The Barn Find!

V7Sport73 · Dec 15, 2013

Well, here it is! Another one owner barn find! This one was rescued out of the Texas hill country USA. It looks like it has been setting around for a couple of months. The history is pretty much unknown other than it was from the estate of the original owner. You just have to love those handle bars! The purchase price was $2,000 USD. The cost of going transporting home was around $600. I was hoping to find a runner but this was all I can afford. I spent all my money on the new Norton. However the 961 looked lonely in the garage so I figured I'd give it some company. I have always lusted after an old Norton but the maintenance and repair stories have kept me away from them. I've restored several Guzzi's but I know very little about the Norton's. Some of you may have seen my red Moto Guzzi Eldorado I rode to Randy's place in Silver City, NM. I rode it up there one year when he was having his Norton get together. It takes me about two years to get a bike done in my spare time. So now I have another project on the books! Thoughts and comments?

ILLF8ED · Dec 15, 2013

Congratulations on the find! What's the story how you found it?
"I have always lusted after an old Norton"' I hate it when a Commando is referred to as an old Norton. Until very recently it was the new Norton, at least the latest.

An old Norton was made before WWII.

concours · Dec 15, 2013

Nice looking old bike. Good luck with the resto.

rick in seattle · Dec 15, 2013

Maintenance and repair stories? You're posting on a board of men and women who lost their hearts to these to these magnificent bikes 40 years ago. Maintenance and repair is what we do. Give your Mk3 the careful restoration it deserves, and you'll be rewarded with a riding experience that is unobtainable with modern bikes.

BTW, Commandos benefit from a large network of parts suppliers. You can build up your bike with 100% new parts, excluding the frame (and I may be wrong about the frame)

OldBalz · Dec 15, 2013

rick in seattle said:
BTW, Commandos benefit from a large network of parts suppliers. You can build up your bike with 100% new parts, excluding the frame (and I may be wrong about the frame)

New Commando frames are available from Old Britts for $1700.00 painted 13-062002 or a hundred bucks less for unpainted.

Matt Spencer · Dec 15, 2013

You could put those bars on the 961 . :twisted:

Whats the Milage on the Commando ? . It looks like it needs a wash . :wink: Nice Find .

V7Sport73 · Dec 15, 2013

This one is a rolling basket case. I've looked at for a while now. It will need to be taken completely apart and gone through. The tank and side covers are very rusted. I think it would be better to find aftermarket replacements. I'm not looking for an original restoration. Just something that looks and runs good. Where can I find MkIII side covers? Best place for a new tank?

V7Sport73 · Dec 15, 2013

Matt Spencer said:
You could put those bars on the 961 . :twisted:

Whats the Milage on the Commando ? . It looks like it needs a wash . :wink: Nice Find .

I wanted to but the new bike has clip-ons!

V7Sport73 · Dec 15, 2013

Matt Spencer said:
You could put those bars on the 961 . :twisted:

Whats the Milage on the Commando ? . It looks like it needs a wash . :wink: Nice Find .

15,861

dennisgb · Dec 15, 2013

That's a good find. Looks like it's all there. Does the engine turn over?

V7Sport73 · Dec 15, 2013

Engine turns over shifts through all gears. I will do a leak down check later. Can't find any buildup of oil or grease anywhere. So I don't think there were any major leaks before it was parked. If you shake the oil tank just a little, oil shows on the bottom of the oil tank stick. The oil looks clean like it was just changed. Just lots of rust from 20 years of setting under a plastic tarp. The frame looks pretty good. No dents or cracks anywhere. The bike looks like it's never been wrecked. All the pedals and controls are strait. Swing arm is a little rusty but won't be too hard to do. The bike is pretty much complete. I think it can be saved. I'll have to get the handle bars re-chromed :lol:

rick in seattle · Dec 15, 2013

Some new tinwear is available from Walridge's for $260 CAN per pair. New fuel tanks (alloy) are nearly a grand. Asian repops are cheaper, but you should check the board archives for member's experiences with these products; it's pretty mixed. Unless the tank is rusted through, I believe you'd be better off restoring it. There is a large demand for metal tanks to replace the fiberglass tanks that appeared over a few years of Commando production.

lawman · Dec 15, 2013

Good find, and should come up a treat.

RennieK · Dec 15, 2013

I'd say that's a great score. I wouldn't right off the body work yet, original metal tanks are hard to come by. A lot of the new replacement tanks are not the same shape and/or leak at the seams. Over all it doesn't look nearly as bad for rust as many we see posted here in restoration threads.

It will be interesting to see which one becomes your favourite in the next years.

nortriubuell · Dec 15, 2013

Congrats on the great snag ... wish it were me that "snagged" it though. :cry: This forum is a great help, much info and such. I agree with the TOTAL strip and teardown, just take your time and enjoy. At a minimum when you strip, clean, and rebuild the gearbox, I recommend the layshaft roller bearing conversion. Just my 2 cents ...

ashman · Dec 15, 2013

Just put some fresh fuel in it and pump up the tires, she be right :lol: just have fun with it and enjoy what happens over the years of fixing it up.

Ashley

Matt Spencer · Dec 15, 2013

this'd do for starters , anyway . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq5IUiYMhRM best to jump on it fast , or at least oil .
a good chemical stripping tank , suitable for alloy engines - would clean covers completely , and TANK .
Its if the bottoms rusted out that youd worry .

Good Idea . Best to reasemble from immaculate parts - then you can go with the wind - and know itll stay .
Nothing like a new Commando . 15.000's nothing when maintained . Just run in .

Id put pieces in preserveing jars ( & oil ) Can you get O.E.M. piston rings ?? youres should be good .

:? 8)

Only WHAT are you going to do about that Electric Start .

You know it increses the WEIGHT . :shock: :lol:

itll have to go . :twisted: :mrgreen:

cjandme · Dec 16, 2013

nortriubuell said:
At a minimum when you strip, clean, and rebuild the gearbox, I recommend the layshaft roller bearing conversion ...

+1.....I'm jealous, will be looking forward to more of your posts on the progress

rvich · Dec 16, 2013

As for the tank. That is a long topic but I am in the process of de-rusting a tank right now and will be posting results in a thread shortly. Don't give up on it just because it has rust in it.

Russ

The Barn Find!

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