First ride.

Looks Superb, well done!

Al.

That's one beautiful looking machine, well done. It reminds me why I have a lifelong love of Nortons after seeing my first one in the early sixties and being forever smitten.

A lovely example Richard, it looks perfect.

What is the gauge in the centre of the handlebars?

A very nice bike,if thats your first restoration ,I'm impressed. I looked hard to see anything I would alter (sad old nit picker!) ,  The short gear lever would be no use to my size 10's , I would make up some bar risers to use with those flat bars to ease the cable runs. I prefer the earlier silencers which have a bit more  of the old style.  And I would not be keen to show pictures for old gits to nit pick!!.

Very nice indeed - well done ! I have a 1956 Model 99 in bits that I am about to begin . Your tank looks bigger -almost like an International tank . Is it just the camera angle ?

Cheers - Richard 

Certainly looks like it could just keep going and going. Well done!

Did you paint it Richard?   I recently completed a Model 50 and only freshened up the paint on the  "fixtures and fittings" but I found it such a messy process I farmed out the tank and  mudguards to professionals.  What do you do to keep the over spray away from everything else!!

I tried making a large cardboard booth, shower curtains on rails and just spray outside, but  nothing controlled the dust... 

 It's almost like I need a separate building with and extract....

 There is a lot of paint on your machine, is your workshop silver grey now???

Cheers

Jon

A rod through the cases is always a touch disappointing. I'm sure I said Tsk the first time and probably just shrugged the second. Or something. The second time coincided with my son totalling his Atlas so an engine transplant was promptly performed. No further problems.

Your bike looks beautiful - too good to take out in the rain!   

Have to admit that pictures of the "exploded"  99  engine  make me nervous . There is a school of thought that  something else going wrong triggers the rod failure , but the only sure answer is a set of new and better rods.

DM do very nice work, It’s surprising when you lay out the parts how much needs painting...  Then build without marking the finish....  nice job!

And a story that I think sums up what we're all about.  A 50 year rebuild though must be some kind of record .... I wouldn't sell my three machines no matter what state they're in, and now I think about it, it's not many years until mine are in that time-frame. 

Brilliant!

p.s. my school reports were a bit wide of the mark too. 

Hi Dick,

Dare we ask how much a professional full paint job like that is?.......I`ve done a Commando chassis that i`m rebuilding using enamel paint but it chips off with the brush of a cats tail (nearly). Do you know what type of paint they`ve used on your bike? I`m in two minds whether to redo it all again in something different. I ordered some paint for the tank and side panels but the stuff sent is water based. It`s bloody awful stuff, you can`t rub it down between coats as it just peels off. Oh the joys!!!

Regards, Al.

Dick,

I am referring to the bike in the 2020 NOC calendar, August picture.

In my opinion the finish is superb and here are the details. It will be seen by many as eye watering.

Powder coating in Dove Grey (RAL 1013) for those less visible parts, incl blasting.

Centre stand, mudguard stays, swinging arm, plus 21 other items. £185.00

Spraying, including rust removal and full preparation in RAL 1013 and Blue RAL 5009. Tank is two tone. Finish lacquer and ethanol resistant.

Tank, Mudguards, Chainguard, dismantled shockers, styling panels, oil tank and battery box, fork ears and covers, top and bottom yokes, Handlebar clamps, headlamp shell and steering head cover.  £740.00

As stated earlier in this thread, great care is needed on re-assembly if the finish is not to be scratched. RAL touch ups can be bought if necessary.

My wife and I chuckled at the thought of using mum's hoover to spray paint.

Peter Holland

One was as I was on my way from St Andrews to Aberdeen to start a new job. Trundling along at 70mph, no warning, just a big bang. The next was when I slid off on a fuel spill on a roundabout. I had fitted stainless handlebars - now be warned - not knowing that they are thinner walled than normal chromed ones. The bars bent as I slid off stretching the throttle cable wide open with the back wheel in the air. The resulting high revs were too much for the rod which sliced the cases clean in half. It was still running on one cylinder when I picked it up.

I am fairly sure that 99s are not Norton's strongest engine so would advise any 99 owner to ride with due regard to its age. These engines are old and alloy rods fatigue and you really don't know just how much fatigue life has been used up. 10% or 99% - who knows?      

I resprayed our family car (A Commer van with windows) when I was 15 in 1961 using Mum's Electrolux Vacuum cleaner!  In those days they came with a paint sprayer so you clipped the hose onto the exhaust on top of the cleaner!  People much younger than us wonder what we're talking about!  Of course I used around 5 or 6 coats of cellulose paint as it was (and still is) so forgiving of damp, flies, condensation etc.

Interesting colour for your bike.  Is it Norton Silver?  The old polychromatic grey was quite a bit darker. I still have some unadulterated tinware from my 1955 88 which was the grey.  I have always kept it in the dark and recently uncovered an area which had never seen the light of day so the colour is as original as you can get.  My 99, which is very slowly being restored, is the usual black, silver and chrome.

You've done an excellent job!