Where/Who to send a Norton head to for a valve job

Hi All,

A few related topics -

1. New'ish to forum - I have 72 Combat motor that is now apart and I'd like to refresh the motor with a valve seat grind and new valves/guides. Can I get recommmendations/suggestions for an experienced pro to send the head to for this work? Apologize if this has been beaten to death previously, had no luck with search function prior to asking... The bike is intended for life as a daily driver (not racer) when completed....

2. Bronze or iron guides - seem like it's bronze for race bikes and iron for daily drivers - is that the accepted logic these days?

3. On the same topic (again, sorry if this is old stuff) - any advice as to minimizing effects of modern fuel (ethanol added) on my nice new valves/seats once completed?

Thanks!

-kjo (Kevin)

Jim Comstock. comnoz around here.

I am sure he can answer all your questions and do a top notch job for you.

+1 Comnoz on here. He's the man. Done 2 of mine. Couldn't be happier with the results.

have a look at www.nortonmachineshop.com , judging from your login name or "handle" you are in the Boston area, so it would mean that you would need to mail it to him, but well worth it in my opinion. check out the USPS flat rate boxes, you could take one home and beef it up inside with extra cardboard etc...

Another recommendation for Jim Comstock.

I picked up a good 750 head off US eBay and had it sent to Jim.
New Kibblewhite guides and valves along with alu bronze inserts to the exhaust port threads and three 3/8' studs (that can pull out) at the deck surface.
He sent it on to me in Australia.
Real nice work and great to deal with in general.

Kevin I'm thinking Boston area too so box it up and ship it out.

And if you're on the left coast, by any chance, here's the guy to contact, Phil Radford.
He re-worked my 850 head, found issues I didn't even know I had, and fixed them for a very reasonable price.
http://www.fairsparesamerica.com/

I sent mine to Leo Geoff at Memphis Motor Werks. Don't know if he's still doing it though, it's been years and I think he was having health problems then. All of the others mentioned would be fine too. I would go with whoever does it as to guide selection. Another item you may look at are mushroom tappets. Several ways to accomplish that.

Nothing wrong with packing up a cylinder head and shipping it across the continent but surely there is a competent machinist in your neighborhood.
Ask the gearheads and hot rodder's. Or better yet join a local Vintage Bike Club and find the local scoop.
I use a local shop who is the foremost high performance engine builder/machine shop in the area. This shop is very well known in its genre but unknown to the man on the street. He doesn't advertise and has a shop hidden in plain sight with only a small sign on the front door. All of the local British bike owners/mechanics use this place.
Buy all your parts from Phil @ Fair Spares, copy the spec sheet from the workshop manual and hand it over to the local guy.
Support your local merchants!
Ride On
Dave

Hi, 'Ask Dyno Dave, he is near to you.

freefly103 said:

+1 Comnoz on here. He's the man. Done 2 of mine. Couldn't be happier with the results.

Click to expand...

++++1! for Jim C, Comnoz

Find someone who can actually get it done in a reasonable about of time. These are excellent engine builders. To avoid valve seat recession with todays fuel - install tungsten carbide seats from Tucker valve seats.


CALIFORNIA


Phil Radford of Fair Spares America
1137 Los Olivos Avenue, #3A
Los Osos, CA 93402
ph. 805-534-9248
phil@fairsparesamerica.com


Dean Collinson's TT Cycle
9211 Elizabeth Lake Rd
Leona Valley, CA. 93551
ph. 818-288-2539
tawny524@att.net


Jerry’s Spanner Services
Davis, CA
ph. 530-902-1670
jerrykap@pacbell.net


FLORIDA


Mike Carter ph. 352-242-7501
Dave Carter ph. 352-602-6725
19626 McCall road
Altonna, FL 32702
carterbrosgarage@gmail.com


ILLINOIS


Ed Zender, Morries Place
Ringwood, IL
ph. 815-653-7000
morriesplc@aol.com


IOWA


Kelly George
10742 Beardsley st.
Norwalk IA 50211
ph. 515-953-3400


MASSACHUSETTS


Lindskog Balancing (balancing only)
Massachusetts
ph. 978-263-2040


MARYLAND


House of Balance (balancing only)
6340 Howard Lane
Elkridge, MD 21075
Ph. 410-379-8330
info@houseofbalance.com


MICHIGAN


Dave Atherton
Michigan
ph. 269-503-0521


Dan Clark
Gains, Michigan
ph. 810-635-4969
DMJLC@hotmail.com


MONTANA


Skip Schloss
Flying Fish Motorcycles
74 Scullers Way
Whitefish, MT 59937
ph. 406-270-0546


TENNESSEE


Leo Goff
Memphis Motorwerks
9063 Macon Road,
Cordova, TN 38018
ph. 901-757-1009


TEXAS


Steve Adkins
Preservation Cycle
2433 Lacy Ln. Ste 105
Carrollton Tx, 75006
ph. 972-243-7442


Big D cycle repair
ph. 214-339-2285
Texas


Sealy Cycle Service
3816 College Street
Sealy, Texas. 77474
ph. 979-877-0999
sealycycleservice@hotmail.com
sealycyclesrvice.com


