Building a NorVin

Chrish

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Non-VOC Member
Hi All

I'm thinking of building a NorVin and wondered, in the greater knowlege base out there, if I could pick your collective brains. This will be a complete engine, no cut gearbox. Frames, is there anyone making specialised frames to suit? Original Norton frame, cut the crossover/tie tube linking the down tubes? prise open the downtubes? move the engine further forward and down? anyone with knowlege and perhaps have built a NorVin your help is appreciated.

Chrish
 

manxnortonman

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VOC Member
Chrish,
If you are not machining the swing arm lug off then you can machine a slot in it to fit over the off side gussett plate. This will then unfortunately determine where your engine sits in a standard featherbed frame if you use the swinging arm pivot hole to tie the engine to frame.

Garry:)
 

timetraveller

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VOC Member
This might not be want you want to hear but why not build an Egli instead? No point having an engine/gearbox unit as strong as the Vin's and then sticking tubes round it and having to cut things about. And no, I do not have anything to sell you so I am unbiased in this. :)
 

Chrish

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Chrish,
If you are not machining the swing arm lug off then you can machine a slot in it to fit over the off side gussett plate. This will then unfortunately determine where your engine sits in a standard featherbed frame if you use the swinging arm pivot hole to tie the engine to frame.

Garry:)

Thanks Garry, I understand the drawbacks of fitting two non compliant items together, I was really interested in if anyone has built a frame to suit the NorVin. I like the old style look of the the bike.

Chrish
 

Chrish

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Non-VOC Member
This might not be want you want to hear but why not build an Egli instead? No point having an engine/gearbox unit as strong as the Vin's and then sticking tubes round it and having to cut things about. And no, I do not have anything to sell you so I am unbiased in this. :)

Hi, I'm not adverse to the Egli but I think I'll persue the NorVin a bit further, thanks for your suggestion.

Chrish
 

Peter. C

Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Hi Chrish - If you do decide to go ahead with the build I could help with templates of the original engine and gear box plates of of my Viscount. The engines do go in easily with a half round piece taken out of the gusset plate.
Not a job for the faint hearted to build the beast.

Peter.C
 

ogrilp400

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Non-VOC Member
Widening a Featherbed Frame

Chrish,
To you and all the others out there who keep saying this, you CANNOT widen the tubes of a featherbed frame to drop the engine down between them. Well you can but then you end up with a frame that is 17" wide. Take it from some one who has built two of them, to do so you would need to cut the cross tubes and move the left side out 4 1/2" and the right out 3 1/2" to get the engine down. The clutch housing sits on the left hand tube and the oil pump and gear change cover is only JUST above the right. You would then end up with the bottom tubes running down either side of the engine. How then do you propose to fit a 8 1/2" wide swinging arm pivot between a 17" wide frame. Another fallacy oft stated is to move the engine around in the frame for better weight distribution. If you call 1/16th" moving then I will go with it. There is just no room to move. There is approximately 3/16th to a 1/4" between the front exhaust and the front down tube so that means that the engine can't be shifted forward or to the left. There is approximately 3/16th" between the rear exhaust rocker cap and the RH top tube and the standard rear chain just clears the inside of the RH frame tube so there is no room to move the engine to the right. The lug on the back of the chain case interferes with the frame gusset and needs to be trimmed so no movement there either. Just where do people think the engine can be move to?.
The only alternative is to remove the down tubes and bottom tubes all together and that then is half the frame gone so why not take it all away in one piece and go the Egli rout or a standard Vincent and save a featherbed frame from ruin.
Now some positive. I commend you on wanting to keep it old style. It is a pleasing bike to look at and to ride. Have a look at Norvin under cafe racer on britbike.com and you will see another fine example. Do not under any circumstances remove the lug on the back of the chain case. Do not do it!. With a little trimming of both the lug and the frame gusset the engine will go in. Note I said a little. If anybody would like some advice on Norvins then I am quite pleased to be able to offer it.

Phelps
 

Chrish

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Non-VOC Member
Hi Peter C. thanks for your reply it's a steep learing curve that I'm on and I need all the help I can get.
Regards,

Chrish
 

Foggy

Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Hi All

I'm thinking of building a NorVin and wondered, in the greater knowlege base out there, if I could pick your collective brains. This will be a complete engine, no cut gearbox. Frames, is there anyone making specialised frames to suit? Original Norton frame, cut the crossover/tie tube linking the down tubes? prise open the downtubes? move the engine further forward and down? anyone with knowlege and perhaps have built a NorVin your help is appreciated.

Chrish
check thevincent.com...under parts/suppliers....Colin Taylor advertises that he makes frames for norvins with extra width. dave degens ..Dresda would also be worth consulting for one of his frames, or Andover Norton but you'll only get a standard frame...and a long wait,...then have to have it modified,....this is the route i'm taking with dresda doing the work, by cutting the lower frame rails both sides ,[yeah i was freaked out when i saw it first],you can achieve a motor that lifts in and out as a unit[only have to remove valve inspection caps] good luck with your project
 
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