16H restoration

Hi Adam

Welcome to the NOC. A lot depends on if you want to restore it to ride it or sell it. There probably isn't a lot of money to be made in restoring the bike and selling it on but if you want to restore it and ride it yourself it sounds a fair price to me. It's hard to judge what a restoration will cost though as you never know quite what you will find, and it also depends a lot on how much of the work you feel you can do yourself. 1942 would make it a WD16H? I have never had one but I understand the parts are fairly easy to get hold off.

I'm sure there are people on here who will be able to give you a lot more help than me.

As I'm sure you must know as usual the tinware will probably be the biggest problem if it is missing. Russell Motors (Clapham Junction) seem to be the WD16H specialists and sell lots of 16H bits. There seems to be increasing interest in simple side valve bikes - maybe it's speed cameras - maybe just the shortage of more exotic machines...but if it's mostly there and sound then looks reasonable to me. I shouldn't think you'll need a spare gearbox. I don't imagine a 16h is likely to overpower a Norton box (unless you do the circuit of South America...)

Hi Adam,

Over the past year I have been getting together a similar 16H kit using some major lumps I acquired years ago for a fiver. eBay seems a good source, but prices do vary. I have seen complete, restorable bikes sell there between £3,500 and £5,000. Prices are now very different to some years ago with anything Norton seeming to attract a premium. I have had to pay £100 for a good clutch, £150 for a good back wheel and so on. The sad thing is that anything with "Norton" cast on it fetches a silly price, seemingly as folk want them as a decoration for the shed door, belt buckle, whatever. I eventually got a mag' chain cover for £30, but some had gone up to £60! I am still after a petrol tank, but they go around the £200-250 range, making Indian replicas a possible option. In conclusion I would say the price suggested is about right, assuming the expensive bits are OK for reuse. I keep saved searches on eBay for "Norton 16H". "Norton" and "Norton petrol tank" and don't miss anything out there.

Good luck with the bike,

Andy Mullins

If the large lumps are there then the price is probably below current eBay prices. Complete 'Doll's head' gearboxes in pretty much unknown condition can fetch over £500 on eBay - They fit Broughs and exotic pre-war Nortons.

However, if the frame has been broken and welded and the bearings in the engine have been treated to the usual Sub-Continent trick of taking up play with strips of old oil cans then you'll have a job on your hands.

There is a difference between restoring a worn-out UK bike and one that has been kept running with no facilities in Egypt or India. Do you have a lathe (or a friend with one ?)

I think that you're right about the parts price. I wouldn't expect to pay more than about £75 for a bottom end that turned (unless it was my frame's long lost engine - anyone out there got W4216 ?) Heads have to be perfect to be worth anything. I'd offer £150 tops for the lot.

Don't forget to post the pictures !

WOW! This is a real project to get your teeth into. We all look forward to following our progress.

Best of luck!

Looks like you have many enjoyable hours of work ahead of you there!! Heres a few pics of my project to give you some 'inspiration'. It certainly is very rewarding!

http://s1150.photobucket.com/albums/o614/AndyMarks14/1934%20Norton/

If the bike was complete then it might be nice to leave it unrestored and just use it, but as there is so much missing and the parts you find won't have the same patina, you wont get it all looking the same, so I'd strip it and restore it.

I've just finished my 16H and it's 1942 so an idea what yours would have looked like. Good luck with what you decide to do

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j331/Horror/Norton%2016H/DSCN4859_zps95869a3e.jpg

Adam, have you had a look at Rob van den Brink's WD16H site ?

http://www.wdnorton.nl/Frame_and_Engine_number_page_16H.htm

Are you looking for the frame number in the right place ? It sounds as if you're looking at a lug casting number rather than the frame number which is on the front fuel tank supporting lug.

The WD contract plate is for the 1940 contract C7353 which was the 22nd WD contract. Engines and frames were numbered W26001 - W43000 (It was the largest wartime contraxt).

Engine number W89240 does not appear to be listed in any of the military records. There was a small RAF contract W88765 - W88884 and an Army contract that started at W90001 - It could be that there were machines supplied to other services where no record has yet been found or it could be a spare engine. Production would date from 1944.

The gearbox serial number 3827 sounds like a very early one. Does it have a drain plug at the back ?

Close up photos would be handy.

Do you mean that the frame number is W77195 ? That is from contract S150 and would date from mid- late 1943. It originally carried the WD serial number C4859195 on the fuel tank. I have one period photo of a bike from this fairly small contract. I'll try to post it here.

I'll try adding the picture...from the Australian Archives and also in the Far East.