Old Soldier

-SG- Every now and then we hear from Juris on progress with his 1917 WW1 Big Four - known as 'Old Soldier!' Recently he has been working on the silencer and his texts and photos follow on:

"We have made good progress on the exhaust system of the old soldier. Had to order 3 metres of thin wall pipe 32 mm in dia for the straight exhaust pipe from the UK as our local suppliers said that they cannot import thin wall tubes for fear of smashing them in transport. Have made tooling and pressed those silencer end caps on our hydraulic press. Please see the photos. They came out reasonably well. The good news is that I also need them for the 1927 model 17C and for my 1927 french "Monet Goyon" 4rc4 — racer with  350 cc Villiers 2-stroke engine. This bike has huge baloon tyres and I had only one option for replacements — to buy clincher automobile tyres and I need to cut more grooves in them to make them suitable for a motorcycle. I used Trimagard black phosphating paint from Trimite ltd and put the parts in a stove at 130 degrees for 1/2 hour. thus the semi-matt finish is weatherproof and will not rust."

1930 Model Big Four Norton - For sale

 

-SG- With a few exceptions, it seems to me that most of those interested in pre-war Nortons look primarily at OHV/OHC Models and the work-horse SV machines don't attract as much attention.  I recently exchanged messages with David who is advertising his 1930 Big Four/Model 1 on Car and Classic. This is a matching numbers bike despatched in late March 1930 to a dealer in Tunbridge Wells called R Carey who in turn delivered it to his local customer a few days later. It does not show in the records that it was fitted with a sidecar but this could well have been done by the dealer and it would, I think, have been unusual at the time to use a Big Four as a solo. While looking up the details of this machine in the records, I did a quick check on how many Model 1s were actually sold at the time by the factory. The answer is surprisingly few - in 430 entries from January 1930, there were just 29 Model 1s. Compare this with a check on the same period in 1925 and the result is 93. To a considerable extent this difference is probably attributable to the world wide financial depression prevalent in the early thirties but another contributory factor may simply have been a tendency for sidecar users to be tempted to opt for cheap four wheeled transport offered by the Austin 7, Morris 8 etc. The machine looks eminently usable and in good order and anyone interested can contact David direct - his mobile phone number is 07973508804.

1951 Big 4 Norton and carburettors

 

-JdK- 'Vintage' is nowadays used for anything older than a few decades, we use a cutoff date on our website of 1940 while for serious motorcycles the vintage class seems to end in December 1930. This Big 4 was built in 1951 so it probably shouldn't be on these pages.

I don't think this bike is pretty, it is a very pleasant motorcycle however and when you forget about the Roadholder forks the rest of the machine is very similar and in some parts identical to the 1930s models. The gearbox looks different on the outside, the internals are almost identical to what's found inside the earlier dolls head box. 

The engine is based on the prewar model; Norton knew what they were doing however when they updated the design. The cases are much heavier, held together with twice as many bolts, gone are the clattering cam followers, with heavy tappets acting directly one the valves. The valve springs are enclosed and together with the guides now well lubricated while the head is much larger and made from aluminium. Clean up the inlet port and skim a few millimeters from the head, fit a bigger carburettor and it runs very well. I don't think there's much difference in the performance of this Big 4 compared to a Model 18. It's brilliant for going to the shops or trashing around on a Sunday afternoon. No need to be careful!

Interestingly the cradle frame is very similar to those used on 1930s ES2 and International models and quite a few of these sidevalve engines must have been replaced by OHC engines. 1930s Norton girders can be used to replace the Roadholders and very few people will notice.

There used to be someone in The Netherlands who could rebuild old Amals but he got sick of people who gave him rubbish to repair and complained about the cost so he quit doing this. I couldn't find a proper 1 1/16" type 276 and hate to run a bike on a worn-out carb which left me no other option than to fit a 27 millimeter roundslide Mikuni. Dare I say it, both the design and quality of the Mikuni are lightyears ahead of the old Amals, this is an excellent carburettor though I admit a 276 would look better.

