It Says In the NOC history page that the Dominator Model 88 was first built from 1952 this is in correct it was first built a seen in april 1951. and it was tryed out as a ISDT Bike By Dick Clayton And later that year was raced in the Dutch TT and France GP .The First engine to be fitted in a Featherbed frame made by Billy Nicholson . was a 4 cylinder Fiat 600 fitted with a Douglas gearbox and ran in line to the frame and tryed out in the Belfast race .witch it our ran just about every bike there. this was noticed by the great Joe Crage .he came over to Rex McCandless and Ask If he could Make frames For Norton . McCandless was paid a pound a frame. the tubing came Shorts And Southern Aircraft factory in Belfast it was more or less in Rex McCandless Back yard the alloy for tanks and seat pan came from the same place, he used Fiat car shocks as well the forks were Rex McCandless Own Design then made at Shorts .as well. yours A J Dixon
If I remember correctly (I…
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Previously wrote: If I rem…
Previously wrote:
If I remember correctly (I was a teenager at the time), the featherbed Dominator 88 was on show at the 1951 motorcycle show. For the first year of production, I think they were for export only. My first Norton was a '53 88, by this time, the 88 was not the fastest, but, certainly the best handling bike on the road.
Yes well they were early bike and good bikes at that it was later in 1953 that some one fitted a Ariel SQ4 in a 1953 featherbed framed Dominator 88 it Handled well too our Treasure As a dominator 1958 framed Noriel SQ4G four piper .its a very nice bike. the Ariel SQ4 engine dose fill the frame some what and looks a snug fit. and I have Seen a Rover 3.5 V8 sat nicely in a 1957 Feather bed frame . and He did not have to cut the frame ether. He stud the V8 on one the fly wheel end and fitted the frame over the engine on this side. used blocks on wood to support the frame so he could then work out the engine plates they were made in ply wood first .then in 8mm alloy plate the gear box was from a Harley . it looked really good too .he said it handled very well but it was a bit heavy at traffic lights . yours Anna J Dixon
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If I remember correctly (I was a teenager at the time), the featherbed Dominator 88 was on show at the 1951 motorcycle show. For the first year of production, I think they were for export only. My first Norton was a '53 88, by this time, the 88 was not the fastest, but, certainly the best handling bike on the road.