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1929 Model 18 Norton

January 1, 2018, 1:26 pm
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-JdK- I have had this bike since 2007. Bought from Mark Upham in Austria who got it from the UK. It's a 1929 Model 18. Correct for 1929 are frame, engine, gearbox, rearwheel, oiltank, petroltank. Frontwheel is probably Webb (but has a much better brake than the original). Girders are Norton International (much sough after). Correct front hubs and girders still pop up on eBay. Correct primary chain case is available and comes with the bike (below).


It has been used for amateur racing in the past. Click this link. The engine has been tuned by an expert. The flywheels have been polished and skimmed and run extremely smooth. It has a slipper piston and larger size inlet valve. The cams are probably remodeled or IT racing cams. It runs on Castrol R40.

Gearbox has been rebuilt 50 miles ago after it broke a tooth from the sleeve gear; this has been replaced by a good used one when the complex main bearing was also rebuilt and a new bronze mainshaft bearing made. Both chains were also replaced 50 miles ago. The non-pos box works very well and can be operated by foot.

Magneto was rewound 5 years ago; carb is a new Amal 276. Wheelbearing rear (Enfield) has a nice tapered bearing in good shape. Frontwheel has new modern bearings.

Paint looks very scruffy which suits the bike well. There's no rust. Petrol tank has a dent, has been sealed, does not leak.


The bike goes very well. Click the video above to see it running. Gearing is long, it needs clutch slip for takeoff but very pleasant once on the go. 2nd gear can be used till 80 km/h. It has been clocked using satnav at 120 real km/h and is faster than many end-1930s 500cc bikes. Can be used as is.

Numbers checked by VMCC see below. Engine is from a 1929 Model 18 shipped to Egremont. Frame number could not be found; the reason is that the works records are organized by engine number and frame numbers are quite random so very difficult to find. These frames were however unique for 1929 so it must be 1929.


It still has some UK paperwork, see the MOT form below that lists the frame numbers (S38886) and the UK registration number (SV8848) which is a Kinross County Council (Eastern Scotland) issued number.


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Early Nortons in New Zealand

May 13, 2018, 10:53 am
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-SG- My good friend Peter Thomson (Thomson's Motor Museum) has been prompted by our recent posting to send us an interesting message and scans of relevant adverts. "Looking at the last post on your website made me go looking for an advert that I have that covers what I seem to remember was at least  seven Nortons at a competition here in NZ pre-1912. The owners' names and specific  Norton models are all in the advert, if I remember correctly. Well, I’ve found everything but the one I wanted so what I have done is to attach the three adverts that I did find. They sort of document a 1909 model as being the first Norton, resident in NZ, to be written up in a publication of the era. I’m still looking for the other advert and will get it to you if I do find it but it does seem as if Mr Pitcher's bike was by no means the only Norton in use in NZ at the time."
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Model 18 Norton

May 17, 2018, 1:42 pm
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-Tomas- Please find attached two pictures from the 1925 "Filius" tour-race held in Gyor, Hungary, where a Model 18 is visible. The owner is Stephen Horthy, the son of the Hungarian king. Mr Horthy was a keen motorcycle racer and military pilot who was killed in an airplane accident in an Italian fighter plane during the 30s. The pictures are rather misty because they are from the news movie  taken at the event.
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Another NZ advert. - Brehauts Timaru/Geraldine

May 20, 2018, 12:28 am
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-SG- John has been in touch, following the recent posting of NZ Norton adverts sent in by Peter Thomson, and has kindly sent in a scan of a later advert from the Timaru Herald. The date written on the bottom of the ad. appears to be a year out, however, as Bert Denly - plus Nigel Spring prepared 588 Norton - took both records in early April 1927. I have not checked the copies of Motor Cycle/Cycling for period reports but the late Peter Hartley's book 'Brooklands Bikes in the Twenties' says that both records were achieved with the same machine and that several other records were taken in both rides.
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OHV valve and pushrod return springs - For sale

May 24, 2018, 11:03 am
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-JdK- Tom has reproduced OHV valve springs and pushrod return springs for both versions of the Model 18, 1922-25 and 1926-30. All were made to original specification. Price for valve springs is £70 per set, 1922-25 pushrod springs £40 per set, 1926-30 pushrod springs £50 per set. Contact us for Tom's email address when you're interested in purchasing a set.
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'Pa' Norton's grave

May 27, 2018, 8:04 am
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Looks like a nice old grave to us ...
Then someone suggested it needs restoration ...
Gridblasted and fresh paint ...
The red stuff is some 'tasteful' floral decoration
and thus not permanent. 
And now this to finish it off ...

