Norton dual points

Oldhaven

Oldhaven

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Well, to finish what I started, I now have a modified 10CA plate and system. All adjustments and screws are used, and one set of points and adjusters are rotated 25 degrees. I made a new points plate. The intermediate plates required some material removed, but nothing critical to function or stability. I have a good magneto now, but may try this system next time I have the timing cover off.
image.jpg
 
Len Matthews

Len Matthews

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Bill Thomas said:
Hello Ron, There was a set up like you are thinking, I sold it to a chap in AUS a few years ago, It was in an alloy block, Bolted where the mag' inspection plate goes on the Timing cover, With your points. The bearing and drive shaft went where the mag' goes with a bit for rev counter drive, It was OK but you was always playing with it !! I think Nortons has the same trouble !, I think it was made by Russels in the UK, Cheers Bill.
Click to expand...
Bill, I think you are referring to the Ignition kit sold by Dolphin Motors, Pete Russell's firm. It provided manual advance and each cylinder could be timed individually. Also, I believe the late Bob Stafford was responsible for machining the castings. Two separate ignition coils were required and obviously a switch in the supply. The unit featured in an MCN write-up when introduced.
 
Oldhaven

Oldhaven

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
A good day today. I installed the dual points on the Rapide and after some confusion with all the settings available, the bike started on the fourth kick. I let it run a couple of times for a few minutes, but was bothered by the way the rear exhaust started to turn a bit brown near the head compared to the front. I had timed it at 4 btdc retarded for now, to make sure it started. Since the points can be individually set to each cylinder, I may have more fine tuning to do. I am also not sure I should not use the auto advance springs from a Commando since they seem a bit softer than the BSA single AAU I used. It is pretty hard to turn the advance in with the cam in the BSA AAU. The BSA advance has the 15 degree range I wanted rather than the 12 degree advance of the Norton. I am also sorting new Amal 928's, so that may be part of the problem too.

I managed to get everything under the cowl, but still have some ignition switch and power supply work to do. While it looks crowded, I can get the points cover off in abut 5 minutes, since the coils and ballast resistor come off as a unit. It is also getting hard to find what used to be simple things like coil boots. No one seems to make up their own plug wires now.

Anyway, what a pleasure to see oil return and hear it run after something around 50 years.

Ron

image.jpg
 
Bill Thomas

Bill Thomas

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Well Done Ron, That was a LONG ROAD !!. The springs on a D Dist' are weak, I think it's on full advance at about 2000 rev's, I rode a manual mag' for some years, On the road, And once started hardly ever touched the lever. Good Luck, Bill.
 
Top