Workshop manual 1951 Model 7

You're not going to get a manual like a Haynes one with all the pretty pictures. You can get copies of original manuals from Bruce Main Smith, the National Motorcycle Musem sell them online here.

You'll find they are rather wordy though and don't have many illustrations. They also assume a basic engineering capability. If you're used to working on older bikes they are fine.

If you say where you are and need help there will probably be people in your area that could & would help steer you in the right direction.

Ian

can any one tell me where to get a haynes type work shop manual for my 1951 model 7 plunger,i need the sort that shows photos / drawings for the amature, for valve timing and ignition timing ect

Hello Your Model7 engine it the same has Model 88 30 degess fully advanced before top dead centre , alway time from the Drive side left hand side and on a magneto you set you points up to the plug pick up lead nearest the battery or gearbox end the right hand side nearest the back of the barrels, this it the correct way round for a Norton twins, and set your camshaft like wises from TDC left hand side on compression stroke all valves closed you have to take off all rocker covers too do this, and drain oil and remove timing cover too at TDC all valves closed on left hand side find ture top dead center and mark it on the timing disc with the pointer , this should be fitted on the drive side, now on the timing side you shound have 4 punch marks two mark on the cam chain two one the half timing pinion and one on cam sprocket now take of the oil pump worm drive its a left hand thread , now you see two punch marks one on the engines drive pinoin and one on the half timing pinoin gear ,match the bottom of the half timing gear with the top mark on the engines drive gear , so they meet in line vertically now you also should have the other two marks on each camshaft chaindrive pinoins one on the camshaft sprocket and one on the half timing sprocket , now these should be looking at 11 o clock at TDC so when thes all line put you then know your camshaft timing rigth , then do your igntion timing, yours anna j

Check out the attachments for valve timing, ignition timing and general Model 7 data.

Hi,  just bought a 1949 model 7 plunger frame thats in bits. We are in desperate need of a workshop manual and we have tried everywhere without success.

As this original post was in 2015, we just wondered if you had had any luck since.

Regards.

I have seen those Model 7 handbooks and parts books at auto-jumbles. They are titled as Maintenance Manuel and Instruction Book. There is also different edition of this  official handbooks. Look on the back cover and at the bottom in small letter is the date it was printed.

Hi Anthony, thanks for the reply.

I called the National Motorcycle Museum and they have a maintenance manual, but they tell me this is like the owners manual you get with cars and bikes which just tells you how to do basic maintenance.

We need something more detailed as the bike is in bits and we want to ensure it goes together correctly with the right parts.

Regards.

Dennis

I have got 2 copies of the Model 7 Maintenance manuals. I believe they are from 1949 and 1954 and had to get them from the USA. If you have a genuine 1949 Model 7 then you have a rare UK machine as most of that year's production headed off to the USA and Australia. My records show  around 750 machines built in 1949 with an end of year E/N of 27001. Though the records also show that quite a number of bikes were stored ready for a New Year and Spring launch in the UK.

The attachments are from my 1949 manual and show a few details not widely know of this early Model 7.  The Ignition Timing is 31*.   The rear wheel uses a 5/8 x 3/8" chain.   The engine diagram shows the early rocker spindles which were then actually 'one-piece' and an absolute pig to get out of the head.

The early Model 7 crank-cases had a bar across the top which makes getting the crankshaft out and then back inside a rather challenging activity.

That's very interesting as I understood that all Nortons up to the Commando used a 1/4" chain including the Dominator 650SS and of course the Manxes. I wonder why they felt it necessary to go up a size for the Model 7?

Phil - if BMS don't have photocopies of the manuals (which is unusual) why not lend them yours to copy? You'll probably get a year's membership out of it!

There is the P.L.Garratt book, by C. Arthur Pearson, that is very comprehensive, and he was the service manager at Norton in Bracebridge Street. These can be found at auto-jumbles.

Hello Denis I found this site and downloaded original Model 7 Parts and Shop Manuals.

It's a pittance to sign-up.

http://manuals.classic-motorbikes.net/