time Warp said:
As long as the two upper holes are good with them being an alinement fit it should be an enjoyable reassembly.

I will suggest, parts can not be clean enough, an oil filter is of little use (even if it was in the pressure side of the pump) if there is any form of debris between it and the connecting rod bearings at first start up.
I go to great lengths to make sure every oil passage is clean, that includes bits that could detach.

Oil feed holes chamfered including the inner side in the sludge trap from the drilling process at manufacture.
If the journal is to be ground under size the feed holes can be readdressed before that material removal (which can reduce the external chamfer)

On an existing journal I light polish them with immersed #2000 then shoe string type polishing with Autosol and towelling strips then cleaned. (That includes the journal side radius)
All other holes get a light chamfer which includes all at the joint between the flywheel and crank half for maximum contact.

(I do wonder if some Commando's have a oil pressure loss at the two flywheel join faces)

This crank measured up on the money at 1.75" (44.45 mm) and would have been a crime to grind it.
There is not excuse to have an unreliable 'old motorcycle, all it takes is time in many cases.

View attachment 19173

Keep up the great work and always good to see someone with dark hair hands on.
Click to expand...
I see no radius on this pic.
 
You don't need a watchmaker to tell you the time, you need someone with a watch who knows how to read it.
In this case that would be someone who can grind a round, to size, parallel journal with the fillet radius and clearance you ask for (not the ones they think you want)
Most motorcycle shops/ engine builders farm out that sort of work.
 
Even if you tell a grinder about the fillet radius they will be tempted to ignore it if they have not worked on Norton's before as it costs them a lot of grinding wheel thickness, once they have finished the grind they have to dress the wheel back to std radius. So if that's 30 thou they lose 60 thou radius of wheel taking the 90 thou down to 30 thou.
 
Thanks timewarp really great advice :) gonna spend a full week cleaning everything up now before re assembly.

Measured the journals up today bang on all the way round on both is a slight dink in one of the journals that looks to deep to grind out butit doesn't feel proud at all and the corresponding shells didnt have mark where it is.

Norton Villiers Commando 1968 Re commissioning an adventures at 30


Going to order some new shells, conrod bolts n get on with re assembly of the bottom end. Then some new pistons oil pump and im gonna replace the entire spin on filter kit as well with a new one.

What's everyone's favoured method for cleaning the oil tanks out.
 
That looks like a good undersize.
If you are not repainting the tank and it does not have an inch of sludge it can be as simple as a kerosene or if you can secure the tank to something the water blaster, blown out and methylated spirits.

I am a big fan of A1 cutting mats, nice to work on and easy wipe down after a spray with Pledge.

www.ebay.com.au

A1 Large DIY Thick Self Healing Cutting Mat Double-Side Art Craft Au Stock NEW | eBay

A1 Large Thick Self Healing Cutting Mat Double-Side Art Craft DIY. 1x Self Healing Cutting Mat A1. Easy to use and to operate. Suitable for many kinds of writing, drawing work, craft paper, film cutting tools, the best model version and can be used as a desktop and mouse pad.
www.ebay.com.au
 
This is the 68 frame from a friend in Switzerland. He told me it was the only Commando Fastback to be imported into Switzerland in 1968.
After the "widowmaker"-frames cracked in USA, the Swiss dealer made that reinforcement to the frame at no cost for the first owner.
You can get that tube from Andover Norton.

Norton Villiers Commando 1968 Re commissioning an adventures at 30


I once restored a 68 Fastback for another friend which was welded at the critical spots and warped. We changed it for a 69 frame.
 
Thanks for the picture Rivera that's really interesting about your friends 68' yep she's going into Norman White to be done so at least I know she's in safe hands an it'l be jigged to.

Can't wait to get back on with the re assembly on her super excited to ride the Commando again got some big plans once funds allow for some trips on her which will be covering some big miles.

Next step this week is to order some bearing shells and conrod bolts + clean all the crank up an start re assembling the engine.
 
Well, if the frame is going to Norman, and depending how brave you are about what you want to take on vs how much you want to spend with 3rd parties, you could also ask him to do your swinging arm spindle.

That’s what I did, he fitted a new spindle and bushes etc and modified the tube to the MK3 cotter pin style. I also got him to fit new isolastics (Front and rear) at the same time.

A huge cheat, and a huge short cut I know! Bit it both saved me time and, more importantly, gave me the assurance that it was all done 100% correctly.
 
Thanks Eddie to be honest I'm doing her on the vapours money wise at the moment didn't think I'd be able to get her back together for another year dads actually helping me out with the money for the frame repair help each other out when we can, outta work due to us loosing the printing business an now this covid hasn't helped with the lack of work locally although I am still technically on my career break till early next year I was told the swing arm was modified does that refer to the bolt half way down the swing arm shaft?
 
norton_rider said:
Thanks Eddie to be honest I'm doing her on the vapours money wise at the moment didn't think I'd be able to get her back together for another year dads actually helping me out with the money for the frame repair help each other out when we can, outta work due to us loosing the printing business an now this covid hasn't helped with the lack of work locally although I am still technically on my career break till early next year I was told the swing arm was modified does that refer to the bolt half way down the swing arm shaft?
Click to expand...
No the bolt halfway along the swing arm pin it standard
 
Cheers Baz :)

The frame into the legend that is Norman white now guys next step this week is to get stuck in on crank and bottom end re assembly. Really excited to get riding her again.
 
Last edited:
norton_rider said:
Next step this week is to order some bearing shells and conrod bolts + clean all the crank up an start re assembling the engine.
Click to expand...

Be advised the AN bolts have under size heads so are loose in the connecting rod counterbore (unlike the original bolts which are a push fit) and by default lose contact area unlike the RGM bolts which have an OD as per OEM parts.
Why AN did not have the bolts made to the factory dimension is a mystery but what it can mean having an offset head to the shank is contact is lost and with rods with excessive edge relief at the bolt hole a portion at the offset side is not touching at all.

Build it like a chimney works for me.

crk.jpg

As per this picture, neither replacement bolt is like the OEM part.
That might suggest they are procured from an existing blank.

tt.jpg
 
Last edited:
Thanks Timewarp damn that's irritating isn't it they do look quite a bit different to oem on the heads.

I'll see what the ones I end up with are like when they arrive. What are you watching for on the gauges Timewarp runout? :) That's one cool looking stand.
 
norton_rider said:
Thanks Timewarp damn that's irritating isn't it they do look quite a bit different to oem on the heads.

I'll see what the ones I end up with are like when they arrive. What are you watching for on the gauges Timewarp runout? :) That's one cool looking stand.
Click to expand...

In all honestly the gauges did little, it can be checked on V blocks but of course once it is torqued it would be hard to rectify any run out.
It did show the crank was pretty much pinned with the top aligning studs in place and seated lightly.
 
norton_rider said:
Thanks mate the rod bolts and shells came today so gonna spend some time cleaning the crank tomorrow then get on with the re assembly.
Click to expand...
Incase you don't already know
Be careful when you assemble the con rod bolts
Make sure when the bolts go in the rods that the head is lined up
If not it's possible for a shaving of swarf to be dragged off the con rod and under the bolt head affecting the torque setting
Cheers
 
Back
Top