I have been offered a 1949 500T, which is mostly all there. All the written information I can find on 500T's show that the original factory petrol tanks were made of steel.
This one has an identical shape and fitting tank, but it is made of alloy.
Does anyone know for sure if the factory offered alloy ones, or do I assume this is a pattern tank?
I have never heard of an a…
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Chris, Thank you for givin…
Chris,
Thank you for giving me Mike's contact details.
According to Mike, Norton did make a small batch of alloy tanks for the 'Works' 500T's around 1952, when Jeff Smith and John Draper defected from BSA. Also alloy chain case & fork covers, and some engine casings in Elektron.
Sadly, the bike I had been offered turned out to be not much 500T, apart from the frame & oil tank. The alloy petrol tank looked too new inside to be something from the 50's, and I still suspect it was some sort of pattern tank, so I gave it all a miss.
If anyone knows of a reasonably original 500T for sale, in any condition,
please let me know . . .
Thanks
Roger
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I have been told the 500T…
I have been told the 500T is one of those magic motorcycles where there are more now in existence than the factory made. The NOC specialists have noted a number of key indicators which enable a real 500T to be differentiated from one based on a 16H frame, cycle parts and/or an ES2 engine. If you are buying one, use your Club to make sure that you don't pay a lot of money for a sheep in wolf's clothing.
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I have never heard of an alloy tank for the 500T but who knows what special equipment might have been made available for works riders? In the absence of Peter Roydhouse who was always the first port of call for tricky 500T questions, I am referring Roger's query to no less than the NOC President, Mike Jackson, who knows a thng or two about both Nortons and trials machinery.