1931 Model CS1 Norton

 

-JdK- We've been contacted by Olof who is looking for the dimensions of a positive stop mechanism for his 1931 CS1 Norton.  It has a three-speed Sturmey Archer box fitted. Please contact us when you can help. His story is as follows: 

"Above a picture of my bike probably short after the war around 1946-48. It had been resprayed Maroon red and the wheels in Ivory. The CS1 started as a racing project in the early 70s. After the original fenders were found in an attic, it was suddenly an almost complete original bike. That's how it came into my possession but dismantled down to the smallest detail. 

I first test-drove it in 2015 and found it very pleasant to ride apart from the original Norton oil leaks from the cam housing and the annoying gear mechanism (below). One detail that has made both previous owners and me wonder is the many satin chromed small parts. Screws, nuts, footpeg details and fork links. They look to be Norton factory quality, mysteriously.

Otherwise, I discovered during the work that the rims and lamp housings are date stamped 1930. The rear hub is Enfield with original spokes but new nipples and the front hub is Horton with new spokes and nipples. The original saddle is still there but not mounted. The front fork is Norton's own with numbers according to the factory information.

According to the factory it was equipped with foot change. For the moment I use a TOR aftermarket mechanism. This is rather clumsy. I have managed to get descriptions and spare part pictures of the SA positive stop mechanism but no dimensions. I would be very thankful if anyone could assist with the dimensions. My workshop is quite complete and I believe that manufacturing a replica is entirely possible."

1931 CJ Norton engine

 

-JdK- An email from Frank: "I bought this 1931 CJ engine from a dealer in the Netherlands last summer. It originally came from a millionaire in Germany. The motor has been cannibalized over the years. Initially, it was supposed to go to someone in England, but the deal fell through. The buyer wanted to take it apart, but the dealer did not have the right tools and the piston was stuck in the cylinder. I spent 2 weeks to get the cylinder off. It seems to be a non-standard engine with a high, domed piston and a head made of bronze. There are oil scrapers fitted in the cases close to where the crankshaft runs. The crankcases are being repaired now. The crankshaft is ready. I have found and bought some parts already in the meantime. I still have an empty cambox ... Before I go screaming to Molnar for an oil pump, I would rather try to find a good, usable original Mazak pump. If you have one that you are willing to sell to me, please contact this website. Greetings from the Netherlands, Frank Kuyl."

My 1931 CS1 Norton

 

-JdK- This is my 1931 CS1 Norton and actually the bike that started this blog 15 years ago. I bought it from Paul d'Orleans, in bits, which made it easier to ship it from the US to the Netherlands. Before Paul crated the bike it looked like below; look carefully at the welded magneto chain cover for a confirmation.

I've rebuilt the engine three times now, not because it exploded but because I thought I could do a better job after the first and second build; same for the gearbox that got a new sleeve gear and bearings last winter. The engine is slightly later, 1932, with a bronze head and hairsprings probably dating from 1934. The gearbox off course is a late 30's Dolls Head Norton

The bike came as a pile of bits with an Indian rear wheel, the correct Enfield hub has been fitted now. At front it has a slightly earlier but very good Webb 650 and an 8" Enfield hub. All tinware is replica. The oil tank I fabricated myself. The petrol tank is an Indian made Manx tank that I modified by cutting and welding in a new bottom half.

It's far from original and probably never will be which doesn't bother me at all, it's a lot of fun!

Early 30s Model 18 Norton

 

-JdK- John in the UK sent this very nice photo of what looks to be an early 1930s Model 18. "My wife just got this family photo from a relation living in the Derby area. She thinks the photo was taken in the 1930’s. Could the tank colour be original?"

1931 Model 20 Norton

-SG- Earlier today I was looking through some ancient messages on my gmail account - which I rarely use.  And what should I find but one from 2014, yes 2014,  from Paul Albert, showing his very smart 1931 Model 20.  The photos are attached and belated thanks for sending them in!

Artie's Model 22 Norton

-SG- My good friend Artie has been involved in Classic Racing in NZ for the last forty years or thereabouts. For several years he was using a 1951 Manx powered by an Inter engine of the same age which he had acquired in 1969.  He used this machine as a road burner for a while in the seventies but returned it to track trim when Classic Racing started in 1979.  A few years back he obtained and fitted the original DOHC engine to the Manx - which had been modified to the short stroke spec. in 1954.

More recently he has been riding a Model 22 built up in 2005 from random parts collected over the years - in his own words 'a real bitza!'  The engine is 1931, the cradle frame probably mid-  to late-thirties, thirties doll's head gearbox and forks, and - a recent improvement - an 8 inch front brake from a fifties Norton tweaked to fit the girders.  While it is not in the same league as the - now very few - pre-war OHC Nortons being raced in NZ it has given Artie many enjoyable rides over the years and another outing to the Covid-delayed Pukekohe meeting is planned for the end of April. Good luck!

1931 Model 20 Norton - SOLD

 

-SG- 1931 Model 20s are few and far between and this one was probably produced late in 1930.  Ian SOLD is selling it for £12000 or near offer and his sales blurb is below!!

"Rare Model 20 Norton (twinport) 500cc owned for 12 years, brand new exhausts.  Petrol + oil tanks professionally painted, gate change on tank, chrome in overall good condition. New parts not fitted as undecided to make concours or just leave as a nice usable bike. Engine number 51766 frame 43436 + large history file."

