Hinged rear fender?

Hi Skip,

Any model using the pivoted fork frame 1953-55 had a hinged rear fender; Model 7, ES2 and 19S to name a few. Very early 56 models within the first two months of that model year had a weird guard with a hinged rather than bolt on section. When they did change to the bolt on type this only went to the end of the 56 season and a new version was made for the 57 model year and I believe it was made up until the end of this frame's production at the end of the 1959 season.

The early type 53-55has a tapered valance which was wide at the front and narrow at the back while the 56 and later types were wide in the middle and tapered equally both ends.

Jim

The 1955 Featherbed 88s had the hinged rear guard (sorry - fender!) too.

Cheers, Lionel

Hi Lionel,

That's the really rare one but the 53 and 54's probably had something very similar certainly the part number is the same. I don't believe any of the catalogue images for these years because neither seem to relate to reality plus the number of mistakes in the 53. I think these images are 'cut n shut' rather than being of theindividual bike displayed plus some seem to have the same mistake in the same place. There is evidence in print of the hinged mudguard being fitted to 1954 model 88's, see Bacon's book!

I suspect that the mudguard shown in both the 1953 and 54 catalogues is in fact the one for the Inters and not the 88's even though the former is not shown.

Jim

Hi all,

I don't know about the model 77, but, '53 & '54 Dominators definitely did not have hinged rear mudguards. I owned a '53 model, as a teenager, and now have a '54 (see owners gallery), which is in over 95% original condition. Don't tell me I've got it wrong, I was around when these machines were built.

Regards, John.

Jim Royce previously wrote on Tues 3rd Jan 2012 at 21.08hrs:

(snip)

>..........There is evidence in print of the hinged mudguard being fitted to 1954 model 88's, see Bacon's book!<

Hello Jim,

While we are off on a tangent in the mudguard thread...

I have spent many years on the lookout for correct original partsto fitthe '54 featherbed DeLuxe and they keep turning up. Thank goodness. I've always found Bacon's books justrecite theoretical factory data andbrochure images. Also, most ofhis photos seem to be of restored bikes.

I'm attaching a (fairly poor) photo of an original, one-piece rear mudguard which came from a March '54 88.

Paul

Hi Paul,

Yep, that looks about right! My Dommy 88 was first registered 29/07/1954. I am now living in Spain, so, can't get to autojumbles. If you know a source for the correct carb & manifold, for a '54 88, I would be most interested (my bike has a monoblock, which I suspect is from a later 99)

Regards, John.

Hi John et all,

If you have a copy of Roy Bacon's book on the Norton Twins have a look at the half title page (page 3). According to the write up this was taken at the 1954 Manx Grand Prix. This is a 54 patternmudguard as it has the open frame numberplate whereas if it was a 55 it would have the boxed in type.I would theorise that they changed later in the model year to enable the use of the tooling used on the single downtube model (pivoted fork) frame. These twomudguards are virtually identical apart from the featherbed type being 3/4" shorter at the front plus different hole positions.

I have a 55 model 7 guard (NOT for sale)and one for a 55 88 so I can do a direct comparison. Also interesting is the fact the grab rails for the Model 7 carry the same part number 53 to 55 yet the catalogue images for 53 and 54 show something that does not relate to those actually fitted. Theattached picture, a New Old stock Model 7 mudguard for 1953/54 models.

To those of us without the luxury of having the original catalogue (s) see http://cybermotorcycle.com/gallery/norton_1953/there is quite a collection on this site.

Jim

Hi Jim, that photo (N-O-S 1) looks like the one I had on my 1955 88 - from memory anyway. I am also fairly certain that it had an open frame rear number plate. All long gone, sadly. The problem with Norton parts lists as anyone who, like me, has a collection of them knows - the illustrations were not regularly updated. As an example, the 1959 88, 99, ES2 and Mod 50 parts list shows an earlier front brake plate and spindle andan earlier swinging arm with the forked ends rather than the forged ones that were actually fitted. Even their owner's Maintenance Manuals had outdated illustrations. It means that periodphotos are often the only true way to find out what was fitted and what they looked like!

Cheers, Lionel

Hi Lionel,

I agree that these images are highly misleading and will have you looking for the wrong part that may not even exist! In my original 1955 catalogue all the standardproduction models (88, Model 7, ES2 and 19S/R) all used the same rear numberplate...none are the same in the pictures! That said they are pretty accurate as to tinware but not the seats shown on the ES2 etc; very unlike what was fitted!

As to outdated illustrations I've seen late 40's handbooks with late 20's illustrations!

I think we have strayed far enough off topic now....

Jim

hello Eugene,

this rear mudguard was on an es2 1953, the plunger model.

i know it because i'm looking one for my bike since 3years.....if you want to sell it just let me know

if you want i have from and rear mudgard from an model 88.

best regards,

julien.

purboeuf@hotmail.com

Previously wrote:

Hi All,

I am purchasing a front & rear fender (mudguard) from a model 77, unfortunatly the rear is hinged & I am sure that is incorrect for the model 77. Does anyone know what model Norton may have used a hinged rear fender? I thought I remember somewhere a '55 model 7?

Whaddata think?

Skip

Hi all,

I'm going to clear up the mystery here.

It NOT off a plunger ES2 which I might add they didn't make in 1953, they were swinging arm frame that year.

I have attached a picture of an authentic, genuine original Model 7 rear mudguard from a 1955 model made in October 54.

If your ES2/Model 7/19S of 1955 has anything other than this fitted it is wrong; this mudguard matches exactly the catalogue image.

Jim

P.S.

This is the rear section of the same mudguard showing the correct hole pattern to take the boxed in rear numberplate.

The bike was sold by the first owner to John Avery in May 1957 and gained two dealer's badges from his shop one of the front mudguard one on the rear both of whichare still fitted (rear has been removed as repairs were needed to the rear seat mount holes).