Paging TOG and any Norton experts..

[Spike]

OK, have a relation that has a Norton Commando to (possibly) sell, and
were looking for a bit more info..

Bike has a Norton engine, in a rebuilt frame that is possibly a Triumph
frame, or it has also been suggested, an Uncle Bunt frame..

Tank is an original BSA it is thought...

I can supply engine numbers/frame numbers if they would help clarify
matters, but for the moment, Ive slapped some photos up over here..

http://picasaweb.google.com/richards.mike/Norton




Long story short, how interesting would people say this particular
specimen is? And how much would it be worth?

TIA ec etc..

[c***@NOSPAM.netunix.com]

Post by Spike
OK, have a relation that has a Norton Commando to (possibly) sell, and
were looking for a bit more info..
Bike has a Norton engine, in a rebuilt frame that is possibly a Triumph
frame, or it has also been suggested, an Uncle Bunt frame..
Tank is an original BSA it is thought...
I can supply engine numbers/frame numbers if they would help clarify
matters, but for the moment, Ive slapped some photos up over here..
http://picasaweb.google.com/richards.mike/Norton
Long story short, how interesting would people say this particular
specimen is? And how much would it be worth?

YUK - looks like an abortion masquerading as a bitsa.
Plunger rear suspension, wierd top sprung front.
The F reg looks wrong, it should probably be on a Q plate.
I suppose a Notrun collector might want it for the engine .....

[Timo Geusch]

Post by Spike
Long story short, how interesting would people say this particular
specimen is? And how much would it be worth?

I normally don't recommend going somewhere else for more info, but you
may be better off asking the question at www.chopperbuilder.co.uk
instead of here. Somebody over there even may recognise the bike.

Given that it is a proper old-skool chop, I wouldn't be surprised if
you'll get between 1500 and 2k for it if it's running and potentially
MOT'd.

[Paul - xxx]

Spike wibbled

Post by Spike
OK, have a relation that has a Norton Commando to (possibly) sell,
and were looking for a bit more info..
Bike has a Norton engine, in a rebuilt frame that is possibly a
Triumph frame, or it has also been suggested, an Uncle Bunt frame..
Tank is an original BSA it is thought...
I can supply engine numbers/frame numbers if they would help clarify
matters, but for the moment, Ive slapped some photos up over here..
http://picasaweb.google.com/richards.mike/Norton
Long story short, how interesting would people say this particular
specimen is? And how much would it be worth?
TIA ec etc..

Novelty [1] value, I'd give you fifty quid for it. I have little doubt
that there'd be some value for someone somewhere who likes Nortons and
needs an engine.

[1] I dislike 'choppers', and this one looks particularly bad, IMHO.

[Cane]

Post by Spike
http://picasaweb.google.com/richards.mike/Norton
Long story short, how interesting would people say this particular
specimen is? And how much would it be worth?

£200 quid upto £400 if you find a proper mug

[The Older Gentleman]

Post by Spike
http://picasaweb.google.com/richards.mike/Norton

God, that is horrible. I bet some git will pay £2k for it, though.

[+.com (A.Lee)]

Post by Spike
OK, have a relation that has a Norton Commando to (possibly) sell, and
were looking for a bit more info..
Bike has a Norton engine, in a rebuilt frame that is possibly a Triumph
frame, or it has also been suggested, an Uncle Bunt frame..
Tank is an original BSA it is thought...

The value is less thasn £2k, as it looks bloody awful. The
engine/gearbox are the most valuable things there, if good, they can be
sold for up to £1000.
The tank looks a little like a BSA M20 tank, but with that large dent in
it will make it worth less than £50.
The frame looks like a custom built one, it may be possible that it is
an original plunger frame from the 40's. Though I doubt it.Without
finding a makers name, it could be anyone out there who made it.

Alan.

[TOG@Toil]

Post by +.com (A.Lee)

Post by Spike
OK, have a relation that has a Norton Commando to (possibly) sell, and
were looking for a bit more info..
Bike has a Norton engine, in a rebuilt frame that is possibly a Triumph
frame, or it has also been suggested, an Uncle Bunt frame..
Tank is an original BSA it is thought...

The value is less thasn £2k, as it looks bloody awful.

Never underestimate the Chopperites. If it's got a hardtail and
apehangers, some idiot will start dribbling over it and reaching for
his wallet.

Post by +.com (A.Lee)
The
engine/gearbox are the most valuable things there, if good, they can be
sold for up to £1000.

Oh yes. Don't forget the wheels and the springer forks as well -
they're always worth money to the Chopperites.

Post by +.com (A.Lee)
The tank looks a little like a BSA M20 tank, but with that large dent in
it will make it worth less than £50.
The frame looks like a custom built one, it may be possible that it is
an original plunger frame from the 40's. Though I doubt it.Without
finding a makers name, it could be anyone out there who made it.

That's true. If it's an Uncle Bunt (John Reed) frame, though, I'd
expect the quality of the workmanship (ie: welding) to show through.

If it's a runner, I bet it's still worth £2k, or close to. Though I
wouldn't touch it with yours.

[DogBreath]

"***@Toil" <***@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:5ce04f47-c775-49e1-a631-

...and the GIRDER forks as well...

