Recent acquisition - possible Dunstall?

Status
Not open for further replies.
AJS Motorcycles in the UK import bikes from China styled to AJS requirements and arrange type approval and certification, when they are first registered in the UK they are registered as manufactured by AJS. Companies in the UK and Europe buy vans without the back is just cab and chassis, they add a body and internals to make a campervan. They register it under their name not the Ford or Fiat chassis.
 
And as far as I am aware, Norton never made their own frames, so should technically be called Reynolds. . . . .
We are clutching at straws here.
In the UK the bike is first usally registered in the V5 as the bike shop where it was sold from. And so on . . . . . . .
If you are registered by the DOT like Dresda you can call the bike what you like, don't forget they used both Norton and their own Desda frames.
 

dggggggggg,​

Welcome aboard. Not all threads go like this.
Don't let scare you away.
These guys are very passionate about their Nortons.

Again, welcome and enjoy your new ride.
 
How many Access Norton members does it take to change a spark plug?**
1 to change the spark plug and to post that spark plug has been changed.
14 to share similar experiences of changing spark plugs and how the spark plug could have been changed differently.
7 to caution about the dangers of changing spark plugs.
27 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing spark plugs.
15 know-it-alls who claim *they* were in the industry, and that "spark plug" is an electrical device threaded into the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine to ignite the fuel mixture by producing timed sparks between electrodes.
2 to post that this group is not about spark plugs and to please take this discussion to a spark plug group.
27 to defend the posting to this group saying that we all use spark plugs and therefore the posts *are* relevant to this group.
16 to debate which method of changing spark plugs is superior, where to buy the best spark plugs, what brand of spark plugs work best for this technique, and what brands are faulty.
2 to post URL's where one can see examples of different spark plugs.
12 to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the spark plug controversy.
4 to suggest that posters request the spark plugs FAQ.
16 to post "F".
44 to ask what is a "F"?
4 to say "didn't we go through this already a short time ago?"
3 to say "do a Google search on spark plugs before posting questions about spark plugs".
14 to post photos of spark plugs they own.
1 forum lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again.
 
storm42 said:
How many Access Norton members does it take to change a spark plug?**
1 to change the spark plug and to post that spark plug has been changed.
14 to share similar experiences of changing spark plugs and how the spark plug could have been changed differently.
7 to caution about the dangers of changing spark plugs.
27 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing spark plugs.
15 know-it-alls who claim *they* were in the industry, and that "spark plug" is an electrical device threaded into the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine to ignite the fuel mixture by producing timed sparks between electrodes.
2 to post that this group is not about spark plugs and to please take this discussion to a spark plug group.
27 to defend the posting to this group saying that we all use spark plugs and therefore the posts *are* relevant to this group.
16 to debate which method of changing spark plugs is superior, where to buy the best spark plugs, what brand of spark plugs work best for this technique, and what brands are faulty.
2 to post URL's where one can see examples of different spark plugs.
12 to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the spark plug controversy.
4 to suggest that posters request the spark plugs FAQ.
16 to post "F".
44 to ask what is a "F"?
4 to say "didn't we go through this already a short time ago?"
3 to say "do a Google search on spark plugs before posting questions about spark plugs".
14 to post photos of spark plugs they own.
1 forum lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again.
Click to expand...


You forgot

1 to make it all about his spark plugs, and how older versions of spark plugs are dangerous, have been responsible for multiple injuries, and should be banned, and then derail the whole thread by making it about tyres
1 to turn it into a sales pitch about how his spark plugs will outperform every other spark plug by a major manufacturer
 
Last edited:
grandpaul said:
No, they would be equally LEGITIMATE as ONLY pertains to CERTAIN bikes that began life being delivered directly from Norton to Dunstall, whereupon they were converted to cafe/racers THEN were delivered to the first owners to ride them; hence, "Dunstall" Nortons.

