1924 16H Norton

-JdK- From John: "Gday Simon and John. Have recently finished this 16H, a largely mechanical only restoration. This bike was featured by Rod back in August 2013. I acquired it from him a few years ago."

A nice pair of vintage Nortons

 

-SG- David has just sent me this recent photo - and his message hereafter! "Thought you might like to see this very original unspoiled pair which recently appeared at the Marston Sunbeam Club’s event at Metal Bridge near Gretna. Trevor’s ’24 16H and Derek’s ’25 Model 18. They don’t come much better than this."

Another Flat Tank Norton result

 

-SG- Thanks to Alan for his message below and photos ! "Congratulations to Terry for his ‘Runner Up’ award in the face of some stiff competition in the ‘Best Vintage Machine’ class at the recent Bristol Classic Show. Terry acquired the bike as a stalled rebuild project only some six months ago and in rapid time has turned a frame with an engine, gearbox and forks installed into a very presentable and complete machine, as per the pictures attached. The bike originally rolled out of the factory in 1924 as one of the  early OHV Model 18’s. Little is known of its pre 2000 history although it’s specification has been upgraded with the incorporation of some subsequent 1920’s improvements, including the later valve gear, 8 inch Enfield brakes, fully enclosed primary chain cover, magneto shield and later oil tank. The machine was originally supplied to Messrs D R O’Donovan and Hubert H Beach of Great Portland Street, W1 and Terry comments ‘It would be nice to think that perhaps one of these illustrious worthies might have sat astride - or maybe even ridden -  the machine ... '

More on single gears!

 

-SG- David has scanned a few letters from 'The Motor Cycle' in November 1923 for which thanks!  Apart from those riders greatly in favour of single speeders, it's worth stressing the letter from W J Hassall, on behalf of the company, to the effect that they would still supply a single speeder if desired.

Did any one actually take him up on his offer? I spent half an hour looking at the relevant section of the Despatch Books this morning and finally found one entry for a Model 9 (engine number 8289) in April 1924. The purchaser is shown as  F R Moore. I think this may be the very last Model 9 in the records but if anyone has found a later one, please let us know.

No sooner said than done! David has located a slightly later model 9 with engine number 10565, despatched in June '24 to a dealer called Wise.

Seen one of these?

 

-SG- I must say I haven't, and I would be very pleased to actually own one!  This is the nickel plated handle-bar badge produced by Nortons to mark their 1924 successes in the IOM. Although doubtless some chaps were given one, the works actually sold them to anyone who wanted - price Half a Guinea (10/6d). Someone correct me if I'm wrong but in today's money I think that is about £39...

1924 Model 18 Norton

 

-SG- Reece in New Zealand has provided us with sundry interesting stuff over the years and I am pleased to pass on photos of his latest restoration - a 1924 Model 18.  He has been working on this for twenty years and has gathered the necessary parts to complete it accurately from helpful Norton enthusiasts world wide. Looks pretty good to me!

1924 TT bikes and brakes ...

 

-SG- In one of his anecdotes, related to 'Titch' Allen in the '70s, Walter Moore said he bought forty Model T Ford brake sets so that the 1924 works bikes could be fitted with a better rear brake than the dummy belt rim type previously used.  Certainly the  few photos of Bennett on his TT winning machine show a rear drum brake of generous proportions and indeed this may well have been partly Ford in origin.

But ... it looks rather as if it was only the 8 inch Ford drum that was used as the car version was just a parking brake and the original shoes did not have any linings! So perhaps Moore organised for appropriate shoes and back plates to be made. At this stage it is difficult to be sure. Certainly by 1925 the Enfield rear hubs had 8 inch brake drums but these were integral with the hub and carried the spokes on the outer edge. Detachable 8 inch drums came into use in 1928.

Thanks are due to Chris who owns a couple of Model T Fords, for photos of an original brake drum and a scan, from a company making replica T parts, of the shoe set-up.  I notice these do now have linings! 

The 1924 Maintenance Instructions

-SG- The next set of Maintenance Instructions in Ian's collection is that issued in 1924. With it is a letter from the Works from early 1925 to a chap living near Matlock in Derbyshire - scans of the letter and the manual are attached/above.  Incidentally the text of this booklet is very similar to that of the 1925 version which we already have on the site which has additional information in it.  As usual, thanks for the loan, Ian.

The 1923/24 parts list

-SG- As far as I can tell, the first illustrated parts list dates from 1924 - and as usual, covers earlier models as well. Incidentally, the OHV section shows the roller type of cam follower, which was dropped not long after. Thanks to Ian for the loan - scans herewith!

1924 Model 16H Norton

-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.

Peter Thomson's 16H

-SG- Some while back we had a posting about the oil pump fitted to the 1924 16H belonging to Peter Thomson in New Zealand. This machine was bought many years ago by Peter's father from the original owner and for some reason not worth spending time on, we have never shown the original photo of the bike as delivered (at which point it did not have a mechanical oil pump atall). The period photo provided by Peter shows a lot of detail including black painted handlebars - so don't assume they were always nickel plated at this period! Also worth pointing out that the kickstart lever is slightly cranked - giving it adequate clearance past the extended exhaust pipe.

Some time back Peter looked up the details of this machine while he was in UK and it appears to me that they might contain an error! They show it as being despatched in March '24 to the Belgian Norton agents, Breslau. If this information is wrong, it may be that some of the rest of the despatch book infomation is also wrong and should have been entered against another machine altogether ... at this stage, not easy to be sure, but it seems unlikely to me that a machine going to New Zealand in 1924 would have been shipped without tyres or saddle as stated  in the records! These also say: 'Sep O' which may well stand for 'separate oil tank,'  (unless anyone has any better ideas) and, as the photo shows, this was not the case with this machine.

c1924 Model 16H Norton

-JdK- This photo was contributed by Richard and shows a c1924 Model 16H Norton, personalized for serious racing!

