New member - 1968 Commando questions

Luke

the early frames were widowmakers, a little before my time but i have read of them being replaced under warranty.

Sounds like a nice find, i hope you enjoy it.

Iain.

The frame problem was high lighted in Mick Duckworth's book on the Commando. That frame was modified by Ken Sprayson after a USA government agency threatened to ban the import of those early Norton Commando's. That frame test was carried out in Chobham in Surrey on an army tank and military vehicle testing site. I have a video of what that testing entailed, and shows factorytesters riding the different framed Commando's over railway tracks in an attempt to break the diiferent frame modifications.A friend of mine in Seattle calls that Commando frame the suicide frame. That Commando 126910 was dispatched to Berliner in LA, in May 1968. That would have been Bob Blair's shop, ZDS Motors,in Glendale, Caliofrnia.There are Berliner sales brochures from that year that would show the relevent colours.

This was posted today on Brit-Iron-L. I am not putting it here for any other reason than the special points about 1968 Commandos.

Hi All,I am calling for Expressions of Interest for my 1968 CommandoI have had some bad news. Due to a serious injury to my shoulder earlier this year and subsequent loss of mobility and strength, there is a chance my motorcycling days may be over. I wonât know for sure for another 2-3 months but, just in case, I am looking for potential buyers for Henry, my 1968 Commando.This is a rare beast. NOC-UK advice is that it was assembled on 8 May 1968 at the AMC Plumstead Works and was probably amongst the first 400 Commandos assembled. It was certainly in the very first shipment of Commandos to the USA despatched on 1 July 1968. The bike comes with fully matching numbers for engine, gearbox, and frame â 20M3/127499. Note that the original frame is the notorious widow-maker frame but the bike had the faulty frame replaced with a new gussetted frame back in about 1996 so is safe to ride. The widow-maker frame has been re-welded and painted and will be sold with the bike as a âspareâso you have the option of using it, but I give no guarantees as to its likelihood to break again unless you have it gussetted too.The bike has been restored over several years back to original appearance, with new tank and tail-piece with the round Norton Villiers badges (Norton tank transfers only appeared in 1969), correct guards, new Amals, new original-width Dunlop tyres, correct handle-bar switch gear, and the correct non-polished foot pegs, gear and brake pedals, and rocker covers. NOTE: The 1968 Commandos DID NOT have these parts polished, they were rough-cast and then plated. Very few Commandos still have this correct, most owners polished the parts and of course Norton started polishing them in 1969 anyway. But they are right on Henry. And the bike has the correct 1968 chaincase with the conical clutch cover â the case changed to a flatter cover in 1969.The bike is not concours condition, but is very presentable and clean. It is a riding bike, not a Trailer Queen. It featured in a Street Bike article back in about 1996, it is currently on the NOC-UK web site as the best example of a 1968 Commando, and it featured in the 2009 NOC-UK Calendar (December). It has also now been featured in an Australian magazine, the August edition of Old Bikes. Of course, if you want to do a full-on cosmetic restoration that is up to you, but you can rest assured that everything is already there. E-mail me for a photo if you want one. I have never had the motor apart but it has done little mileage since being rebuilt and runs very sweetly; it was rebuilt with all recommended NOC upgrades, and has the Isolastic upgrade so you donât have to use shims. Everything else works fine too and I recently fitted a new sealed battery.I have documentation to trace the bikeâs ownership back to 1972, and the despatch records for 1968, so you will have a bike with proven history.Because of the bikeâs history and because it is a VERY early Commando, you would be buying not just a lovely bike to ride but an appreciating investment.I am at this stage asking for EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST. My âreserve asking priceâ will be $20,000.If you are interested, please email me your Expression of Interest at <mailto:kimthecdman@techinfo.com.au>kimthecdman@techinfo.com.auPLEASE NOTE! Your EOI is just that, you are NOT making a formal offer and it is NOT binding on you. Nor am I contracting to accept any Expressions of Interest made. If I have to give up riding I will then get back to anyone who has made an EOI of at least $20K to discuss the matter further. For anyone not living in Australia, I should be able to arrange crating and shipping to an overseas address. As an example only, this would work out to be $1,200 to an address in the continental USA.Many thanks for your time in reading this,Kim White, Kim The CD Man

Luke and Chris

Sorry to contradict Chris but I have three Commandos -2 1968 and a 1971 that allhave or had matchingFrame Engine and Gearbox numbers.

Early frames:-

One frame (126282) is a very early so called "widowmaker" but gave me no trouble until hit by a car and it bent but did not break.

Another of the frames (127157)is also a so called "widowmaker" and is in regular use wthout any issues.

UK owners did not receive replacement frames under warranty as USA owners did.

Hi Anthony,

Any chance of getting hold of that video, it would be great to put it up on the web site.

Please respond to Webmaster or Tony Ripley <technical@nortonownersclub.org>.

Regards

Tony