-JdK and SG-  Ian has recently drawn our attention to the current  - and in our view - now rather over-restored state of the grave of James Lansdowne Norton and his wife. The restoration was recently carried out, I understand, under the auspices of the Norton Owners' Club with the agreement of family members. Photos of the before and after state of the grave are attached and we are grateful to Ian for mentioning it. Did it need a bit of tidying up? Yes, probably. Was it necessary to apparently gritblast the stone work, change the original granite chippings and add the somewhat oversize plaque with an outline of a poorly restored 1916 Big Four? Not in our view, but we accept it's all a matter of personal opinion!
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Another special CS1 ...

May 29, 2018, 8:19 am
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-SG- Those with an interest in the Moore CS1s may recall our posting re the Gardner engine and may be intrigued by the fact that another non-standard engine - alas with no cycle parts - has turned up in Poland. The owner has kindly provided photos and from these, it is clear that it has some similarities to the Gardner unit but is not 100% identical. Dis-assembly would tell us more of course but apparent similarities are:

  1. It has a right hand exhaust port and angled inlet port.
  2. The crankcase oil level adjuster is absent from the timing cover.
  3. The cylinder head has front bosses - undrilled - for a possible head steady arrangement.
  4. There appears to be an oil feed to the upper rear crankcase stud for feeding to the barrel base.

The cambox however appears to be the regular CS1 shape whereas that of the Gardner unit is not atall the same, using a different casting,  bearing arrangement and cams.

Most unfortunately, the original engine numbers have been removed some time ago and different numbers with no relevance to the Norton records have been stamped on. It is thus not possible to locate the engine in the records.
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1924 Model 16H Norton

May 31, 2018, 1:30 pm
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-JdK- Tony in the UK recently found this photo in his family archives. The motorcycle is a 1924 Model 16H Norton. XT 1721 was issued from April 1924 to June 1924 by London County Council.
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1927 Model 25 Norton - For sale at Verralls

June 7, 2018, 12:42 pm
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-SG- Ian of Verralls has this very nice and interesting Model 25 Norton for sale. Please find the description below, in Ian's own words:

"I'm bound to say this Model 25 is an excellent piece of kit, as it belongs to my father. He decided to hang up his riding boots about ten years ago but kept his favorite bikes just for company.

He bought the bike from a certain Brian R. Verrall in 1998 in 'as raced' condition. Apparently used on Pendine sands back in the day but no record of the rider. Record shows first owner as a Mr Bleaghs of Cheshire. Earliest owner on the logbook is a Mr Rogers of Birkenhead in 1936. 

It was complete and matching numbers (engine and frame) but in need of an entire rebuild which he undertook. Then used on the road from October 1998.



Unfortunately about five years later the conrod broke during a rally and wrecked the crankcases. These were pretty much beyond repair so we sourced replacement cases numbered 33795. Obviously the old originals have been retained.  I think I still have the original damaged barrel with matching number to the original cases. I do have the two part conrod! Numbers are.

Registered             KA 5915.
First registered      2.2.1927
Frame number       25xxx
Engine number      33xxx now replaced with 33xxx.
Gear box (earlier)  HW29505

The bike is fully documented. The first log book is from 1936 and indicates Model as 'TT Replica'. There is a copy of the works despatch book entry which confirms the details."

Please contact Ian at Verralls when you're interested.
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Woods at Assen, 1927, OP8644

June 9, 2018, 12:43 am
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-SG- Our posting of April 2018 re Don Morley's CS1 mentioned that Stanley Woods' 1927 TT machine almost certainly had registration number OP8644. Here he is on it at the Dutch TT (Assen) later in the year. This link also shows a film taken at this event. See this photo too.
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1931 Model CJ Norton

June 25, 2018, 11:08 am
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-SG- Ian has added to his already large collection of Nortons by purchasing a 1931 CJ. This was restored prior to Ian's acquisition of it by the Sammy Miller Museum workshop and, all in all, it looks like a reasonable effort. Ian has some doubts over the tank panels and we have steered him to what little literature is already on the site in an effort to provide some guidance. The bike was despatched in April 1931 to London dealers Taylor Matterson and appears to have matching frame/engine numbers.
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1928/29 Model ES2 Norton

July 2, 2018, 1:26 pm
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-JdK- Evan in Africa sent these very nice pics of his grandfather on his 1928/29 Model ES2 Norton. In his own words: "Attached are 2 photos of my Grandfather PJ (Percy Jack) Wannerton on his Norton motorcycle. He imported this motorcylce into South Africa in the late 20’s early 30’s. The close up photo shows the bike at his home in Cape Town, with UK number plate, from my research it appears to be a tax free export registration number. The other photo is on Boyes Drive, above Kalk Bay in Cape Town, with it’s Cape Town number plate."
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Norton parts for sale

July 3, 2018, 11:15 am
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-JdK- Edwin in the Netherlands has the following bits for sale. Please email him directly for further information on edwinix@hotmail.com.