Any other dealership could take delivery of new Commandos, install the EXACT SAME selection of parts purchased directly from the Dunstall shop, and those bikes would NOT be "Dunstall" Nortons, but Nortons (on the titles, and V5s), with Dunstall parts installed. There IS a difference, THAT difference is the subject of this thread in particular.
Click to expand...
Actually reasonable with only one addition:
person buys a norton "elsewhere" and delivers it to Dunstall shop to have "service and upgrades" to a full Dunstall spec and has documentation & receipts.

From the closed Woodgate "dunstall website" when the "register" was publicly viewable and my bike was listed, I saw that it showed: AFAIK Commando's retained their full matching set of #. Slimlines had an engine swap with the engine # preceding the frame VIN/SN . This pattern matched my atlas and many/most all other featherbeds listed on the register.

NOC would obviously be unable to opine on this issue. They were silent on this issue for my bike.


Models
 
dynodave said:
Actually reasonable with only one addition:
person buys a norton "elsewhere" and delivers it to Dunstall shop to have "service and upgrades" to a full Dunstall spec and has documentation & receipts.
Click to expand...
Nope. When a person buys a Norton "elsewhere", the manufacturer is set on the title, it's a Norton.
 
Fair enough ...though we're aware you can wash paperwok though different states and come out as a "dunstall"
On my Mass title it shows Make= norton Model=atlas/dunstall
 
storm42 said:
How many Access Norton members does it take to change a spark plug?**
1 to change the spark plug and to post that spark plug has been changed.
14 to share similar experiences of changing spark plugs and how the spark plug could have been changed differently.
7 to caution about the dangers of changing spark plugs.
27 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing spark plugs.
15 know-it-alls who claim *they* were in the industry, and that "spark plug" is an electrical device threaded into the cylinder of an internal-combustion engine to ignite the fuel mixture by producing timed sparks between electrodes.
2 to post that this group is not about spark plugs and to please take this discussion to a spark plug group.
27 to defend the posting to this group saying that we all use spark plugs and therefore the posts *are* relevant to this group.
16 to debate which method of changing spark plugs is superior, where to buy the best spark plugs, what brand of spark plugs work best for this technique, and what brands are faulty.
2 to post URL's where one can see examples of different spark plugs.
12 to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the spark plug controversy.
4 to suggest that posters request the spark plugs FAQ.
16 to post "F".
44 to ask what is a "F"?
4 to say "didn't we go through this already a short time ago?"
3 to say "do a Google search on spark plugs before posting questions about spark plugs".
14 to post photos of spark plugs they own.
1 forum lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again.
Click to expand...
I don't think that is particular to this forum though (now I suppose I'm going to be added to that list :rolleyes: ).
 
Morally each person has their own rules, fine by me as long as I get to define my own rules and can keep to them.

Legally a company exists in the UK when listed on companies house register.

Norton has existed as a registered company since its foundation and built bikes at various locations with gaps in production. All those bikes are Nortons if it says Norton on the V5.

But Norton owners do have different internal rules that do not follow the legal status.

Some have the view that a Norton must have been built at Bracebridge St.

Some that a Norton can only have one cylinder.

They are free to have their own views, but my Commando is a Norton in my view, in other views its not.

Fine by me if you think it's not but you have to accept legally it's a Norton as it says Norton on the V5.

Dunstall was a registered company in the UK, the UK authorities for a period of time accepted Dunstall as a Motorcycle manufacturer and allowed in the UK for Dunstall to be entered on the V5.

So legally a motorcycle can be a Dunstall.

Other views are allowed but they are personal views and different views can also be taken.

My view is Dunstall parts were cheap tat and best avoided so if its Dunstall on the V5 then I walk away quickly.

But legally it's still a Dunstall but some other mug can buy it ;) .
 
dynodave said:
Fair enough ...though we're aware you can wash paperwok though different states and come out as a "dunstall"
On my Mass title it shows Make= norton Model=atlas/dunstall
Click to expand...
Fair enough on your account also.

HOWEVER, I thought this discussion was revolving around LEGITIMACY, as was noted regarding "bogus" bikes...
 
kommando said:
Morally each person has their own rules, fine by me as long as I get to define my own rules and can keep to them.

