1929 Model JE Norton

-SG- Following our recent posting about the '28/29 JE Model, Richard has sent me the period photo attached, showing the timing side, exposed push rods and cast alloy rocker box.  Thanks!

Two Wheels: the Model JE Norton

 

-JdK- Manuel Garriga contacted us a while ago about the JE Norton. He wrote an article about the bike and was kind enough to let us share it on the website.

Words by Manuel Garriga. Pics by Pere Nubiola. Originally published by Motor Clásico magazine (issue 392, Nov. 2021)

By the late 1920s, sporting successes had established Norton's reputation as a motorcycle manufacturer. But the Birmingham brand was not limited to making fast and sophisticated machines. The 350cc JE Junior was part of the entry-level range, and had only been in production for a short time. Few units have survived, so finding one as well restored as this one is quite rare.

In essence, the Norton JE was nothing more than the 350cc version (hence 'Junior') of the sporty ES2, which had hit the market in 1927 equipped with the 490cc  and overhead valve engine of the Model 18 and the CS1 single-cradle chassis. From then on Norton was going to use the acronym ES2 for the various versions of the single-cylinder with a 500cc OHV engine that it would manufacture until 1963. But the commercial career of the JE model had a truly short journey, as it never caught on with the public. To learn a little more about its history, we turned to Simon Grigson, one of the two “VintageNorton.Com” webmasters, who sums it up as follows:“The JE was unveiled alongside the CJ at the 1928 Olympia Motor Show, but they would not begin to be delivered to customers until April 1929, which seems to indicate rather inept planning on the part of Bracebridge Street, the company headquarters. Neither model sold well, in my opinion due to the effects of the Depression on the one hand, and on the other hand because the market offered many other 350cc bikes that were much cheaper. In addition, the manufacturing costs of the 350cc JE would not be much lower than those of the 500cc M18. In fact, company records reveal that a considerable number of JE and CJ were liquidated at demolition prices well into 1931. " 

Among the data collected by VintageNorton.Com is a bike with engine number 1102 - the third JE that appears in the records - sent to the Coventry Motor agency in mid-April 1929, which would not find a buyer until December of that year.

The specimen in the photo’s, which still retains its original Barcelona license plate, was sold new in Catalonia in 1929. “I bought it from a scrap dealer from Puigreig, all disassembled”, says Joan Mundet, a veteran collector from Terrassa who treasures several old motorcycles, mainly of British manufacture, and various Montesa from the fifties. “He sold me the frame, the tires, the fenders and the handlebars. Some time later I found the matching engine - according to the number inscribed on the identification plate riveted on the fender - and I brought the Sturmey-Archer gearbox and the Lucas headlight corresponding to the year of manufacture from the German Veterama fair. Thus I managed to have it practically complete. Then I got the magneto and dynamo, both Lucas. The restoration was long and quite expensive but, as you can see, the result was worth it. The bike works perfectly. "

At that time, in the late 1920s, the faster and more advanced Nortons, such as the CS1, CJ and ES2, already had dry sump lubrication. Joan Mundet's bike still maintains the archaic total loss oil system. Then? "Whatever the official company catalogs say, and unlike its sister ES2, I don't think that any JE equipped with dry sump lubrication was sold to the general public during that period", Grigson assures us exhaustively.

But its most outstanding technical feature, which will have caught the attention of connoisseurs, is the surprising configuration of its OHV stock - which the other VintageNorton.Com webmaster, John de Kruif, does not hesitate to describe as "quite stupid" (sic) - with the springs and rocker arms that open and close the valves arranged in the open and clearly visible, instead of shielded under a cover, as was usual by then. Finding this rather outdated solution in a model that had just appeared on the market must not have pleased the English motorcyclist public. It seems that Norton tried to remedy the matter with some mechanical tweaks on the 1931 version: apart from putting a joint in the gear lever and modifying the magneto drive, they attached side covers to the top of the cylinder that sort of hid the guts of the mechanism from sight ... although the springs were still sticking out both behind and in front. The irony is that in the technical specifications of the official catalog we can read the description "push rods and overhead rocker gear totally enclosed" (!).