Maudes Trophy

-SG- In September we had a posting about Norton's  mid-twenties successes in the Maudes Trophy. Ian has kindly loaned a photo of the outfit used in their 1924 attempt, showing Phil Pike on the bike (a Big Four), and Arthur Bourne in the chair as the official ACU Observer. Like a lot of Norton's own publicity photos, this one was taken by Birmingham photographer F R Logan. Wonder if his negatives have survived ... Arthur Bourne went on to become Editor of Motor Cycle and his memoirs should have been published earlier this month. West Country dealer Phil Pike sadly died as a result of an air raid during WW2.

The 1924 Norton brochure

-SG- Herewith a copy of the 1924 Norton brochure, provided by Ian. Follow this link for the complete booklet

Bennett - 1924 TT

-SG- The 1924 Senior TT was won by Alec Bennett on a racing version of the Model 18 and various images exist of him on the bike - mostly after the end of the race.  Here's one taken during the re-fuelling stop which shows that none other than Walter Moore was acting as pit attendant. Although the photo is a bit fuzzy, one can clearly make out the large oil tank with supplementary chain oil tank on the front - and the 8" rear brake, which, at this stage, was apparently a drum from a Model T  Ford grafted onto the Enfield hub. Fifty years back I had one of these drums complete with mounting studs but did not realise what it was ...

New Zealand Grass Track 1925

-SG- My good friend John has sent the photos attached, taken from 'The Weekly Press and NZ Referee' from 12th March 1925. All the bikes are in usual New Zealand grass-track trim with brakes either removed or disconnected, a subject Peter Thomson informed us about a while back. It's not that easy to see much by way of detail but two of the bikes (4 and 17) have Druid forks and no mechanical oil pump or separate oil tank. These two are probably fairly early examples of Model 18s from '23. The other two (3 and 24) both have Webbs, and Best and Lloyd oil pumps/oil tanks and bearing in mind the date of the publication, would have been '24 models. I note that Number 3 has the sophistication of a Twistgrip, no less. As to who the riders are:

• Bike #3  is  H. Rowe winner of the Taranaki Middle-Weight championship and the Jockey Clup Handicap at New Plymouth and The Consolation Race at Hawera.
• Bike #4 is H. H. Moller winner of the Manaia Handicap at Hawera (we have had Henry Moller on the site before but at a different event. He also rode in the TT here on a works Norton in 1926 without success).
• Bike #17 is W. H. Herbert winner of the Moturoa Handicap at New Plymouth.
• Bike #24 is J. Crockett winner of the Eltham Handicap at Hawera and the Omata Handicap at New Plymouth.

Tucker and Moore, 1924 sidecar TT

-JdK- George Tucker and Walter Moore; winners of the 1924 sidecar TT and their Model 18 Norton combination.

Tommy Simister, 1924 Model 18 Norton

-JdK- Tommy Simister and his Model 18 at the start of the 1924 Senior; he came 4th.

1924 and 1926 Special Model 18 Nortons

-JdK- These pictures were sent to us by the present owner of these machines; we've seen quite a few Model 18s but these are very special and amongst the most desirable Nortons that we've ever seen.

-SG- Both of these bikes look essentially unrestored. Frame xxxxx, above was a special Model 18, one of three, all sent on 22/4/24 to Xxxxx. The absence of an engine number probably means the original crank cases - or the drive side half - have been replaced as a result of damage. The original engine number was xxxxx. The three machines all had Webb forks, 26 x 3 tyres, and special gearboxes, the one on this bike having serial number xxxxx. The carburetter was a Brown and Barlow. Xxxxx ordered quite a lot of machines to a very sporting specification and these three are typical. The column with the 'extras' in it in the works records shows: "Narrow mudguards, no carrier, long exhaust pipe, security bolts to both wheels, foot-oiler, extra large TT petrol and oil tanks with clips brazed to frame, large filler caps, tell-tale on mechanical pump, chain oiler." The rear sprocket has been replaced but otherwise it's very original - straight type rockers as used in '24 and even the oil pump tell-tale is still in place.

Then over to frame xxxxx, engine xxxxx, below; again this was to a special specification - the 'extras' column just says 'TT Spec.' (but see later comments) The carburetter is shown as Brown and Barlow and the tyres as 26 x 3. Forks as Webb (of the latest type). Gearbox is shown as 'special' but no number is given. It was also shipped to Xxxxx, on 6/2/26.

Comments: It is difficult to be specific about 'TT Specification' in February 1926. The tank is very unusual and appears to be the fore-runner of the pannier type tanks used by the works in the 1926 TT.  I would have expected it to have a dry sump engine as these were used in the 1925 TT but it does not. The usual TT extras such as the foot oiler are present and the gearbox appears to be an LS type - again, as used on the TT bikes. A few things have been changed over the years - the rear wheel sprocket looks to have been  re-made. I think the carburetter may also have been changed and the steering damper is incorrect.  None the less it is very original in many respects.

1924 Model 16H - For sale

At Yesterdays; a 1924 Model 16H and it looks pretty good. Model 16H with engine 10784 and frame 13108 was shipped out in July 1924 to a dealer called Greenwood. It had 26 x3 tyres and a Brown and Barlow carb. G/Box number was 81839.