Anyone identify this frame

Chris Launders

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This frame has appeared on my horizon and am thinking of having it, it's 1 and 1/4" tube, bronze welded with a BSA swinging arm in it. Has had a Gold Star in it judging by the kink in the bottom tube, remote float mount and a dint in the top right tube for the GP, the centre bottom tube has been cut free and moved then tacked in place. NOT a featherbed that's been altered, all the main tubes are one piece.
Anybody KNOW anything about it.
Chris.
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roy the mechanic

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The headstock, top rails and downtubes are wideline norton! The way the rear end has been butchered about looks like it will have a very short wheel base. I would advise caution.
 

Chris Launders

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Roy didn't you read what I put, this is NOT a modified Norton frame, the entire length of the top tubes and the left hand one from the steering head down along the bottom and up to the rear shocker mounts are one piece, they have not bee cut and joined !!!
Also it is not a short wheelbase the distance from the front engine mount to the swinging arm pivot arm is exactly the same as a Norton.
Other than the rear footrest mounts and "possibly" the oil pump kink it appears to be as it was made.
Chris
 

roy the mechanic

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That still does not convince me. I have a 1957 dommie framed triton built in the 70's and have recently built a 500 norvin with a dommie frame . This to my mind is a "got at" piece of filth. My pal Bill was building tribsas before the Rickmans and reconed as soon as you put an oil pump bulge in a norton you have (f) wrecked it. Do yourself a favour, give this one a big swerve. P S where is the chassis number so the dvla will register it. I wish you no ill will just my obsevations from 50 years of building specials.
 
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Chris Launders

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Hi Roy
Like you I've been building specials for nearly 50 years, The first half of that time building custom bikes. I have my own Dommie framed Norvin I built 20 years ago with a chopped twin motor and have recently built two Brough Superior replica's including the frames, so I know when a frame's been chopped about or not having been doing it myself since the early 70s.
This was substantially built this way, probably as a 60s race chassis.
I had thought of getting it and removing the kinked section, I have a friend who has done this several times to repair roadgoing and Manx chassis, he currently has around a dozen F/B Nortons, mostly Manx's, some on which the frames needed severe repair work and he agrees, this was never a Norton frame, something of a copy yes, but never Norton one.
I haven't been able to find a chassis number and didn't expect there to be one and I haven't really got a use for it, I just thought it was too interesting to pass up and wondered if anyone knew anything of it.
Chris.
 

Mr. Boring

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Looks like a Goldstar kink in the frame and a rear BSA swingarm. The rest is a mystery to me but I'm sure some of the rest of you can uncover more.

Please forgive the dust. Project #1422.7 just stalled a little.
 

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Mike 40M

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The plate on the steering head is probably a fairing mount. A poor copy of the GP variety of Manx frames. It looks like a sidestand lug unusually forward placed. On the forward bottom crosstube is a lug possibly for a centre stand. That you can't find any frame number indicates that it never has been a road bike. Contradicts the side stand lug. My guess is that it did not handle as good as expected and was scrapped.
 

Chris Launders

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The centre cross member has been cut adrift at some time and tacked in that position, I think it was originally pointing upwards similar to a BSA A/B pre-unit frame which would tally with a Gold Star being fitted. I haven't actually tried to find a frame number as I'm certain it's not a production frame any number would be irrelevant.
 
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