99SS wiring harness... another question

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously bruce_mitchell wrote:

Hi

The taillight harness on my 99SS is a nasty looking home-made job, is there a separate taillight harness for this model? I see lots of ads for a "main harness" but was told there is different one for the tail/stop light. I can find no reference to it though and my parts catalogue only shows one (for 1962, 88SS and 650SS - would that include the tail light?).

Bruce

Well that funny as all wiring harness should come with the tale light wiring witch is a one peace sleeve with two wire green/red and brown the green/red for the tale light brown for the stop light , but the (99SS) its a distributor model Where as 88SS/650SS are Magneto models so the two different wiring harnesses you need the wiring harness for the standard and Deluxe Models 88/99 post 1958 distributor models

yours Anna J

Hi Anna,

Mine has a magneto. I suspect I need a whole new harness as I've now found other bodgy bits in it. I acquired the bike this spring, the motor is great but the cycle parts need quite a bit of attention - wrong shocks, wrong fenders, poor paint. It's difficult to find information on this model, I believe it was a one year only model, do you know?

thanks, Bruce

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously bruce_mitchell wrote:

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously bruce_mitchell wrote:

Hi

The taillight harness on my 99SS is a nasty looking home-made job, is there a separate taillight harness for this model? I see lots of ads for a "main harness" but was told there is different one for the tail/stop light. I can find no reference to it though and my parts catalogue only shows one (for 1962, 88SS and 650SS - would that include the tail light?).

Bruce

Well that funny as all wiring harness should come with the tale light wiring witch is a one peace sleeve with two wire green/red and brown the green/red for the tale light brown for the stop light , but the (99SS) its a distributor model Where as 88SS/650SS are Magneto models so the two different wiring harnesses you need the wiring harness for the standard and Deluxe Models 88/99 post 1958 distributor models

yours Anna J

Hi Anna,

Mine has a magneto. I suspect I need a whole new harness as I've now found other bodgy bits in it. I acquired the bike this spring, the motor is great but the cycle parts need quite a bit of attention - wrong shocks, wrong fenders, poor paint. It's difficult to find information on this model, I believe it was a one year only model, do you know?

thanks, Bruce

Well Bruce I can let you every thing you need to know about these motorcycle As I had one and sill wish I still did have it, as it was a really good bike to own They all came out with Distributor fitted and had the Lucas RM19 alternator with emergency coils fitted in the alternator so if you had a flat battery you switched the ignition to Emg and you could start your bike they had the single carb head with splayed twin carb manifold , and they where paint in Norton Metallic Grey and Dove Grey its more like a off white Land rover do this colour, the engine kicked out 44 bhp and they could hit 110 mph with your head down , My one was a bit special end motor was rebuilt By Eric Creaser a well know Sidecar tuner and engineer he worked a Doncasters BR locomotive workshops they had some marvelous tooling you could make just about anything in there well he did say too me as I picked up my motor you not blow that one up , and I did try back then I was a hard rider and you could go as fast as you could with out any police stopping you so down the A1 you could hit 110 easy with my motor and a Quafe 5 speed gearbox under you and that motor use to love having a good thrashing it would sing away all day at a ton plus there was not one Triumph bonnie to catch it even the jap bikes had there job cut out trying I had a race down the new back then M18 just before it was open as we used it for practis runs and my mate Rob had just got the new Suzuki GS1000 so we had one hell of a straight line race and he could not leave my bike as hard as he tried well there the good old days , but what a motorcycle that (99SS) was any way the first ones came out on April 1961 to October 1962 and they where wearing the Norton Manxman 650 crankcases and Camshaft and followers and pushrods and rocker arms the rest was from standard models but the cylinder head had been doctored by the works race team at Norton one ran at MIRA at a top speed of 118 at was as fast as the later 650SS there was not much in the two bike, So have fun and get it back to its Glory days and you have a good bike so you need a distributor and they do electronic ignition for these as well now

, and sell on the magneto Yours Anna J

Thanks Anna,

That's great information, much appreciated. I am in Canada where these bikes are like hen's teeth. I know of one other 99 (at the other end of the country and it's not an SS). Obviously mine has been quite altered over the years.