The frame is the rigid type without suspension, and the only thing that compensates for the hobbles in the road are the saddle springs. In front we find the Webb fork that came with the project, although the standard equipment for both JE and CJ in this period is the Druid Enclosed Spring. To finish the cycle part, the wheels and hubs are Enfield, fitted as standard by the Birmingham factory. The Lucas high-voltage magneto ignition and the double-chamber "fishtail" exhaust silencer are perfectly in accordance with the standard specifications.

It is not an easy motorcycle to handle for the layman. It seems that we lack hands to attend to the entire repertoire of cams, handles and levers. With the right hand we open and close the air to the carburetor and open the throttle; the gearbox lever, which sits below, and the front brake lever, although its drum hardly does anything (better to use the rear one, stepping on the pedal on the left). With the left hand we manage the ignition advance and retard, we operate the decompressor lever and, finally, the clutch lever. You have to be very aware of what you do, especially at the beginning; If one is not used to riding this type of machine, it is easy to make mistakes. Although you get used tot his after which it is more a matter of simple coordination.

We use the first gear ratio just to get started, once underway almost everything can be done in second and third  gear except for very steep slopes. The shift from one to the other gears should be done firmly if you do not want to find yourselve in a false neutral between the gears. We do not have power data, but we have been able to verify that the JE Junior is not particularly vigorous; It’s 350 cc engine needs to pull the same frame as the 500 model and it feels short on thrust, although the throttle response is very progressive and pleasant. Riding the JE is necessarily calm, it is about playing with the best line of progress and taking advantage of inertia to get the most out of what the engine is capable of giving. Thus, our elegant JE Junior takes us through the Empordà roads at the same pace that was customary almost a century ago, when this type of motorcycle was still new.

Epilogue - If the performance is nothing to write home about, compared to the equivalent models of its time, the motorcycle's greatest interest lies in its rarity and, of course, in the high quality of the restoration carried out. The JE was not lucky in its day: the crash of the New York Stock Exchange unleashed a severe crisis, and this motorcycle - which cost almost the same as its 500cc sister ES2 - barely sold, disappearing from the Norton catalog at the end of 1931. Today, very few JE’s survived, and in the present conditions the experts of the brand give them considerable value.

-SG- Interesting article and photos of the Spanish JE - and good of Manual Garriga to let us use it on the site.  I hope he will not take offence if I point out a few minor errors in the text. In no order of importance ...

 

The original ES2 was not in fact a Model 18 engine in a CS1 frame, even though it looks vaguely like it. The crank case, flywheels, cams, cam followers, tappets, cylinder and cylinder head were all special to the ES2 - and of course, the magneto was driven from a supplementary sprocket on the drive side mainshaft so that the magneto could be mounted behind the engine.

 

Once the ES2 went into production (1928), it was fitted as standard with a Best and Lloyd Mark IV oil pump and total loss oiling system.  The dry sump system was an optional extra and relatively few late twenties ES2s are shown in the records with this feature.

 

The 1928 and 1929 JE  engines were fitted with a cast alloy rocker box mounted on the cylinder head - this is illustrated in the excerpt from Motor Cycling magazine which is on the web site (posted 15/11/2011) but the pushrods were still exposed.

All of Nortons 1930 OHV engines were fitted with a cast alloy rocker box and tubes enclosing the push-rods (above). The rocker box casting dimensions differed depending on the model but in principle they were all the same. The actual rockers and valves/valve springs were still exposed.  This basic system remained in use until 1938 when a better arrangement was introduced with the rockers and valve springs fully enclosed.  Incidentally many OHV models available in the early thirties from other manufacturers still had exposed rockers and valves/valve springs so I do not think this characteristic of the design in any way affected sales.  Norton's stressing of the 'enclosure of the push rods and rockers' in their literature may seem a bit strange but one should bear in mind that up to 1929 all the OHV Nortons had fully exposed rockers and push rods, so their marketing people obviously thought this was a step forward. 