WASHINGTON


ErikJaderquist
ErikJaderquist@msn.com
Seattle Washington
ph. 206-923-2234


INTERNATIONAL


AUSTRALIA


Michael Panayi
Classic Road and Race Motorcycles
22 Main Street Bridgewater On Loddon
Victoria, 3516, Australia
Ph. +61 (0) 3 5437 3421
Fax. +61 (0) 3 5437 3421
roadnrace.com.au
info@roadnrace.com.au


Mark Powell
Greenbank Queensland
Australia
ph. +61 (0) 414239930
slider84@bigpond.net.au


Garth Francis
R & G Steel Works
33 Marion Street
Altona North
Victoria 3025
Australia
ph. + 61 (0) 422 300 152
garthfrancis@live.com


BELGIUM


Yves Vanheers
Vilvoorde
Belgium
ph. 00 (32) 494 75 75 10
marina.kips@skynet.be


CANADA


John Martin
North Varcouver, BC
Canada
ph. 604-971-4280
Classicmotorcycleservices@gmail.com


Bruce Barclay
Fairview, Alberta
Canada
brucebul@telus.net


FINLAND


Vesa Vuorela
Niskapietiläntie 843
56550 Niska-Pietilä
Finland
ph. +358 50 5451 800
vesa@magneettomies.com
http://www.magneettomies.com


FRANCE


Bruno Perlinski
Machine shop and rebuild services
45 Chemin Noir
Marcq-en-Baroeul
France, 59700
ph. 0033 662 457 197
bruno_per@hotmail.com


GERMANY


Richard Metzger
Jakob-Schneider-Str.3
77977 Rust
Germany
ph. 07822-865581
richard.metzger@rm-rust.de


NEW ZEALAND


Bob Nesbitt of Classic Cycles
42a Ward st
Upper Hutt 5018
Upper New Zealand
ph. 04-579608
bob@classiccycles.co.nz


Tony Stanwell / Aero Machinists and Engineers
31 Northway Street ,Te Rapa,Hamiton New Zealand
ph. 64(7)8494 599
aeromachinists@xtra.co.nz

I heard Bob Nesbitt passed last week, sadly.

Yes he did, his funeral was last Monday, a big turnout from all accounts.
They used his yellow GMC truck for a hearse, a big N on the coffin for his Norton passion and a big procession of bikes including some race bikes.
RIP sadly missed
Regards Mike

What? nobody in the UK Jim?

The Buckeye Rider said:

Nothing wrong with packing up a cylinder head and shipping it across the continent but surely there is a competent machinist in your neighborhood.
Ask the gearheads and hot rodder's. Or better yet join a local Vintage Bike Club and find the local scoop.
I use a local shop who is the foremost high performance engine builder/machine shop in the area. This shop is very well known in its genre but unknown to the man on the street. He doesn't advertise and has a shop hidden in plain sight with only a small sign on the front door. All of the local British bike owners/mechanics use this place.
Buy all your parts from Phil @ Fair Spares, copy the spec sheet from the workshop manual and hand it over to the local guy.
Support your local merchants!
Ride On
Dave

Click to expand...

Sorry, I disagree that any local machine shop can "do" a Norton head properly. It really takes someone who knows what they are doing specifically on Nortons, not Triumphs or hot rods, etc. The valve guides are the most critical operation.
Russ

batrider said:

The Buckeye Rider said:

Nothing wrong with packing up a cylinder head and shipping it across the continent but surely there is a competent machinist in your neighborhood.
Ask the gearheads and hot rodder's. Or better yet join a local Vintage Bike Club and find the local scoop.
I use a local shop who is the foremost high performance engine builder/machine shop in the area. This shop is very well known in its genre but unknown to the man on the street. He doesn't advertise and has a shop hidden in plain sight with only a small sign on the front door. All of the local British bike owners/mechanics use this place.
Buy all your parts from Phil @ Fair Spares, copy the spec sheet from the workshop manual and hand it over to the local guy.
Support your local merchants!
Ride On
Dave

Click to expand...

Sorry, I disagree that any local machine shop can "do" a Norton head properly. It really takes someone who knows what they are doing specifically on Nortons, not Triumphs or hot rods, etc. The valve guides are the most critical operation.
Russ

Click to expand...

I vote for "Support your Local or non Local Norton Specialists", such as Mr J Comstock, he has all the jigs,tooling ,parts, thread inserts, programs, knowledge,,,, on and on

SteveA said:

What? nobody in the UK Jim?

Click to expand...

Its not a comprehensive list. I would be happy to add someone in the UK with a good reputation that I can work with.

And I'm sorry to hear about Bob Nesbitt (I just found out).

jseng1 said:

SteveA said:

What? nobody in the UK Jim?

Click to expand...

Its not a comprehensive list. I would be happy to add someone in the UK with a good reputation that I can work with.

And I'm sorry to hear about Bob Nesbitt (I just found out).

Click to expand...

I wouldn't send a head to any of those people on that list. I'm sure they'll done fine but...