I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle!

slob · 25-10-2021, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

...UKMOC has collectively made a bigger contribution to the build than the Norton Owners Club as it happens.

Did they shun you for replacing Lockheed calipers for Brembo?
;-)

Mr Gazza · 25-10-2021, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bitza

Now I'm thinking that Neil Morrissey also had a black & gold (big tank) Commando when he played Rocky in the ill fated "Boon" series. In fact I have a vague memory of a MCN story that said it was actually his own bike. (I might just have imagined the last bit).

Anyway good to see a pic of this mythical bike, should have it finished in time for spring?

I used to enjoy "Hi ho Silver" as I called it, but what was ill fated about it?
I often wondered if Neil rode off screen as he was so natural in his many "biker" roles. Always seemed to wear the same leathers?
No idea if it was his bike, but wouldn't mind betting that Norton helped him out a bit if it was?

Quote:

Originally Posted by slob

Did they shun you for replacing Lockheed calipers for Brembo?
;-)

Turning up to NOC meets on a Monster probably didn't help, but it didn't stop them making me chairman of the branch.. That didn't last long though!

Ironically Lockheed is a hop up for a Commando. The original Norton/AP/Lockheed clod is a thing to behold, I'll show a picture later!
The Brembo comes from a Hyper or Multi. I ordered it from a breaker in Kent, with the caveat that it had to come from his warehouse! I proceeded to track it down the Baltic chain, across Poland, Germany and Holland. So for all I know the original owner has probably been paid out by the insurance by now??

damien666 · 25-10-2021, 10:18 AM

With the thread title, i thought you’d bought a Hesketh!

motomartin11 · 25-10-2021, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by damien666

With the thread title, i thought you’d bought a Hesketh!

Yes me too!
Always wanted a Commando -they were still around with the T140 / 150 and 160 Trumpets when I entered the biking arena in '73 on a Fizzie. I can still remember the shock of seeing the front wheel oscillate at tickover on Cope's forecourt in the Hagley Road Birmingham.
Had mates who have owned tridents and commandos but the nearest I got was a new Z750 twin in '76.
And yes we used to enjoy Boon back in the 80's. Didn't Michael Elfick's character ride a BSA 650 -A65 was it?

Mr Gazza · 26-10-2021, 09:06 PM

Looking back I have in fact had this for 4 years, I collected it in September '17.
The fondly remembered Alfa was laden to the gunwales with boxes and boxes of steel and iron. She got very hot up some of the hills on the way home!

First thing was to have a bit of a mock up to see if looked like a motorcycle.

It was originally a police bike, a Norton Interpol.
The swinging arm was seized solid into the cradle, despite Jeff's valiant attempts to free it.
First job was to get Carl Harrison to push the pivot pin out with his 12 ton press and that separated two of only a very few parts still attached to something else.
Next I spun up a couple of false swinging arm bushes from Oak to mock up the rolling chassis again.

New Speedo and rev-counter arrived from Phoenix Arizona, although about 45 years old they are in perfect nick thanks to the arid desert air.

I rebuilt the forks with new stanchions and bushes, incorporating a "Covenant" conversion which crudely creates a hydraulic bump stop by shutting off the bleed valves earlier than standard, hopefully improving the damping as well.

StevieL put me onto a GRP Roadster tank for fifty quid which at that stage I hoped to use to make a mould for a CF tank.

Second dry build showed me where everything should go, helped no end by Jeff's meticulous notes on almost every component. Little pieces of cardboard and paper threaded onto bolts and studs or wired on, with super neat handwritten notes as to location and orientation.

Some cheap reject side panels were also bought for use as moulds. and I started to pave the yard!

Mr Gazza · 26-10-2021, 09:21 PM

The engine has no innards at this stage and the gearbox is as found. The crankcases have to be attached to connect the cradle to the front isolastics in order to form a rolling chassis.
There are only 3 flexible attachment points to the frame for the entire power/transmission with Norton's "wonderful" Isolastic system which attempted to control the vibes from a grossly over bored 500 twin from Neolithic times.

The tyres have plenty of tread left, they are new.... about 40 years ago!!

26-10-2021, 09:06 PM	#5
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,849	Looking back I have in fact had this for 4 years, I collected it in September '17. The fondly remembered Alfa was laden to the gunwales with boxes and boxes of steel and iron. She got very hot up some of the hills on the way home! First thing was to have a bit of a mock up to see if looked like a motorcycle. It was originally a police bike, a Norton Interpol. The swinging arm was seized solid into the cradle, despite Jeff's valiant attempts to free it. First job was to get Carl Harrison to push the pivot pin out with his 12 ton press and that separated two of only a very few parts still attached to something else. Next I spun up a couple of false swinging arm bushes from Oak to mock up the rolling chassis again. New Speedo and rev-counter arrived from Phoenix Arizona, although about 45 years old they are in perfect nick thanks to the arid desert air. I rebuilt the forks with new stanchions and bushes, incorporating a "Covenant" conversion which crudely creates a hydraulic bump stop by shutting off the bleed valves earlier than standard, hopefully improving the damping as well. StevieL put me onto a GRP Roadster tank for fifty quid which at that stage I hoped to use to make a mould for a CF tank. Second dry build showed me where everything should go, helped no end by Jeff's meticulous notes on almost every component. Little pieces of cardboard and paper threaded onto bolts and studs or wired on, with super neat handwritten notes as to location and orientation. Some cheap reject side panels were also bought for use as moulds. and I started to pave the yard! __________________

26-10-2021, 09:21 PM	#6
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,849	The engine has no innards at this stage and the gearbox is as found. The crankcases have to be attached to connect the cradle to the front isolastics in order to form a rolling chassis. There are only 3 flexible attachment points to the frame for the entire power/transmission with Norton's "wonderful" Isolastic system which attempted to control the vibes from a grossly over bored 500 twin from Neolithic times. The tyres have plenty of tread left, they are new.... about 40 years ago!! __________________

25-10-2021, 10:18 AM	#3
damien666 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Leeds, West-Yorks Bike: S4Rs Posts: 497	With the thread title, i thought you’d bought a Hesketh!