 

Finally, the CJ/JE frame was not the same as that used on the CS1 and ES2 models - it was considerably lighter as it had ony two rear stays as opposed to three on the larger capacity machines.

Parts for the 1929 CJ and JE models

-SG- One of the least common parts lists in Ian's collection is that covering the 1929 CJ/JE models. I have never seen one before and until this one appeared, was doubtful if it even existed.  It is not illustrated  and there is a  bit of water damage to the crankshaft bearing details and JE Pushrods and fittings, by the look of things. But none the less, here it is! Many thanks for the loan, Ian!

A Norton in Peru in 1931

-SG- The June edition of 'The Classic Motorcycle' carried an interesting article and photo about three Brits who claimed to have ridden their bikes to the astronomical height of 14763 feet in the Andes in 1931. Two of these intrepid adventurers were Motosacoche mounted but the third, believe it or not, was riding a JE 350 Norton.  The JE, as I think I have mentioned before, was not one of Nortons best sellers and many of the early production bikes did not actually get despatched for a year or two after production started in 1929.  It seemed to me unlikely that many JEs were sold to Peru (not a destination I have ever noticed before in the despatch records) and a quick check shows that - probably -  the JE used for the Andes jaunt was actually one of the early ones (engine number 1310) being shipped out in July 1929 to a company called 'Sociedade Imp. Gen.' in Lima. The records show it  to have been fitted with a tank mounted speedo, dynamo, electric horn and twist grip.

CMC edtor James Robinson has kindly given permission to use the photo of the three riders - fortunate that the JE is in the foreground and, apart from the electric horn, one can see the other 'extras' clearly. What we don't know is who was riding what - the names of the three were R. Lewis, J. D. Galloway and I. B. A Rokes. And what on earth were they doing living, and probably working, in Peru in 1931?

1930 Model JE Norton ... a rarity!

-SG- We have had some postings about Norton's first OHV 350 before but they did not sell that well and relatively few of them have survived.  So ... when I heard a couple of months back that one was for sale in Scotland I contacted the seller to ask for more details, which were not provided. So I was pleasantly surprised to find the bike is now for sale at Andy Tiernan's place and anyone interested can contact Andy direct. Meanwhile here are some photos of it - matching frame and engine numbers - and originally shipped April 1929. Apart from a replacement rear mudguard and later carb./magneto, it looks pretty original.

1929 Model JE Norton

-SG- The JE and CJ models appeared at the 1928 Olympia show. However, actual deliveries did not start until April 1929, which seems to indicate rather inept forward planning in Bracebridge Street!  Neither model sold well - in my view, partly a result of the depression and partly because there were plenty of other cheaper 350cc bikes on the market and the CJ had not performed that well in Road Racing. Indeed, the records show plenty of both models being sold off cheap well into 1931.

We have not had much about surviving JEs on the site other than a few close-ups of a head, last summer, and photos of David's complete machine back in February 2010. It was a pleasant surprise therefore to see one on the Norton Owners' Club stand at the recent VMCC Founder's Day event. This bike was bought by the present owner and a friend back in the early sixties for less than £2 but pretty well all complete. It then got dismantled and ownership passed to the friend ... who did nothing with it for decades and finally sold it back to the chap who has it now, presumably with due allowance for inflation along the way! It is now very presentable and in case regular site visitors wonder why I am not carping on about the doll's head gearbox, later Lucas magneto and kneegrips, I can tell them the original LS box and magneto still exist, the box being in good shape although the magneto needs re-furbishing. And for those who want them, good 1928/9 pattern kneegrips are readily available in the UK from Hunters.

