Michael's 1929 Model CJ Norton

Michael in Austria sent these pics of his CJ Norton; Simon looked up the details in the Works records.

The engine number and frame number match. It was fitted with an Amal carburetter, 26 x 3 tyres and enclosed spring Druid forks (currently Webbs are fitted). The LS gear box number was 108475. It had a 500cc petroltank, narrow mudguards, twistgrip and an oiltank with the filler on  the left. It was supplied with a spare high compression piston. Despatched on 14/5/29 to Piet van Wijngaarden but the records also say that the bike was for a Mr Davids and was 'special by W Moore.'

Thus it was ordered by van Wijngaarden in racing trim; it's anyone's guess if it was for his customer, Mr Davids or for van Wijngaarden to use himself.

Luggage racks

An email from Geoff

I obtained an old and original rack for my 1925 Big Four...trouble is it doesnt fit! I think it is from a 16H but I don't know what year bike the rack came off. The arms on this rack are too close together and too short where they bolt onto the frame for my Big Four so I reckon on the Big Four rack the arms are slightly longer and angle slightly outwards at about 15 to 20 degrees so as to fit onto the studs on the outside of the rear downtubes which must be wider apart on the Big Four than the 16H. Another reason it doesnt fit could be that pre-1925 model racks have a different part number to 1925 onward models. If anyone can send me the dimensions of a 1925 to 1927 Big Four rack from the fixing bolt holes just above the spindle vertically to the topside of the platform where the luggage fixes and the length of the front arms I would be very grateful!

Mark's 1923 Model 16H Norton

An email from Mark

I am in  Cape Town South Africa and have a 1923 16H (above) and I am in need of a piston and if possible a barrel as well. Mine came with a bad score inside from the gudgeon pin and has an incorrect piston that somebody has machined the shoulder almost completely off; it does not appear to ever have run with this piston. Who has a spare barrel and piston available? The gudgeon pin is ¾” ( 18.87mm).

Simon: "My piston data shows that the gudgeon pin was 5/8" not 3/4" and the piston was cast iron, as one would expect. The Hepolite number for it is shown as 269 or, in aluminium (slightly later but still 5/8" pin) number 1509".

A Ride Gone Bad Part 2

View Larger Map

A Ride Gone Bad Part 2 Continued from A Ride Gone Bad Part 1

There we were, my son Jake and I, heading home from Cresson through Burleson on Highway 377 in what was now just a light rain. We started picking up Saturday morning traffic now among all the stop and go of the traffic lights. We were both in the right hand lane and Jake was in front of me in the left track and I was riding in the right track. Everything was going fine until the white older Tahoe in front of Jake hit the brakes for no apparent reason.

I saw Jakes brake light come on and his rear tire start to slide to the right. Everything appeared to be happening in slow motion now. I lightly applied my brakes and it was like we were on ice. I saw Jakes bike going down as he went flying towards the stopped SUV in my line of track. At the same time I felt my rear tire starting to slide out to the right. This is where things become fuzzy.

I’m guessing my tires got grip and locked up sending my high side. I remember feeling in my head like I was doing a flip midair. I remember the back of my helmet slamming down hitting the street hard followed closely by my shoulders and upper back almost simultaneously knocking the wind out of me. I remember looking up into the sky seeing stars in my head and rain sprinkling down onto my face shield.

Interesting things go through your head when something like this goes down. I was more concerned about my son than myself knowing he has a lot more life to live than I do. I definitely did not want to run into him. The other thought was the fact that if the crash did not kill me my wife would.

I heard Jake off to my right yelling “Dad, dad!” I lifted up my right hand still too stunned to get up. I realized my left ankle was hurting and that my left knee was bent and my foot was underneath me. I managed to get my left leg straightened out as my ankle started to throb. A Good Samaritan was standing over me dialing 911 on his cell phone asking me if I was all right. I tried to set up on my own and could not. The Good Samaritans wife came over and held an umbrella over me as Jake came over to see how I was. I was relieved to hear he was banged up pretty bad but ok.

I was able to slowly get to my feet just as the Paramedics arrived. I must have slid quite a ways because I wound up in the grass along the side of the road head pointed away from the road. I could barely put any weight on my left foot and my right elbow was hurting. I hobbled over to the ambulance to get examined while Jake went to push our damaged bikes out of the street.

Jake joined me in the ambulance as they checked me out. They asked for all our pertinent information and a police officer also quizzed us while they checked Jake out. The only blood was from my right elbow which was scraped and starting to swell up like a goose egg. We turned down a ride to the emergency room and Jake exited while I limped off the ambulance. It was still sprinkling.

Jake had called his mom, my wife, earlier and told me to call as I limped over to the nearest strip center building, a Texas Car Tittle and Payday Loan Services building next to a Domino’s Pizza, to hopefully get out of the rain. I called and she was already on the way to get us so I gave her directions. Just as I was about to set down and the cement in front of the building a young lady named Melisa asked if we would like to come inside and sit down. After explaining we were soaking wet she still offered us some chairs at one of the tables inside so we thankfully obliged her. She also explained that she would enjoy the company because the business had been held up, robbed, just the day before.

We set down a second and Jake suggested I take off my left boot before it swelled up any more. So while I struggled with my boot Jake went to roll the bikes up to one of the parking spaces in front of the store. While he was doing that the Domino’s Pizza manager offered to lock the bikes in his storage area which we politely declined.

I was feeling light headed again and when Jake came in I asked him to get me a bottle of water from my saddle bag which he promptly brought me. He went back out as I drank and then I got dizzier and had to lie down on the floor for a few minutes. Jake came back in and then I was feeling level headed again and I crawled back into the chair again. My head felt like I had an inner ear infection and made me dizzy every time I moved my head fast....

To Be Continued.....

Ride on,
Torch

1930 Model 20 Norton - Sold

For sale at Bonhams and their description:

"This Model 20 has been in the vendor's family since it was delivered new in April 1930 and was used by his father - 'The Flying Vicar' - to travel around his parish. Little used after 1950, it was placed in storage before being re-commissioned and used by the vendor from 1960 to 1965. 'VK 1969' was then put into store again, remaining there until 1990 when it was re-commissioned. In regular use since then, it has benefited from a new seat (2005), new pannier boxes (2007) and new mudguards, exhaust pipes and silencers (2008). The machine is described as in generally very good condition and offered with current MoT/tax, NOC dating certificate and Swansea V5C registration document. It should be noted that the Sturmey Archer gearbox, although correctly ratioed, is not original to this machine. Registration no. VK 1969, Frame no. 41529. Engine no. 48139"

JdK: A pity they replaced so many parts as they don't fit really well; headlamp and magdyno come from a younger bike.

Simon: "It was indeed delivered 8/4/30 to the Revd. O McDonald of St John's Vicarage in Newcastle.  Not clear if this was Newcastle up North or Newcastle (under Lyme) in the Midlands - probably  up North.  Frame and engine number agree and it still has the speedo in the tank.  Also has the correct primary chain guard.  Missing the cast alloy magdyno cover (as well as the original magdyno) but not a bad lot. Note the half size oil tank - this was the usual arrangement on dynamo equipped Model 20s."


Note: sold for GBP 12.650

Scoopy i สีใหม่ลายใหม่ เริ่มขายเเล้ว

More of LPD1

The photo on top depicts Chris Driscoll (on the left), son of Pat Driscoll and Roger, the current owner of LPD1 (photo by Martin). The other photographs were made last April at Brooklands and show LPD1 in it's latest reincarnation. Read all about LPD1 in Roger's book.