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998 Commando? Identification Help Please

Submitted by geoff_ranson on Sun, 11/02/2018
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Commando

Help needed here,

I am trying to find out anything about a 998 "featherbed" Commando.

Bought as an early (1968) 750cc, but the log book says 998cc

Engine number MV51048, which doesn't match any data base that I| can find

Frame number 127251 made by a guy called Terry Mead based in Kent, bronze welded oil in frame featherbed type.

Seems to go quite well!

Any information or thoughts on any of the above would be appreciated

Thanks

Geoff Ranson

Submitted by david_evans on Sun, 11/02/2018

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My guess with the details furnished would be, a special frame made to accommodate maybe a 998cc four, (maybe even an MV Augusta) and then a Norton Commando engine fitted when the 998cc engine became too valuable to disgrace a Norton frame

Submitted by geoff_ranson on Tue, 13/02/2018

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Thanks for the replies

Dan, thanks, will be getting in touch with Terry

David, the ENGINE number starts MV, not the frame, and the last time I looked there were only two cylinders and on one side the timing cover says Norton, so I think it might be as I described.

Anyway

Have made some further inquiries, and it looks as though the left hand crankcase has at sometime been replaced either in America or with an American stamped case.

Apparently, if the cases were replaced in the states then they were re - stamped and the numbers were changed to their own system

Next question

the barrels are stamped Birco 24237, and are made of aluminium, the only barrels that I can find with these numbers were used on both the Atlas and 750 Commando and are all Iron.

There are plenty of Aluminium after market barrels about, but surely these would not have the Birco stamp ?, or were the casting tools sold on, and now produced by someone else?

Any ideas welcome

Submitted by david_evans on Tue, 13/02/2018

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Embarassed

Submitted by geoff_ranson on Sun, 18/02/2018

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Previously anthony_curzon wrote:

127251 is a Commando frame number from August 1968. It went to the Berliner Corporation inNew York.

Anthony

That, would seem to back up that the crankcase was replaced in the States.

Best guess is that a previous owner had the Terry Mead frame made / bought to replace the original and kept the original frame number, that clicks a lot of pieces into place.

Looks like that the engine is a 750, and the log book is incorrect.

Thanks for all the help from everyone

Submitted by julian_wells on Thu, 01/03/2018

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Very tasty ...

Previously kevin_grainger wrote:

hi - the bike is mone, geoff was kind enuff to kick off the queries but i've now joined so heres a couple of piccies

Submitted by julian_wells on Thu, 01/03/2018

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I have to say that the barrels look like perfectly normal 750 iron barrels (painted silver, as many were when they left the factory). If so, I can't see how engine capacity could be 998 cc.

Maybe a magnet will reveal more?

Previously geoff_ranson wrote: ...

the barrels are stamped Birco 24237, and are made of aluminium, the only barrels that I can find with these numbers were used on both the Atlas and 750 Commando and are all Iron.

There are plenty of Aluminium after market barrels about, but surely these would not have the Birco stamp ?, or were the casting tools sold on, and now produced by someone else?

Any ideas welcome

Submitted by kevin_grainger on Fri, 02/03/2018

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think you're right ref the barrels, no idea how the log book came to state 998cc so i'm getting it changed to 750. think i'm going to be spending a few months working out whats been done to the bike, someones spent a lot of time and money on it thats for sure!

 


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