Lot 1;
  • Model 19 engine, 1939 presumed to have bee rebuilt
  • Piece of cradle frame including engine plates



Lot 2;
  • 1946 Model 18 engine loosly assembled.
  • 1946 gearbox, with dolls head parts.
  • 1938 frame, not original, conversion to plungers.
  • Rear stand
  • Rear brake plate with rod
  • Magneto and carburator.
  • Engine plates
  • Set of rear footrests
  • Centre stand
  • Gear lever
  • Small bits and pieces as pictured
Study the pics carefully, what you see is what you get. Open to sensible offers. Located in the Netherlands. Edwin will be in the UK early August and will be able to transport to Netley Marsh in september.
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1920s Norton 16H tank for sale

July 10, 2018, 1:38 pm
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-JdK- Jon in the UK has a Norton tank for sale. In his own words: "This tank should be on a bike rather than sat in my garage. It has survived remarkably well & may even retain its original paint. Would suit an unmolested oily rag machine. Oil pump and both filler caps I assume are correct. I would consider sensible offers up until 20th July or possible exchange for a 1927 Model 18 Tank. I hope to attend Founders day on 22nd so could take & avoid any postage costs/concerns."

Please contact Jon at joncourt321@hotmail.com
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Norton Model 17C tank paintwork

July 11, 2018, 1:26 pm
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-SG- A couple of years back I came across a replica Big Four tank at the VMCC Founder's Day event and eventually this was purchased by Juris for his ex-Russian Army 1927 Model 17C project.  He's now had it painted over here by Stuart and photos of it are attached. Looks pretty good to me! Anyone interested in getting such work done can contact Stuart direct on scrump1971@googlemail.com or crumpstar@crump.co.uk
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The 1938 Roadholder and abridged price list

July 13, 2018, 12:51 pm
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-SG- I see we have had rather a long gap from the last posting of literature kindly lent by Ian. No good reason so no excuses!

Here are the two 1938 copies from his collection -  the abridged price list (click this link)  and the 1938 Roadholder brochure (click this link).

1938 was a year of change Norton-wise, in that the cast alloy rocker box and exposed valves on the OHV machines - first used in 1930 - was abandoned in favour of a new design of rocker box with enclosed valve springs. This visible change to the OHV units was not the only one, however: internally the cam followers on both OHV and SV engines were changed to a type where the contact surface with the cam was entirely flat - a design which remained in use on standard production machines up to and including 1946, but was NOT used on the WD16H. Also shown in the 1938 literature is the so-called cow's udder silencer -  to my mind a rather strange design but who am I to query Norton's then marketing experts eighty years later?  Don't think I have ever seen one in the flesh, so to speak.
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The 1939 Roadholder brochure

July 15, 2018, 12:58 pm
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-SG- This is the annual Roadholder booklet for 1939. This complete booklet, but with cream coloured cover and smaller in size also exists but the photo quality is not as good as the black cover one and it may, perhaps, be a period re-print.  Interesting to note that various shots of the racing machines with telescopic forks appear in this publication, as well as 'Racing Internationals' - not with telescopic forks! Thanks again to Ian for the loan.
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DT Nortons - the fore-runners

July 20, 2018, 1:49 pm
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-SG- On 27 July 2015 we had a posting about E O Blacknell (the Blacknell Sidecars chap) and his Dirt Track Norton  which, from the photograph, appeared to be 1929 Model 18 based, albeit with no brakes. Now, thanks to Alain, Alan, and Peter Thomson, all in NZ, we have some brief but relevant information about the DT Model 18s and ES2s which preceded the production DT machines produced in 1930.


Scans from the now comparatively rare magazine produced in the twenties and thirties entitled New Zealand Motor Journal have come to light and are attached (below). The photos only show the Model 18 based machine and it's worth repeating what E O Blacknell recalled - that the cams on his engine could be unscrewed from the cam wheels. As a result of this, it is my view that the power unit in the Model18DT was basically '28/29 ES2 (which used this type of cam wheel) but fitted with a timing cover very similar to the regular 1930 type. The gearbox shown in the photos in the article is not - from its appearance - an LS type, but the rather unusual racing three speed CS box which we have talked about before (see posting of 25 July 2015).

(right-mouse-click, open in new screen for a large version)



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Spotted at VMCC Founder's Day event ...

July 31, 2018, 11:46 pm
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-SG- ... was this largely original CS1, which looks as if it gets USED! Thanks to Alan for the pics!
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Moore vs. Carroll

August 3, 2018, 12:16 pm
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