Time to introduce myself...

I have been riding Nortons since 1969 with a short stint on a Yamaha RD400 from 1977 to 1990.

My brother bought a 1963 750 Atlas in 1968, we later found out the 750 Atlas did not exist in 1963 and the serial numbers had been "fudged", probably a stolen bike when he bought it. The first winter, we took it apart to find it had a burned exhaust valve, the bike still ran up to 80mph in it's sorry state. We fixed it up and he later turned it into a chopper with 10" extended forks (scary), changed the brakes to a 2LS Commando type and after that to a Honda 750 front disc.

In 69, I bought a Commando "S", it went through many changes, both cosmetic and performance. I had so many problems with the gearbox (broken mainshaft, split the case open twice...) that I eventually sold it and bought a Yamaha RD400.

Around 1990, I bought 2 Nortons that had been in a fire, one was an 850 JPN (toasted to a crisp) and the other an early 1969 bitsa. I rebuilt the JPN on which only the steel and aluminium parts remained as a Fastback with a Suzuki 4LS front brake which I later changed to a stock disk. My Fastback is now in storage and I have resurected my RD while I am building a Featherbed framed café racer.

Jean

Some pics at http://www.pbase.com/jeandr/nortons
and at http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa4/ ... o/?start=0

Jean absolutely bloody stunning!

Jean
What can I say? Love it! Just absolutely bloody stunning. Keep at it.
I know these things take an awful lot of time but you have taken it to a whole new level, with the things you are doing.
Look forward to seeing it done.
all the best Chris
ps as an aside any idea what the gearbox is in the race bike?

Your Cafe Racer project looks very impressive Jean, so I hope you will keep us informed about how it's going?

Re: Jean absolutely bloody stunning!

Chris said:

as an aside any idea what the gearbox is in the race bike?

Click to expand...

Strangely enough, I was looking through some old copies of 'Roadholder Magazine' (the UK NOC mag.) this evening, when I came across a couple of photos of the same Jim Comstock bike in issue No.227 (Jan/Feb2003) along with a brief description, stating that it had a home-made belt drive, clutch and gearbox, modified VW diesel crankshaft with centre support plain bearing, Carillo rods, 13:1 pistons, balanced to 55% and an output of 94 hp at 9,000 RPM

Sure will

L.A.B. said:

Your Cafe Racer project looks very impressive Jean, so I hope you will keep us informed about how it's going?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the good words. I found these forums looking for a different kickstarter and found more than that so far, very knowledgeable people ;-)

I'm working on my project just about every day. Since I am doing all the work and only having what I really can't do because I either don't have the tools or the skill, it is taking some time. I'm hoping to have it done by summer but I won't be put off if it slips a bit. I put pictures on Pbase on a regular basis whenever I make a bit of progress so check from time to time.


Jean

Re: Jean absolutely bloody stunning!

L.A.B. said:

Chris said:

as an aside any idea what the gearbox is in the race bike?

Click to expand...

Strangely enough, I was looking through some old copies of 'Roadholder Magazine' (the UK NOC mag.) this evening, when I came across a couple of photos of the same Jim Comstock bike in issue No.227 (Jan/Feb2003) along with a brief description, stating that it had a home-made belt drive, clutch and gearbox, modified VW diesel crankshaft with centre support plain bearing, Carillo rods, 13:1 pistons, balanced to 55% and an output of 94 hp at 9,000 RPM

Click to expand...

If you could scan the pages and either post them somewhere or send them to me at jeandr at videotron dot ca I would appreciate it very much. There is so much on jim's bike, it's hard to stop on just one thing. For instance, the oil tank is sitting below the engine, there is no primary belt tension adjustment of any sort, the front disk with radial cooling holes, the air intakes through the gas tank without any mention of the engine/trasmission and what's inside each.

Very impressive work.

Jean

Re: Jean absolutely bloody stunning!

Chris said:

Jean
What can I say? Love it! Just absolutely bloody stunning. Keep at it.
I know these things take an awful lot of time but you have taken it to a whole new level, with the things you are doing.
Look forward to seeing it done.
all the best Chris
ps as an aside any idea what the gearbox is in the race bike?

Click to expand...

Thanks, I wanted a classic look and my friend suckered me into going with a belt drive final. Each time I would think of using a special part it would force me in another direction. For example the primary belt I am using precludes the use of the stock alternator, so I researched other means of producing electric power, checked out the Alton alternator, but the rotational speed available from the timing cover, where the points and magneto were, was not high enough, not to mention the cost of the Alton ($600+). I bought the little alternator brand new from a kubota dealer for $135, my first idea was to drive it from the timing chest too, but then while toying with it, I saw I had just enough room to put a ¼" v belt (which I happened to have on hand, being a packrat), not only was that a simpler drive, it gave me the rotational speed I needed for the alternator. The changes of direction go on and on, but that's the fun part of making something that has never been done before (well I think it has never been done).

Jean

Re: Jean absolutely bloody stunning!

Jeandr said:

If you could scan the pages and either post them somewhere

Click to expand...

Jean,

Sorry, you may have got the impression that the Comstock bike was the subject of an article featured in the NOC Roadholder magazine?

Unfortunately there are only two photos, which appear to have been taken at the same time as your own, and a brief description, most of which I relayed, which fills one small NOC (A5-size) magazine page.

But I will certainly scan it and send it to you.