I'm not the only one who took this route, at the Irish last summer I spotted a Sunbeam and a Velocette using similar Mikunis.

Bonhams Autumn sale at Stafford

 -SG- I was recently sent what seems to have been a draft text of the publicity announcement for this upcoming sale.  I queried one particular aspect of it with the powers-that-be at Bonhams and lo and behold! the text now seems to be as they intended!  I am not suggesting, let me hasten to add, that the text correction is anything to do with me!  However there are a couple of Nortons for sale for which the descriptions are either questionable or slightly inaccurate!

 

First - what is listed as a 1915 Big Four.  Looks very presentable but is it 1915?  The engine number begins with BA which indicates 1921 and although frame number information prior to 1922 is sparse it seems that the quoted frame number of 3370  also comes from the same year.  Other negative points re this machine - it has been fitted with a six inch front brake; a late thirties Amal carb.; and an early twenties gearbox and gear-change.

 

Second - the  sale includes the Forshaw speedway machine collection which has been at the Haynes Museum for the last twenty-five years.  This includes a 1930 DT Norton and during the mid-nineties, I had the pleasure of visiting Richard Forshaw and his father Ivan at their premises on the south coast and was allowed to see the machine during its rebuilding stage.  It is no longer fitted with its original engine but with a mid 1930 Model 18 power unit. which was fitted to it (albeit with a DT engine timing cover) when I saw it.  So what's wrong with the sale description?  Not a lot, really!  It states that only 11 1930 DT models were produced where the records show 36 plus various spare engines.  And there were twelve machines for DT use produced in 1929, but using Model 18 frames and forks. The comments re the gearbox fitted could perhaps do with a little amplification,  As originally fitted it was simply a countershaft but could be easily fitted with the rest of the necessary internals and gearchange parts to make the machine suitable for its later grass racing purpose.

PS. The supposedly 1915 Big Four fetched £12650 inc. premium and the 1930 DT machine with Model 18 engine £20,700 inc. premium.  Perhaps the buyer of the DT bike should also buy Alain's engine and then he would have most of the parts to make it more original! 

1929 Model Big 4 Norton - SOLD

-JdK- Malthe in Denmark has this 1929 Norton Big 4 SOLD. Please find all the details on carandclassic.co.uk.

Maudes Trophy

-SG- Back in November 2016 we posted a photo of Phil Pike/Arthur Bourne and the late 1924 Big Four outfit used for the factory's successful Maudes Trophy attempt. The photo was provided by Ian and he has now loaned a small commemorative booklet published by the factory along with a copy of the relevant ACU certificate of performance.  Scans are attached and many thanks to Ian, yet again!
The award was gained following a 4088 mile  ride around the country with a standard Big Four outfit assembled from stock parts, under ACU supervision. West Country dealer Phil Pike was at the helm and the sidecar passenger was ACU observer (and later Editor of Motor Cycle magazine) Arthur Bourne. The whole project nearly came to grief when the outfit and a charabanc collided.  This necessitated a new frame, forks etc for the outfit - apparently provided by the nearest Norton dealer and fitted by their mechanics under ACU supervision.

For sale: 1929 Model Big 4 Norton (SOLD) and parts

-JdK- Christian has SOLD for sale a 1929 Model 633cm Big Four Norton. The frame number is 37525, the engine number is 44940. Deliverd from the works with a CSI Tank and Webb fork. It's for restoration. There are more parts and old documents with the bike. The Norton is located in Bavarian Germany.

He also has some vintage Norton parts for sale, a 1927-30 CSI tank with a replica filler cap, a Sturmey Archer gearbox, a barrel, a timing cover inner and outer from ca. 1925, two Best and Lloyd oil pumps from 1928-30.

Christian is open for serious offers. Please contact him directly via email: oidsglump69@gmx.de or phone 49/160/90920597.

