Vincent engine one piece at a time

Andy55

Forum User
VOC Member
Hi Guys
I am slowly collecting all the major castings for my Norvin engine build. Just wondered if the number/letter stamp (C55V) on the inside of the timing cover decodes the date/year or model type that it was originally fitted to? regards Andy
 

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nkt267

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
More than likely to be the mating number.All the major castings were finished to fit each other.The crankcase mating number 'should' appear in the timing cover and the chaincase covers.But what the heck it will all fit together anyway..John
 

davidd

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
It does not specifically denote year and model. The mating number was stamped on the cases and covers so that when oil holes were drilled and cases ground to match the covers, the parts could be identified and kept together. The engine number, which would indicate model, was stamped on near the end of the build. All the numbers were sequenced, at least roughly, which means the mating number could potentially point to a date, but not a model. The engine number will give a very good idea of the date because of the sequence. Digital photos of the numbers sent to the Machine Registrar should yield some answers.

David
 

jim burgess

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi Guys
I am slowly collecting all the major castings for my Norvin engine build. Just wondered if the number/letter stamp (C55V) on the inside of the timing cover decodes the date/year or model type that it was originally fitted to? regards Andy


I think the original Black Shadow motor fitted to my norvin spent some time in a breakers. Crankcase have matching numbers (between the cylinder bores) primary and timing covers match each othe but not the crankcase, dynamo drive cover came from yet another machine. I think I am right that the then machine registrar said all the original bikes were still out there.
Welcome to the work of the noble...
Jim Burgess Norvin S.O.
 

Chris Launders

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I'm afraid nkt267 is wrong,they will not always fit each other,my norvin motor has a different mating number on the timing cover to the crankcases,when I gave all the bits I had collected to Maughn's they told me the oil quill hole had to be welded up and repostioned to line up with the crank and a special undersize large idler made as the crankshaft was slightly higher in my cases than normal.Tony was still alive at this time and they had come across about 1/2 dozen engines over the years where standard large idlers would not fit and had in fact just had one from a US customer. Obviously if your cases all match and you don't try to fit a new idler you would never know,perhaps a small batch of cases were machined wrong mine is 92xx
Chris.
 

Vince Farrell

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi Guys
I am slowly collecting all the major castings for my Norvin engine build. Just wondered if the number/letter stamp (C55V) on the inside of the timing cover decodes the date/year or model type that it was originally fitted to? regards Andy

The engine with C/C # C55V is now in the USA.

Vince Farrell - VOC Machine Researcher
 

Monkeypants

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
Maybe Robert Watson will comment if his bike made from 100 bikes had some similar problems.
I saw that bike several times while it was going together and I am here to tell you that it is a complete fake.
The parts came from no more than fifty motorcycles at most!

Glen
 
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