DogT
VIP MEMBER
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2009
- Messages
- 7,394
The seat may be correctable with the correct cover, if it's the early pan, maybe even if it's not.
With the age of the bike it would be well worth pulling the engine and going over it. If it's in good running condition it should be a piece of cake, less the price. Gearbox too. It could be done over winter easily. Norvil and RGM have good prices on complete rebuild kits for bottom ends and pistons too. At this point you will know what you have.
The original front fender and stays are impossible to find. I've been helping someone in FL try to find one for maybe a year now, we thought we found one on ebay, but it was a 71 fender. Mostly people pulled them off and put the 71 fenders on because of the larger tyre issue (300-19 are a bit hard to find) and UN-availability of stays and fenders. As far as I know no one has ever reproduced it, but recently ZDF (Andover Norton owner) has reproduced the early 68/70 fenders for the pre-fastback (68 Commando). I'm wondering if that's not the same style fender and stays, it may be worth researching. I managed to re-chrome mine. Here's a good way to tell if it's a 69/70 mudguard.
Be aware, if you put the S type exhaust on and have the 71 stays and guard, they will foul in the exhaust under hard braking and you will wet your pants because now you can't steer. I think the Norton factory knew this and that is why the S had a special front mudguard, although I'm not sure the Roadster in the same years weren't the same, in the parts book they are slightly different numbers. You'll need to get the 68 Spares Book which includes the S, R and Roadster, there's one on-line, I'll have to research that, I can't find it right now.
It's certainly a nice looking bike and I can understand your anticipation. Just be aware of what you are going to have to put into it and it's 41 years old.
Dave
69S
With the age of the bike it would be well worth pulling the engine and going over it. If it's in good running condition it should be a piece of cake, less the price. Gearbox too. It could be done over winter easily. Norvil and RGM have good prices on complete rebuild kits for bottom ends and pistons too. At this point you will know what you have.
The original front fender and stays are impossible to find. I've been helping someone in FL try to find one for maybe a year now, we thought we found one on ebay, but it was a 71 fender. Mostly people pulled them off and put the 71 fenders on because of the larger tyre issue (300-19 are a bit hard to find) and UN-availability of stays and fenders. As far as I know no one has ever reproduced it, but recently ZDF (Andover Norton owner) has reproduced the early 68/70 fenders for the pre-fastback (68 Commando). I'm wondering if that's not the same style fender and stays, it may be worth researching. I managed to re-chrome mine. Here's a good way to tell if it's a 69/70 mudguard.
Be aware, if you put the S type exhaust on and have the 71 stays and guard, they will foul in the exhaust under hard braking and you will wet your pants because now you can't steer. I think the Norton factory knew this and that is why the S had a special front mudguard, although I'm not sure the Roadster in the same years weren't the same, in the parts book they are slightly different numbers. You'll need to get the 68 Spares Book which includes the S, R and Roadster, there's one on-line, I'll have to research that, I can't find it right now.
It's certainly a nice looking bike and I can understand your anticipation. Just be aware of what you are going to have to put into it and it's 41 years old.
Dave
69S