1929 Norton Model Big 4

-SG- The New Zealand branch of the Norton Owners Club held their annual rally etc. here on Banks Peninsula last month. It was well attended with a substantial number of post war twins and a few singles. Just two girder forked bikes were present -  a very tidy WD16H and a nice 1929 Big Four - photos of the latter herewith. I note that it still has the original cast alloy magdyno cover and Lucas MDB1 magdyno as well as original lights. Bob is the current owner and restorer and his further comments follow:

"My Big 4 has all matching numbers and was supplied through the New Zealand agents Galbraith and Grant, with an original lighting set and dynamo as optional equipment, at the time of purchase. It was also fitted with a family sidecar for which I have the chassis and wheel, the latter complete with a 'Norton' hub cap. The sidecar I sometimes have fitted now is of more modern construction but still looks 'period'. According to the records, the machine was dispatched from the Norton factory on 13th November 1928. Restoration of the solo motorcycle from a disassembled state was completed in 2009."

c1910 Model Big 4 Norton

-SG- The rather grainy image attached shows Mr L Pitcher who achieved a perfect score in the February 1912 Christchurch - Banks Peninsular and return event  (New Zealand) on his Norton. This was no mean achievement, bearing in mind the very basic nature of New Zealand roads at the time.

-Andrew in Australia- This Norton likely is 1910 and it’s a Big 4 with a NortoRoc 2 speed gear, the same as the one I have here. That is the only picture of one of these machines taken side on that I have ever seen. There is a fellow in NZ that has a Big 4 engine so more than likely it would be the engine from this bike.

Looks like the rear gear change pedals come out from the rear engine mount bolt and it has a square plate to stop your foot coming off, no rubber foot pegs. Engine defiantly has extended mouth for 633cc. Front guard is half valanced. Front brake lever  is a normal modern configuration. Can’t see a valve lifter. That might be on the right-hand side as they are crank handle start and being a long bike, it would be hard to reach the other side and crank the handle. Bosch DA2 magi with Brown and Barlow carbi. Quite narrow handle bars like the 08 and 09 models. The 2 straps that can just be made out on the seat tube are to hold the leather bag that the crank handle is stored in.

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.

Maudes Trophy

Find the PDF via this link

-SG- 'The Classic Motorcycle' recently printed an interesting article by regular contributor Richard Rosenthal dealing with Norton's Maudes Trophy achievements in the mid twenties. This reminded me that I have a small booklet published by the factory in, probably, early1926 which is entitled 'The Story of Two Unapproachables.'  This details the 1925 activities which won the Trophy for the third year in succession.  The booklet in itself is not that much of a rarity but there is a background anecdote as to my copy:  it was given me by the late Dr Joe Bayley (author of 'The Vintage Years at Brooklands') and with it came a letter to him from a chap called Leigh Huilbrook, who later owned the Model 18 used in the 1925 tests. Leigh describes it as the best bike he ever had!

1934 Model Big Four Norton

Charlie in San Francisco has just put this bike back on the road after eighteen years of storage.

Charlie: "I bought it from a Volvo dealer in the US as a very complete basket case in 1989, made it roadworthy in 1990, and ran it quite a lot until late 1998. It is a strong runner now, and it's surprisingly lively for an old SV slogger with a 120mm stroke. All I had to do was replace tires and tubes, freshen up the top end, and replace the mag armature and condenser. A lot of time went into cleaning it up too.

The engine number is 59XXX, frame number is 54XXX. It was first registered 3 September 1934. I have what I think is the second log book. The bike was registered to Dudley Hale Pearson, of Stourbank, Nayland Nr. Colchester. The first stamp is 31 March 1948. The Registration Authority is West Suffolk County Council, Bury St. Edmunds. The final stamp is 5 January 1967.

Any information about this bike and its owner history would be greatly appreciated!"

