I will shortly be starting the renovation/restoration of my 1946 model 18, I have a couple of questions that I hope the enlightened gentlemen of this forum may help with.
All the pics i have seen of the 1946 model show an upright gearbox but mine has a dolls head type with a brass number plate on the top, could my bike have been an ex WD machine registered in 1946 ?
It is a rigid frame with girder forks
the wheel rims are painted silver, and where the paint has lifted reveal green painted rims underneath.
The fuel tank and oil tank are chrome plated
How should I go about restoring this, as civilian machine or as an ex WD machine ??, if a civilian machine, should I paint the rims or replace with chrome ?
Is the gearbox correct for this year ?
cheers
John, the 'Doll's Head'…
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Previously richard_payne w…
Previously richard_payne wrote:
John, the 'Doll's Head' box was used pre-war and on all the WD models but when the civilian range was introduced (produced from late 1945 for 1946), it had the early version of the upright box.
All the post-war models had cradle frames. If you have an 'open diamond' then it is probably ex-WD.
1946 models had the front brake on the right with double bracket headlamp holders rather than 'prongs'.
An OHV engine will probbaly look better as a civilian restoration but there were a few 1938 and 1939 Model 18s taken into military service early on.
How you finish the rims will depend on budget, but a girder forked single will not look odd with black painted rims, even if it isn't catalogue specification.
Very grateful for your info Richard, I have Roy Bacons book, which shows a 1946 civilian Norton, The partsI have are identical, cradle frame etc, the exception being the dolls head gearbox and the silver/green painted rims and hubs. I wonder if, at some distant time past, the gearbox had problems and was replaced by an earlier one..dunno. Thanks again
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A replacement box at a tim…
A replacement box at a time when NOS ex-WD boxes were widely available is the probable answer.
The basic box is unchanged. If you prefer it, you should be able to locate later inner and outer covers and positive stop mechanism and correct the appearance.
Wheels were unchanged from the WD models although the swapping over of the front brake side meant that the speedo drive gear in the detachable brake drum is threaded the other way round. This is something to be careful of as if the complete assembly has been swapped, there is the possibility of it loosening.
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HI John It sounds like you…
HI John
It sounds like you have a civilian mod 18 i have a spare gearbox end cover set which i would be willing to swop for your dolls head type
Regards Roger
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John, the 'Doll's Head' box was used pre-war and on all the WD models but when the civilian range was introduced (produced from late 1945 for 1946), it had the early version of the upright box.
All the post-war models had cradle frames. If you have an 'open diamond' then it is probably ex-WD.
1946 models had the front brake on the right with double bracket headlamp holders rather than 'prongs'.
An OHV engine will probbaly look better as a civilian restoration but there were a few 1938 and 1939 Model 18s taken into military service early on.
How you finish the rims will depend on budget, but a girder forked single will not look odd with black painted rims, even if it isn't catalogue specification.