featherbed frame

Hi Steve

Andover Norton supply them. Part No. 06.7201 but out of stock at present.

Also worth trying Unity Equipe.

There are a couple of manufacturers in the USA. Try googling 'new featherbed frame'.

Andy

Lots of companies offer to make Manx featherbeds, almost always for race purposes

Andover Norton offer to make one for you:

https://www.oldbritts.com/13_067201.html

Ken McKintosh has been making them for over 30 years in New Zealand. You can specify whatever model you want. BTW he just recreated one of the original 8 1950 Works bikes around an original McCandless-made frame found at a bike jumble in the '80s, with original parts.

Norvil will even make you a complete bike:

http://www.norvilmotorcycle.co.uk/roaddommie.htm

If you buy a Manx-type frame without the sheet metal gusset under the steering head, you must use a proper Manx-type head steady, otherwise you run the risk of fractured down-tubes.

Paul

Terry Mead , Pluckley, Kent England!

A well known and respected frame repairer and builder, often repairs Molnar frames, his stuff can be relied on it is not always about price!

Hi Steve

I'm also looking for a supplier of a 'Slimline' featherbed frame at the moment? If you find a good supplier - please could you re-post youyr experiences here?

Thanks

Previously Peter White wrote:

Hi Steve

I'm also looking for a supplier of a 'Slimline' featherbed frame at the moment? If you find a good supplier - please could you re-post youyr experiences here?

Thanks

hello I have seen two slimline frames on eBay could still be there if you look, they will not just fall in your lap you have to get out there and look for them and you missed out on the very first 650 production machine ever made and you do not get many motorcycles that are first ever made, I have no idea where it was sold on or not as the last owners as not given me any farther correspondence on this machine yours anna j

Previously steve_mellor wrote:

John

Ive spoken to John at Sheffield classics/Unity Equipe today he has or can get frames as per the Unity catalogue.

What bothers me, if I build a bike with a new frame how do you sort out chassis numbers VIN etc and get a V5C.

I have a Norton M50 Cafe Racer Which was declared manufactured In 1976,

and in special notes says; assembled from parts some or all of which were not new. But the machine is not P or R reg its age related 1963 as are the frame and engine numbers. confused!!

Steve

Itâs because the date of registration isnât the same as date of manufacture. Iâm building a M50 at the moment, that will be registered in 2018 but hopefully have a pre 60 reg Mark.

Pity I am so far away as I have a wideline frame (mod 99) in the garage that I won't get to use in this lifetime!

Hi Steve,

if Dominic is unable to help I have a 58 wideline here in East Yorkshire. Feel free to pm me. Paul.

Hello all

Following on from the featherbed conversation.Is it ok to put a flat on the frame of a dominator to take an inter engine and who might be able to do it.

cheers Ian

Hi Brad

canât see why not? IIRC thereâs not a lot of difference between the frames?

Peter (Southam)

Previously steve_mellor wrote:

Previously dominic_gomes wrote:

Pity I am so far away as I have a wideline frame (mod 99) in the garage that I won't get to use in this lifetime!

Nowhere is too far these days Dominic, where are you?

Way down south in Cape Town, South Africa.

Steve. You haven't mentioned whether it is for a single or a twin, or which version of the Featherbed you are after. Not just Slimline or Wideline, but there are differences amongst the Widelines. You could spend a lot of money for the wrong one....

Previously ian_cordes wrote:

Steve. You haven't mentioned whether it is for a single or a twin, or which version of the Featherbed you are after. Not just Slimline or Wideline, but there are differences amongst the Widelines. You could spend a lot of money for the wrong one....

Hi ya steve I didn't know there was different frames I was just gonna buy any ,I know nothing about nortons but am learning fast and reading previous post ,I've got a dominator 99 engine and gear box and I notice frame on flea bay as different front mount (single lug )I would now assume not right for me .thanks Graham

Previously steve_mellor wrote:

Hi Graham

looks to me like someone has cut the bottom lugs off, not to much trouble to put them back on. At least that frames got visible numbers and traceable.

Steve..

Hi ya steve I bought that frame off ebay £900 with swinging arm shox all numbers bit more of me puzzle when I pick up I'll be asking lots more on here about what numbers mean? Many thanks graham

I cannot think of any good reason why someone would cut off engine mounts.

Wideline frames had one front mount, slimlines had two.

As I alluded to earlier, when asking for advice, the more information you can give the better, as in most cases this will affect the advice you seek, and ultimately, what you buy. Or you can do what Graham has done, buy something and ask what it is later!

Hi Steve.

Some slimlines have only one mounting lug on the front, my 1960 M50 only has one, I think (but not sure) the dominators had two lugs .Also my frame has a slight kink in the top r/tube for the single, but it does not need it,clearance is adequate even if it wasnt there. Maybe the ES2 having a longer stroke needed it?

About 10 years ago I 'got rid of' ' about 5/6 featherbead frames complete with all parts to make about 4 complete bikes for about 1k............why o why. I remember one of them (complete slimline) was a strange blue colour, I bet it was a manxman!.....dont tell Anna.

Regards John O

John. Fair do's for correcting my comment regarding front engine mounts on slimlines. I was just thinking about twins, as that is what I have. It simply underlines another variation in Featherbed frames.

Ian

I think on reflection the one lug two lug front engine mounting mechanism is a bit more complicated and not as clear cut as many think it to be! I also once read that the frames for singles were slightly taller to accommodate the Cam Box on the OHC engines!

The Featherbed-framed OHC engines had different frames from roadsters. Apart from any other differences, they were made from different tubing. The Manx frames were Reynolds 531 chrome moly tubing, whilst the Inters were grade A seamless tubing; B grade for the regular roadsters. All OHC frames were Wideline, even the later Manx, which overlapped the Slimline roadster frame by 3 years or so.

All this info has been published in Roadholder in the not-too-distant past, the latest of the articles were I believe written by Ken Sprayson, who made them. No doubt a search on this site will reveal all!

Ian

Ian I haven't caught up reading all my Roadholder Mags yet! But I do have Sprayson's excellent book!

I do know that the Factory racers had frame mods too!

Geoff Duke stated that the original frame he raced on in 1950 was the best and that the 1951 version of the McCandless frame was inferior, now frame builders add a cross -brace here and there and have stronger Swinging arms fabricated!

McCandless book states that he and Oliver Nelson

had to fly over to Reynolds, because they were having trouble building the first frames!

Ken Sprayson doesn't mention this in his book!

Audio conversation of Rex and friends!

http://www.jenningspublishing.co.uk/sounds010415.htm

Cheers

John Hall

Incidentally the better racing frame had a more squarish curvature at the sub-frame junction, as did some of the other the factory race machines rather than the more gentle long graceful curve of the so called "Manx" frames which were second incarnation that is in the main those derived from1951 onwards.

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A better photo!

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So one lug is right seems not enough to me as I've heard they vibrate a lot ,but I've got one at a fair price Graham

Barber in Norfolk also make frames. I have a f/bed one

Previously graham_prichard wrote:

So one lug is right seems not enough to me as I've heard they vibrate a lot ,but I've got one at a fair price Graham

Extra lugs in situation isn'y the answer the rotating mass of the engine should be dynamically balanced!

Treat the source of the problem and not the symptoms!

Royal Enfield at least tried this solution, the "unapproachable's" seemed not to deal with this issue at root cause! Suppose that is why the had the best 250 in the 60s!

Why do we have an American English, spell check on a British site FGS!!!!