1915 Model Big Four Norton

-JdK- A 1915 WD Model Big Four Norton attached to a sidecar. The photo was contributed by Rich in Belgium and was taken apparently on 16 March 1916. According to Mike: "This is the new Big Four for 1915 as it has the new dropped top tube on the frame, and the first year of fitting the early pattern Sturmey Archer gearbox, the cutout in the petrol tank for valve removal and replacement, only used on 1915 models."

Old soldier valves and seats - 1917 Big Four

-SG- Juris in Latvia has one of the very few surviving Big Four Nortons supplied to the Imperial Army in Russia in World War 1, and this  machine - nick-named 'Old Soldier'- has been mentioned on the site before. He has recently turned his attention to the cylinder barrel/valves. The barrel has minimal wear and the original piston is also very usable. But here's what he says about the valves ...

"I removed the valves and was surprised to find their stems to be double diameter - 3/8” near the head and 5/16” for about 3/4 of the stem length. Interestingly the worn exhaust valve guide had been sleeved with a bronze sleeve sometime in the '20s or '30s, many years before bronze valve guide sleeves were invented! The valve seats in the head look like they have never been cut, only lapped in with paste. Their width is now around 4 mm. I will put in chrome-moly valve seats as I do not want the hassle of regularly grinding in valves with paste— just have not got the time and of course these will not be conspicuous from outside.

I intend to retain the existing valve guides and to machine them out and hone to 3/8” throughout to accept modern chromed stem valves from Caterpillar and Mack trucks. I have no idea if these valve guides are original or they have been changed at some point in time. I have a feeling that they may be original. The truck valves are very tough and they should last another century."

While the threaded valve guides looked original, the valves did not and Juris also mentioned that they appeared to have been made from larger valves with the slots hand filed.  But … the threaded valve guides were not something I had come across in my limited exposure to earlier Norton design details. So Juris did some more checking and found the guides were in fact threaded the same as an 18mm sparking plug and better still, that they were the same as those on another WW1 Big Four rescued from Russia several years back (via Finland!). I am told that, at this period, Nortons used 5/16 stem valves and press-in valve guides, so perhaps the threaded guides were a nicety provided on the Military Models to aid service in the field.

postscript - Andrew in Australia has dropped us an email about Veteran Norton valve guides, for which thanks.  He writes: 'Both my 1910 cylinders and my 1911 cylinder have screw-in valve guides, and a 1908 one here has the same cylinder as the 1910 type so that would be the same!   More info for the melting pot!

1921 Model 16H and Big Four Nortons

The 1921 Big Four (left) and 16H (right)

Dodi in Italy sent these pics of his 1921 Model Big Four and 16H Nortons. Dodi: "The Big Four has engine number BA17XX and frame number 35XX. I bought it 15 years ago via the late Doug Barker. The 16H has engine number BA20XX and frame number 10XX or 40XX. The 16H spent all it's life in Italy. Bought by my late uncle (lifelong motorcyclist and Norton fan) in the early '60s when he started to build up a large collection. It has adjustable tappets (not so the Big Four), hand pump and no drip feed. Can anyone tell me what the BA suffix is for? Perhaps a short-lived attempt to mantain the "year" suffix, as used up to 1920, in a less confusing way, using letters (A=1, B=2) instead of digits?"

-SG- Both Nortons look very nice but unfortunately the factory records which exist don't start until late 1922 so what information is available prior to this has been arrived at by details being gathered of existing bikes with known manufacturing histories. This was carried out by a friend of mine over a period of quite some years but is by no means 100% correct. The BA prefix letters in the engine number appear to have been used only for 1921 machines and no one has any ideas what they stand for! Your suggestion may well be right but at this distance, difficult to say!"

c1916 Model Big Four

-JdK- George has been working on a c1916 Model Big Four Norton. Originally supplied to Russia in WW1 it was found as pile of parts in California; unfortunately without wheels which is one of the reasons for fitting later hubs and brakes. The paint on the petrol tank is fresh!