Will's '75 Commando custom restoration

grandpaul · Sep 2, 2009

bigstu said:
How do you stiffen up the shocks?

Turn the knurled adjuster at the base of the spring

bigstu said:
Is the back end lower than the front from standard?

Slightly. It's more pronounced when the bike is sitting on the centerstand and the suspension is unloaded. It's pretty much even when the rider sits on the bike, there is more "sag" in the forks than there is in the shocks.

bigstu said:
I like the light you have put on at the rear, ... but I don't like the way it points down.

There are very few choices of aftermarket classic style tail lights, and the fact is that the rear frame loop on the Norton limits what you can do with seat, fender & tail light options unless you chop it off or cut it and alter it.

It took me a good while to get to liking the Commando's LONG tail, after owning Triumphs for so long; after a while, the look takes a positive form in your mind's eye.

Coco · Sep 2, 2009

Where's that seat from? I have a Wilcox made seat that came with my tank but I'm not loving it so much as the mounting method seems a bit sketchy to me.

grandpaul · Sep 2, 2009

The seat is an RGM unit, and it came without a mounting bracket. Handily, I had one on the shelf and was able to secure it with the two 'glassed-in captive nuts by simply re-drilling the holes in the bracket to align it with the best mounting position using the alloy tank. It sits very solidly on the frame rails; VERY unlike the Dunstall seats which must be blocked and braced or the rider's weight will crack them.

Rob94010 · Sep 2, 2009

Very nice. Very nice indeed.

Coco · Sep 2, 2009

grandpaul said:
The seat is an RGM unit, and it came without a mounting bracket. Handily, I had one on the shelf and was able to secure it with the two 'glassed-in captive nuts by simply re-drilling the holes in the bracket to align it with the best mounting position using the alloy tank. It sits very solidly on the frame rails; VERY unlike the Dunstall seats which must be blocked and braced or the rider's weight will crack them.

Just the stock MKIII seat bracket was modded to fit?

bpatton · Sep 2, 2009

GP,

A while back you mentioned a 'Big bearing' modification to the swingarm. I think it was on this build. Could you describe this?

Bob

grandpaul · Sep 2, 2009

Coco - it was a typical flat plate bracket with the slotted "ear" on each end, that's used on all the aftermarket seats I've seen.

bpatton: The big bearing swingarm is on the monoshock 880 project, not this one.

Jeandr · Sep 2, 2009

Very nice bike GP, I love the open look behind the engine. How far do you have to go to deliver it?

Jean

grandpaul · Sep 2, 2009

The client's biggest focus was on having that "open" look.

Just over 1,000 miles from Laredo, TX to Jacksonville, FL.

I'm combining the trip with picking up a Commando engine, visiting my oldest son, and going to a Land Speed Trials meet (here in Texas) where I'll run one day and volunteer the other 2 days.

grandpaul · Sep 8, 2009

Headlight, tail light, brake lights, horn, marker lights & turn signals all done.

I can't get the original idiot lights to light up, may have to replace all of 'em...

grandpaul · Sep 11, 2009

The decals came out great-

Talk about mirror finish, and the logos just "disappear" with the background...

Coco · Sep 11, 2009

What's the story on those tank decals? I want something similar for my polished tank. Regular decals stick out like a sore thumb. I thought about blasting the logo in but that is way more work than what I want to do.

grandpaul · Sep 11, 2009

My painter hand-cut them for me from a pattern, from some pinstriping material. They are thinner than vinyl stickers, but heavier than water-slide decals.

Cookie · Sep 11, 2009

That's pretty!

Green Hornet · Sep 12, 2009

Most impressive build!
If I read right in an earlier post you had a clearcoat applied to the tank? Do you know what was used?
I had that factory clearcoat on the cases of a Sporster. When that got attacked by the salt air here on the coast it was a nightmare. I wound up having to strip it off and and polish it up regularly from that point.
Looks great though.

grandpaul · Sep 12, 2009

No clearcoat, just wax.

grandpaul · Sep 14, 2009

The bike is done except detailing and more shake-down miles. Should be perfect timing for when the truck gets here to take it home.

The tank strap looks nice, and is a good contrast with the dark Blue to offset the light Blue frame. Gold piping is a bit heavy, but was as thin as the upholsterer could possibly get it. If the seat gets matching Gold piping, it should set it off nicely.

Matching guages are always nicer than mis-matched ones...

It takes zero effort to get up to 70; just popping through the gears to about 5,000 RPM has you there in nothing flat. It also runs quite smoothly at steady speeds, no surging, no burping, just dead steady.

grandpaul · Sep 16, 2009

Out and about to get some heat in the engine for final re-torque, I note 3,750 RPM = 70MPH steady cruise. What a dream, right at the low end of the "sweet spot". From there, it just "comes on" and streches your arms!

grandpaul · Sep 16, 2009

It's about "that time", so I took the camera and the bike down to the pond for some decent shots; wierd, the camera started "acting up" on a couple of otherwise nice shots that were not posted. I'll try again tomorrow morning (maybe it was too hot, or too much sun?)