The machine has engine number 1102 - making it the third JE to appear in the records - and it was originally despatched to Coventry Motor Co in mid April 1929 but didn't find a buyer until December 1929. It is shown as being fitted with the Druid Enclosed Spring forks - standard wear for both JEs and CJs at this period - and these are still in place. The owner was not that complimentary about them - he says the damper doesn't work too well ... Unusually, it has 8 inch Enfield finned rear and front hubs, whereas standard fitments for these 350s were 7 inch Enfield rear hubs and 7 inch Hortons at the front.  For what it's worth, this variation is not mentioned in the records.

I am aware of two further JEs - one in UK and one in the Isle of Man - but there must be more survivors than that!

1929 Model JE Norton cylinder head

-SG- I was recently passed some Vintage odd and ends to dispose of, for the widow of a friend. In amongst them was a nigh-on-perfect 1929 JE OHV cylinder head. This is covered by the attached photos. Worth noting are the three pads on the top - mounting points for the cast alloy JE rockerbox - and the deep recess on the head underside to accomodate a sizable spigot on the barrel. Although a larger spigot was present on the late 1929 racing engines - if the Gardner CS1 engine is accepted as an indicator -  this feature seems not to have become standard on OHV and OHC models until the 1931 range came onto the market. However, we are still hoping to clarify this rather vague area of Norton engine development so input will be welcome!

350cc Speedway Nortons

-JdK- Scanning through the seemingly endless files of the Technisches Museum Wien I came across these photos. The riders are Fritz Faltner and Hans Mayer and their bikes are remarkable as these are early 350cc Nortons. Both machines were heavily modified for some sort of speedway contest but they can still be identified. Both were successful if the laurel wreaths mean anything. Note that in some of the pictures the brake drums are empty.

Fritz on the Model JE. The 'hat' on the barrel may have been
fitted to keep the muck from the valves. Note the Druids.

Hans and the Model CJ. Note the Speedway forks.

Fritz has what seems to be a c1929 Model JE. Hans uses what must be a c1932 Model CJ. The caption to the pics identifies the venues as the "Auto- und Motorradrennen auf der Trabrennbahn Wien-Krieau 1934, Goldener Sturzhelm der ČSR 1934 and Internationales Klausenrennen 1934".

Hans and Model CJ

Hans and Model CJ

Hans and CJ at the start

Fritz (35) on the JE, Hans (31) on the CJ and
 Hans Ruzicka (37) on a Peugeot

1928 Model JE Norton

-SG- I sent in a photo back in June of a JE in seemingly racing trim with registration number OX4843. And here it is again - in Motor  Cycling for May 9th. 1928.  Note the dry-sump crankcases. Unlike the ES2 during the Vintage era, I do not think any dry-sump JEs were sold to the general public and I have not heard of even the remains of one of these works engines. A friend of mine who saw the previous photograph commented that the speedo was fitted so that the rider could see how really slowly he was progressing along the highway......

1928 Model JE Norton

-SG- An unusual pic of a 1928 Model JE - note the Birmingham registration number, Webb forks (rather than ES Druids) etc.  Perhaps a works bike...

Martin: "The Birmingham OX registration series was first issued in July 1927, and it ran until July 1928 when the VP series started, which also ran for about a year. The JE is unlikely to have been registered much later than late 1927, as most registrations were made around the time of the motorcycle shows, and then again at the start of the better weather in March and April."

David's 1929 Model JE Norton

I've never actually met David from the UK but we've spoken on the phone quite a few times; I got him a wheel for his 1915 Norton Big Four project and in return he sent me a Royal Enfield wheel for my 1931 CS1. Pleasant conversations and an exchange of Norton parts; a win-win situation!.

David sent me a few pics of his previous project; quite a rare motorcycle as it is a 1929 Model JE Norton. Essentially the 350cc version of the ES2 it has a full cradle frame but note that it is a two-stay version. Not that many were sold, probably because they can't have been much less expensive than the 500cc M18.

David likes to plan the restoration of his bikes and entered his JE for the "Festival of a 1000 Bikes'' when it was still in large lumps; and finished the project in time to participate. This year he will do it again and is confident that his current project, the 1915 Big Four will be up and running in July 2010!