Corrected.

[TOG@Toil]

Post by DogBreath
news:5ce04f47-c775-49e1-a631-

...and the GIRDER forks as well...

Corrected.

Yes, sorry, of course.

[+.com (A.Lee)]

Post by ***@Toil

Post by +.com (A.Lee)
The frame looks like a custom built one, it may be possible that it is
an original plunger frame from the 40's. Though I doubt it.Without
finding a makers name, it could be anyone out there who made it.

That's true. If it's an Uncle Bunt (John Reed) frame, though, I'd
expect the quality of the workmanship (ie: welding) to show through.

I used to work next door to 'Uncle Bunt', around 1992. He had given up
the frame building business (He was making air conditioning/heating
venting units then), as he was sick of the complete idiots who used to
turn up at his door.
It wouldnt be one bloke who came along to order one, it'd be one and
his 5 mates, who all separated out, and had a good look around his
workshop.And these werent the types who you'd like looking around your
workshop.

He always said that he had destroyed all of the frame jigs when he
finsihed, but there were lots of 'new' bikes that were advertised as
having Unle Bunts frames, but he would deny having anything to do with
them, though others said he had sold off the jigs, but didnt want anyone
associating his name with new stuff he hadnt built.
Alan.

[Hog]

Post by +.com (A.Lee)

Post by ***@Toil

Post by +.com (A.Lee)
The frame looks like a custom built one, it may be possible that it
is an original plunger frame from the 40's. Though I doubt
it.Without finding a makers name, it could be anyone out there who
made it.

That's true. If it's an Uncle Bunt (John Reed) frame, though, I'd
expect the quality of the workmanship (ie: welding) to show through.

I used to work next door to 'Uncle Bunt', around 1992. He had given up
the frame building business (He was making air conditioning/heating
venting units then), as he was sick of the complete idiots who used to
turn up at his door.
It wouldnt be one bloke who came along to order one, it'd be one and
his 5 mates, who all separated out, and had a good look around his
workshop.And these werent the types who you'd like looking around your
workshop.
He always said that he had destroyed all of the frame jigs when he
finsihed, but there were lots of 'new' bikes that were advertised as
having Unle Bunts frames, but he would deny having anything to do with
them, though others said he had sold off the jigs, but didnt want
anyone associating his name with new stuff he hadnt built.
Alan.

Eh? he moved to the USA in the mid 80's, still talked about recently and
had a stroke sometime after 2000 and was designing parts for Custom Chrome
last year.

[+.com (A.Lee)]

Post by Hog

Post by +.com (A.Lee)
I used to work next door to 'Uncle Bunt', around 1992. He had given up
the frame building business (He was making air conditioning/heating
venting units then), as he was sick of the complete idiots who used to
turn up at his door.

Eh? he moved to the USA in the mid 80's, still talked about recently and
had a stroke sometime after 2000 and was designing parts for Custom Chrome
last year.

Hmm, thats strange, a quick google shows John Reed, but that is nothing
like the bloke I knew (though it is 15 years ago).

This chap owned 2 factory units in Leicester, he rented one out to us,
and ran his fabrication business from the other.
I was unaware of his frame building until a co-worker told me he was
'Uncle Bunt', and had had to shut down and move as he was getting tired
of dealing with the people who wanted his frames.I was there from 90-93
so he had finished making frames before 1990, probably a bit earlier, as
the factory unit had been built for him around 84.
There were loads of 'biker gang' type characters turning up, he was the
one who used to supply their frames, and they all wanted to order more,
but he wouldnt do anymore, as he was sick of it. He once showed me a few
of his frames that he had hidden at the back of his unit.
Alan.

[The Older Gentleman]

Post by Hog
Eh? he moved to the USA in the mid 80's,

'Swot I thought.

[AW]

Post by The Older Gentleman
'Swot I thought.

You thought correctly:

http://www.american-v.co.uk/news/news/news07/body.html

Uncle Bunt inducted into the US Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame
Those who have come to Harleys late in life, after years aboard a
variety of British and Japanese bikes through the last couple of
decades, will know the name of one of the UK's foremost customisers.
John Reed was responsible for much of the ground-breaking custom
engineering initially through his shop - the original Uncle Bunt - and
then as a world-respected designer, and inspired generations of
bikers, which culminated in an explosion of interest in custom bikes,
spurred on by the Kent Custom Bike Show and the launch of Back Street
Heroes magazine.

He broke into the US with a Supercharged Triumph-powered lowrider and
ultimately moved to the 'States to set up and run the R&D department
for CCI for six months, in California, in the mid-eighties, applying
for permanent residency after 2 years. This year, alongside Erik
Buell, John was admitted into the ranks of the great and good in
recognition of his contribution to motorcycling. Take a bow Mr Reed.

[AW]

Bad form posting, but also from the report on the Hall of Fame award:

John picked up just about every top custom award going in the UK,
before turning his attention to the 'States where his supercharged
Triumph blew away judges in the prestigious ISCA shows, gaining Best
Engineering trophies. He'd slowly phased out the shop in the early
eighties in favour of short-term design and trouble shooting contracts
before accepting an invitation to set up an R&D department for Custom
Chrome in California, where he has worked ever since.