Legally a company exists in the UK when listed on companies house register.

Norton has existed as a registered company since its foundation and built bikes at various locations with gaps in production. All those bikes are Nortons if it says Norton on the V5.

But Norton owners do have different internal rules that do not follow the legal status.

Some have the view that a Norton must have been built at Bracebridge St.

Some that a Norton can only have one cylinder.

They are free to have their own views, but my Commando is a Norton in my view, in other views its not.

Fine by me if you think it's not but you have to accept legally it's a Norton as it says Norton on the V5.

Dunstall was a registered company in the UK, the UK authorities for a period of time accepted Dunstall as a Motorcycle manufacturer and allowed in the UK for Dunstall to be entered on the V5.

So legally a motorcycle can be a Dunstall.

Other views are allowed but they are personal views and different views can also be taken.

My view is Dunstall parts were cheap tat and best avoided so if its Dunstall on the V5 then I walk away quickly.

But legally it's still a Dunstall but some other mug can buy it ;) .
Click to expand...
kommando, you are confusing being registered at Companies House, which the Dunstall Organisation was , with being authorised by the Department of Transport , who authorise , to them, companies to manufacture vehicles and/or carry out modifications that are safe a d not some back street bodger.
The two are entirely separate.
 
Bernhard said:
kommando, you are confusing being registered at Companies House, which the Dunstall Organisation was , with being authorised by the Department of Transport , who authorise , to them, companies to manufacture vehicles and/or carry out modifications that are safe a d not some back street bodger.
The two are entirely separate.
Click to expand...
This is the type of details I am trying to get at. These detail get confused with the passage of time. Such as the US had a change of import vehicle rules creating "gray market" vehicles like the Norton rotary. For a very long time exceptions were allowed but VERY hard to satisfy the rules/law. Difference in laws at the federal level which controlled the vehicle entering at the border and then would of course often be ignored at the state level. Now 20-30 years later it seems to be a big blur.
My atlas was owned pre title then sold on a notarized bill of sale with dunstall /atlas as the model, though clearly confirmed by NOC to validate the owndership history.
Norton -Dunstall-US serviceman ? exports to colorado moves to Boston Ma- sells to Dave Knowlton (RIP) Ipswich Ma-sells to Calvin Vitale Ipswich MA-sells to Bob Hicks Ipswich Ma - 1992 sells to Dave Comeau Ipswich Ma. Ma title drops dunstall off model descriptor. I had talked to all the previous owners except the serviceman original buyer. pix april 1981
Recent acquisition - possible Dunstall?
 
Dogsbody said:
I believe it was Reg Dearden who once said in a conversation about race bikes “ Dunstall couldn’t tune a ball cock cistern”.
Click to expand...
Not disagreeing with the above, how come Paul Dunstall had more race success, including winning British Champions, at least one IOM production TT than Reg Dearden did.
And what happened to the other lowboy 500 racer that he aquired from Norton's Bracebridge St. factory?
 
Bernhard said:
Not disagreeing with the above, how come Paul Dunstall had more race success, including winning British Champions, at least one IOM production TT than Reg Dearden did.
And what happened to the other lowboy 500 racer that he aquired from Norton's Bracebridge St. factory?
Click to expand...
Wasn't Reg more into tuning and sponsoring than riding? he was certainly behind some good riders like George Costain who won the Senior in 54, and he was involved with Les Graham. Drearden and Dunstall were from different times and whilst Dreaden was involved with proper race bikes and winning against the best, Dunstall had to use his race bikes in production racing to win.

The production racing in the 70's was a joke they were all cheating and becoming a motorcycle manufacturer to convert a current road bike into a racer, then registering it as a production model was cheating in my view.

Not that I cared back then because it was so good to see the Nortons doing well.

Incidently, I don't really know anything about Reg Drearden but a quick search showed him as often having over 20 Manx Norton competitors on his books and he had a lot of success as a tuner.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top