When did Mk2 850 production stop

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Steves said:
Off topic, but needs to be said. I had two frozen shoulders, was looking at surgery. Went to a Kiwi girl physio in Scotland. She persuaded me to try acupuncture, I was very sceptical. I looked like a pin cushion, she used some pretty big needles, took about 3 months, cured! Good luck with it.
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Thanks. I get acupuncture along with my physio as well and it seems to help a bit. Just slow going.
 
illf8ed said:
A better way to know which frame you have is by factory part number. Keep in mind even if the number does not match what you think you have it doesn’t mean anything as Norton used whatever was at hand when assembling Commandos.
from the NOC website


Submitted by John Holmes on Sat, 17/04/2021

Part numbers for the frame…​

Part numbers for the frame are stamped on the front face of the LH fuel tank bracket next to headstock.
The early 850 frame part number is 064140 Later pre-Mk3 frame is 065404 Mk3 frame is 065632.
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Just looked on mine and can't see anything. Maybe it's filled with paint. My F number fits in the sequence of late Mk 11s so not concerned anyway.
 
marshg246 said:
The Date on 320691 was read directly from what I believe to be the original Certification Label. In my survey page I list all the data from the AN dispatch record for 320691 which includes the frame number (stamped into the headstock) so I know the frame and engine left the factory together. This bike and a few others are why I believe that at least in 74, the Certification Label was stamped and on the frame before they started building the bike. It came off the assembly line (Date off track) Oct 23, 1974 and was shipped (despatched) Nov 26, 1974. If oyu keep looking you've find higher serial numbers shipped earlier according to the factor records.

"Built" is a hard thing to track down and I believe that Norton changed the way they did things a few times between 71 and 75. Also, it appears that some bikes failed testing and were eventually finished later.

The more people who provide info, the better our understanding can be: https://www.gregmarsh.com/MC/Norton/CommandoSurvey.aspx
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That 320691 is a strange one. The October 23 date is where I expected that number to be made. But the plate is stamped August. I guess there will always be a few inconsistent ones. The return of bikes that didn't pass test is definitely a reason for out of sync builds too.
 
Thanks for every bodies input, as we are currently in lockdown I can't go round and check for my self but I have phoned my friend and passed on all this information. With the owners approval I will correspond with Greg Marsh in due course as my friends bike is slightly later than the 3 that he has posted about, but at the moment we are unsure which country this bike was first shipped to.
 
johnm said:
Just looked on mine and can't see anything. Maybe it's filled with paint. My F number fits in the sequence of late Mk 11s so not concerned anyway.
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Only 850 frames were stamped. It’s difficult to see, maybe put some addition light on the forward facing part of the left fuel tank mount.
 
My friend is making progress, he has found a F number on the right side of the steering head 1136XX, the Cylinder head has 30mm inlet ports so an RH10 and on close inspection the Dzus fastener bracket has been cut off the Battery tray so the bike appears to have started life as a Mk2A.
 
LAB said-
I assume you mean the lower yoke as the Mk3 lower yoke has the hole for the brake pipe fitting in addition to the steering damper hole?
The Mk3 upper yoke has no brake pipe hole and can be identified by the two Mk3 console mounting lugs.

Yes the lower yoke, though the top yoke has a hole on the right side which my Mk3 doesn't, I sold my Mk2A a year ago and don't remember if that had a hole or not.
 
NOC hold some records do they have the records that AN don’t as mine falls in the missing category, mine was sold to me as a 1974 mk2a and I have no reason to dis believe that ,
 
possm said:
"LAB said-
I assume you mean the lower yoke as the Mk3 lower yoke has the hole for the brake pipe fitting in addition to the steering damper hole?
The Mk3 upper yoke has no brake pipe hole and can be identified by the two Mk3 console mounting lugs."

Yes the lower yoke, though the top yoke has a hole on the right side which my Mk3 doesn't, I sold my Mk2A a year ago and don't remember if that had a hole or not.
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An upper yoke wouldn't normally have a hole in that position. The Mk3 upper yoke is easily identified by the aforementioned console lugs.
https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-details/16866/top-yoke-c-w-stem-850-mkiii-

phippsy said:
NOC hold some records do they have the records that AN don’t...
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I was informed by John Dunn of the NOC in 2006 that the records "become non-existent after mid-'72".
 
An upper yoke wouldn't normally have a hole in that position. The Mk3 upper yoke is easily identified by the aforementioned console lugs.
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Cheers LAB, does not have the console lugs but definitely has a hole in the right hand side of the top yoke.
 
My 9/73 850 Roadster, #3071xx, has the plastic dzus fastener on the lower corner of the battery cover. The battery is mounted sideways and the bike came with the black plastic air filter box and black cap bean can mufflers. It was purchased in Liverpool.
 
Peter Morland said:
My 9/73 850 Roadster, #3071xx, has the plastic dzus fastener on the lower corner of the battery cover. The battery is mounted sideways and the bike came with the black plastic air filter box and black cap bean can mufflers. It was purchased in Liverpool.
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That would most likely make it a (rare ?) Mk1A if the Mk2/Mk2A started at 307311.
#
There is probably enough plastic in one Mk1A / Mk2A Dzus to make two for a Mk111 and are very different and non interchangeable.

DZUS.jpg
 
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After I posted on this thread I opened the Norton Comnando VIN list ID PDF by Thomas Hannam in the files folder of the Norton Commando Facebook page.

It has a very comprehensive list of Commandos with lots of detail about the end of Mk 11 production. Plus lots of info on out of sequence numbers.

Well worth a look.
 
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