I went back to my supplier who said... "Ooops, I did some research and forgot to tell you there is only one wiring harness" ... well thanks.

I also have a single Monobloc on it, something else to address at some point.

Here it is in the snow.

cheers, Bruce

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously David Cooper wrote:

I'd stick to the magneto if it's sound. If not - get a new condenser (Skip sells them that side of the Pond). The only reason they got rid of them was cost. It simplifies the wiring and, by removing lots of connections and the need for a functioning charging system, it's more reliable. It looks like you have 12 volt electrics with zenor diode sitting out (like a wart) in front of the engine. That's non-standard for a 99 but do you really want to go back to 6 volts since you have a nice fat alternator? And the alternator isn't doing much with the magneto there. I'd use the wiring for a 12 volt 650SS or 88SS if it were mine. But it's not!...

well since it needs restoring back to factory spec , you get the right mudguards of ebay the ones with no chrome on as there painted any way and the right wiring harness 12v electrics ,electronic ignition from boyer distributor set up and a nice paint job in dove grey and norton grey metallic and chrome tank badges it then would look like a 99ss should look like have fun in the sun beam me up Scotti yours Anna j

I have a new front fender, as of yet unpainted, and a used chromed rear fender needing a few unnecessary holes filled. I will go for the dove/metallic grey paint which I think looks great anyway - I'll buy a small container of each from (the UK company mentioned on other topic messages, can't remember it's name now) to match by my painter here. It's 12 volt now and I'll replace the entire old harness with a 12v one, I do not want to return to 6 volts! The correct shocks are now on it and I have a second seat I'm modifying to bring me closer to the ground. The bike is for riding for fun, not showing for points.

Fortunately I have a magneto expert living near by should that need attention, I like magnetos (have one on my RE) so won't switch as long as I, and friend, can keep it functioning well.

At this time I don't see the point in e-ignition, it just requires a stronger battery and the bike starts easily and runs really well with the mag.

I have new tank badges and a new uninstalled prop stand.

The clutch adjuster has been modified... I can't adjust the clutch so currently can't ride the bike, I don't have a gorilla hand on the left side. I think I just need a new adjuster/locknut, at worst a new pressure plate too.

cheers! Bruce

Previously Gordon Johnston wrote:

I take it you are certain it is a 99SS? There is a lot ot be said for sticking with the single carb particularly as you intend to ride it. And do you really want to return it to factory spec? It would lose its history and could end up as a (yawn) just another restored Norton. Something to consider.

It clearly says 99SS on the block. At this time I have no intention of converting back to twin carbs. Some of it's history I wouldn't mind losing....

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously lionel_yexley wrote:

When Anna says that harnesses "should" have certain wiring she is forgetting that there are no longer any 'factory' harnesses. Most are only "main" harnesses and are not complete, in one way or another. There is no common standard. They are not made as per the Parts Lists. I was lucky to buy a new harness copied from a 1959 '99' from a show (or Kempton Park jumble?) some years ago - which coincidentally is the same model as my bike! Mine IS complete.

now why Anna say this 99ss should be a Distributor wiring Is the fact I had a (99ss) at one time, and what a good bike they are, and it also state the same in the manual I have as well, so there you are, Yours Anna J just sticking up for myself !

The parts catalogue is unclear but the service manual shows the wiring diagram for the distributer and the magneto models, the 99SS is listed on that page as one of the distributor models. However, and I have yet to receive evidence of this, the Lucas documentation shows the 99SS as having a Magneto. Perhaps they had whichever one you ordered.....

Previously Gordon Johnston wrote:

It clearly says 99SS on the block. At this time I have no intention of converting back to twin carbs. Some of it's history I wouldn't mind losing....

It was not unknown for owners to stamp SS on the engine cases in an attempt to impress their friends - I have a set of cases under the bench which have been stamped in this manner.

When I bought my Dominator, a fair amount was consigned to the dustbin of history. It was pretty ghastly which explained its £30 price tag. Must be worth twice that now...

I haven't had it dated yet but the engine number is within the 99SS range.