1931 Model 20 Norton

 

-SG- John has kindly forwarded a recent photo of a well restored 1931 Model 20. Not that many of these have survived and of course sales were not that good at the time as a result of the depression.  Being -  as always - a bit of a nit-picker, the knee grips are not correct but no matter! 

Parts for CS1 and ES2 (and Models 30, 40 and CJ) subsequent to 1931

-SG- One of the parts lists we can now add to the Library - many thanks as usual to Ian - is that covering CS1 and ES2 models subsequent to 1931. Note that page one suggests that the list can also be used to order spares for Model 30, 40 and CJ. Worth mentioning that the Model 22 no longer appears in the list and also that the three speed gearbox illustrated is the LS type rather than the Type III which I think had come into use during 1931 - if the despatch book records are to be believed.

1931 Model CJ Norton

-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.

What the best dressed men were wearing ...

-SG- ... in the Autumn of 1931!  Thanks to Alan for this photo of Norton cufflinks in the Mannin Collection, IoM.

The 1931 Unapproachable

The 1931 Model CS1 Norton

-SG- Having established their 'Unapproachable' booklets a couple of years earlier, Norton's stuck with the theme for 1931. This publication  - courtesy of Ian - covers the  product range for the new year, but unlike those produced later in the thirties, does not detail the sporting achievements of the previous year.

The 1931 leaflet

-SG- More from Ian ... 1931 was a gloomy time for industry world wide as a result of the Depression. Where Nortons were concerned, a small indication of the situation is that quite a few 1929 and 1930 Models were still being sold off to dealers in 1931 - doubtless at greatly discounted prices. This is the 1931 leaflet.

1931 Model 20 Norton

-JdK- Ian in Canada recently bought this 1931 Norton Model 20 from a long time friend. It was bought from the 1st or 2nd owner in 1984. Before that it was laid up in 1950. The motor needed very little attention; new bearings were fitted but only because it was apart anyway.

The Dating Certificate states it had speedo, lights and originally had a panel in the tank. The gearbox as fitted is from a 1931 CS1 also shipped to Toronto in 1931.

Sturmey Archer lever - and John Bull products

-SG- Back in 1931 my good friend Jack Bindley went to the Isle of Man for the third time - I think on one of the special trips TT trips then available at a special price from 'Motor Cycling.' He was given a small booklet published by the Leicester Rubber Company - aka John Bull - containing the names of the riders and other useful TT information, plus of course details of John Bull's range of products at the time. Apart from tyres, one of the products we are all familiar with is the George Dance knee grip, fitted to virtually all Vintage machines with sporting pretensions. But one of their other accessories was a rubber boot to fit onto a Sturmey Archer gear change lever of the twenties type - or, for that matter, any gear lever with a knob of about the same size.  By sheer co-incidence I received the photo attached the other day - showing a new Sturmey lever complete with rubber boot which a friend of mine has just acquired. Hate to think what it cost! Anyway, this prompted me to unearth Jack's 1931 booklet and scans of it are also attached - click this link. Incidentally I know of just two other of these rubber boots to have survived - one in NZ and one in Northern Ireland and both on Nortons - but there are doubtless others out there somewhere, some more perished than others!

c1931 Model CJ Norton

-JdK- Gunnar from Sweden sent these photo's of his Norton. This is the bike he used for classic racing many years ago. It uses parts from different years but most of it is from an early thirties Model CJ.

Jimmy Guthrie, 1931 Model CS1 Norton

-JdK- Jimmy after coming second at the 1931 Senior; the man in the hat is Nigel Spring.

1931 Model 20 Norton

-JdK- The bike on the left is a 1931 Model 20 Norton; Leon suggests the other one is a 1928 Royal Enfield 350cc Sports, or similar.

Tim Hunt, 1931 Model CJ Norton

-JdK- Tim Hunt after winning the 1931 Junior TT; the lady in white is his wife.

1931 Model CS1 Norton - For sale

This is a handsome and very usable machine and Leon, (the seller in Australia) writes :

"Time to sell my friend's last-remaining Norton - his favourite - the 1931 CS1.  It has been in continuous use in vintage rallies since the 1960s. As you (www.vintagenorton.com) pointed out when I asked some time back, it is not to original spec at the moment, but many sporty bits are fitted - Lucas racing magneto, Webb fork, twin float carburettor etc.

You may recall that when I enquired about the bike in July last year, you were able to come up with a December 1930 build date, and the original frame number. The bike currently has a somewhat  later two-stay frame with rather indistinct number stamping, but the original frame number you quoted rang some bells. Sure enough, elsewhere in the shed was a seemingly "plunger Inter" frame carrying exactly that number! When examined closely, the "Inter" frame has witness marks on the seat tube where the original centre stays of the three-stay rigid rear end were connected. Other than this the plunger conversion is so expertly executed that, frame number aside, it looks for all the world like a factory job. When I told my friend the story, he looked at me blankly. Now 90, he has owned the bike - and presumably the plunger frame - for more than 50 years but never dreamed that the plunger "Inter" frame was the original frame from his beloved CS1! The original frame will be included in the sale.'

While I know well that these days we tend to prefer original spec. bikes, this is a case where, to me, the non-original features give it more appeal! As shipped it was fitted with a magdyno and Norton's own forks, and I prefer the racing Lucas magneto, the Webbs and Enfield 8 inch (not wildy efficient!) front brake. I note that the LS gear box is fitted with a Sturmey-Archer footchange, too. Another variation from its 'as despatched' state. We are looking for offers around 30,000 Australian Dollars or above (21.000 Euros)"

Contact Leon directly via his website, http://earlymotor.com/