Recent acquisition - possible Dunstall?

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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”.
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Though not worded that way. I see lots of people have opinions but NO real experience or ability to be objective.
This the #1 reason I bought this bike AND bought my dynamometer.
I wanted to verify or debunk the Dunstall mystique.
After putting the engine in my 63 atlas chassis and riding it for a while I learned all I needed to know.
Best $1200 I spent and learned plenty about the bike/engine.
Genuine Dunstall Atlas worth $30-40K? yeah right! (sarcasm)
I own a combat and it's my favorite bike.
 
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?
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BAZINGA!
 
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?
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Paul Dunstall was a salesman. He bought out the Norton race shop when it was closing, and built his empire on that, and the cafe racer craze.

He wasn't really a tuner like Dearden was. Dearden bikes were very successful, but he wasn't racing at Brands Hatch every weekend either....scene of most of Dunstalls wins, as it was only 20 miles down the A2
 
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Seeley920 said:
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
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1 to link plugs to the 2nd turn on Winton race way.
1 to post 20 pics of his plugs with Mt Hood in the background.
1 who reluctantly wants to sell his used plugs to pay for his medical bills.
1 who believes the discussion is about a new sex toy, and thinks we are all perverts..
(this lockdown is really getting to us..)
 
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Seeley920 said:
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
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1 to remind the majority that you don’t need spark plugs at all if you never ride them
 
I would have thought any Norton being described as a Dunstall Norton would have to have been either built or converted by Dunstall themselves and have provenance to prove that. Any other Norton with Dunstall bits would best be described as Dunstall equipped and need the full specs to back it up. Many Dunstall conversions merely had the tank, seat clip ons and rear set combination and even if they were originally fully converted, the quality of the Dunstall engine components means that many engines would have been converted back to standard by now.
 
Many Dunstall conversations were just that, converted by a private owner.l changed the cam to one of Dunstall's own which I consequently discovered was a load of junk and worse than the original Norton one.
Some things are not all they're cracked up to be.
 
Bernhard said:
Many Dunstall conversations were just that, converted by a private owner.l changed the cam to one of Dunstall's own which I consequently discovered was a load of junk and worse than the original Norton one.
Some things are not all they're cracked up to be.
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And there in lies where the name junkstall comes from.
 
Thanks for everyone's input! The Commando doesn't turn over. I'm not sure what's in store for it. Over the last week some things have changed and I might not be able to hang onto it...
 
FYI, The internals of the 69 Dunstall engine I had did have some nice work( 90% sure it was his or his shops handywork)

Recent acquisition - possible Dunstall?
Recent acquisition - possible Dunstall?
Recent acquisition - possible Dunstall?
Recent acquisition - possible Dunstall?
 
Bernhard said:
Centre crank web above looks like it's been offset turned to create that centre ridge.
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Rather than drilling holes in the outer face, they simply shaved a bit off the edges. Same result as far as weight reduction, less (no) sharp edges, and more even distribution.
 
heres another one I sold, it had the Dunstall paperwork also
Broken link removed
 
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A guy who I work with tells the story of his Triumph Bonneville back in the day which could hold it's own against most.
Then a guy in his neighborhood showed up with a Dunstall 810. Game over, he said it was the fastest / quickest thing he'd ever seen.
That includes all the Kwackers and others of the time.
He speaks of it with reverence.
 
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