1961 Navigator parts

I think leightons will make you a seat, bantam john is alleged to have some but I'm told he's not good to do business with. Headlight shell I expect you'll need to find in a jumble or eBay. I'm assuming it was like the jubilee and had a hole for the speedo and ammeter, I've not seen a pattern one like it, but you might be able to adapt one while you look for an original.

Dan

As the navigator used Roadholder forks I would assume you would have a shell more like the Dommy ones ,could even be the same.Someone will know on here.

The navigator had the two switches either side of the speedo and ammeter like the jubilee,

Hi Sholto,

I have a headlamp cowl and, possibly, a rim but they're decidedly rusty. I'm away from home for the rest of this week but I could dig them out at the weekend, if you're interested (drop me a line to ian.nidb@btinternet.com). A word of warning though: although Navigator & Jubilee headlamps are the same, they'rerather small at 5 1/2 inches diameter, so reflectors aren't as readily available as, say, 7 inch jobbies that you'd find on many old bikes.

As far as a saddle is concerned, I think the spare that I had was so far gone that I jettisoned it.

Anon,

Ian.

Hello Sholto,

As far as I know the 1961 Navigator headlamp shell is the same as the 1961Jubilee and also the Francis Barnett 250cc Cruiser. Only the early 1959/1960 Jubilee had the 5 1/2" headlamp - when the Navigator came out in 1961 the Jubilee and Navigator both got the 6 1/2" headlamp made by Wipac - not Lucas. As Dan says autojumbles are the best bet but an actual Wipac light unit in usable condition is bordering on the unattainable so even just the glass is worth having.

If your Navvi is a Standard model Leightons do make the complete seat and Bantam John also has seats. That's the best bet If you have a De Luxe model then the seat base is not available from Leightons - I spoke to them recently on the phone about this. So lets hope you are lucky to find one at an autojumble- they will exist somewhere. I have been looking for an original 1959 seat base for a Jubilee for ages without success.

Patrick

I also have a 1961 Navigator so I can tell you that the headlamp and itsfittings are Wipac, not Lucas like most of the Norton range. This means that the reflector and chrome rim also need to be Wipac to fit the shell. Perhaps there is a Lucas shell which would fit and make spares easier to find? I managed to find the correct sized reflector and rim, but I was fortunate in already having a good shell. Wipac pattern switches are available easy enough. Good luck.

I broke my glass back in the day, couldn't find a replacement an eventually found a Japanese Unit that fitted. Just checked my project bike and sure enough it has a Stanley headlight unit. so it depends how original you want to be, personally I like to see where I am going and really don't care if I have a "wrong" bolt or fitting somewhere, the bikes were made to be ridden!

Dan

To confirm, the Navigator headlamp shell (all years) has a central aperture for a 2.5" (strictly 60mm) speedometer, onein frontfor a standard ammeter and a small hole either side to mount the Wipac switches. It has a 6.5" rim, and sits neatly betwen the standard Roadholder brackets, but is not the same as a (7") Domi shell on several counts. The Jubilee headlamp is of the same form but (in the early days at least) smaller.

Dan Field is absolutely right thatthe refflectorand glass from many a Japanese lightweight (185 / 200cc) can be fitted to the standard Wipac rim 6 1/2" with ease. I used a Yamaha one for many years after (decent quality) BPF bulbs became hard to source, whilst his Stanley unit might well have come from a CB200.

Worth noting that very early Minis used (Wipac) 6 1/2" headlamps ... although the pilot bulb in these is fitted to one side. Notealso that there is no room in the Navi shell for the Lucas style connector, as it will foul against the speedo'. The Wipac counterpart, with its beryllium copper spring fingers, is more compact (if less reliable in old age).

I have a sound Navi 6 1/2" shell if you still need it, and probably a rim to go with it. Remanufactured Wipac reflector units used to be on sale at Kempton Park (one of the regular indoor stalls) and probably still are. They also offered 'generic' equivalents with no name in the glass at a lower price.

I hope this helps.

Roger K

Sholto,

The price would be very modest. Rather than trust to memory, I shall dig the part(s) out of the shed before describing their condition. I'll try to do this in the next day or two, and then respond directly to you.

Regards, Roger

I saw Bantam John yesterday, he says he has red and black check seats and plain black, but didn't have them with him, they were £130 I think, I have to say he was polite and helpful. The other seats he had seemed to be of reasonable quality.

Previously sholto_humphries wrote:

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this post but I need a little help please.

I'm about to start rebuilding my rather dillapidated 1961 (I think) Navigator and am casting about for the major missing parts.

I need a headlamp and seat.

Could someone advise on what type of headlamp I should be looking for and where I might source one.

Regards the seat, all I really need is the metal base (even something requiring repair would be fine). Again, could anyone point me in the right direction as to where I might find one.

thanks

I have a seat which may suit email me on. regenerated.jazz@btinternet.com and I will send photos and measurements

Trevor