I recently acquired a pair of styling panels for my Navigator. How are they fitted? The parts list tells me there is a grommet, I'm guessing for the top fixing? The bottom fitting looks like it is held be the swinging arm spindle, a second nut to trap the panel on top of the nut that holds the spindle in place.
A couple of photos of the fixings would be very helpful.
Thanks.
styling panel
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Thanks
Thanks for the information Ulrich. According to the parts book there are only two fixings. You have a third fixing? The middle one in your description.
I can see some advantage in this, would stop the panels "flapping" about as they might with just two fixings, assuming its a problem? Was this a modification on layer models?
I'm just checking the fit of the panels, the seller thought they may not be original. They seem to fit well enough. I think I may arrange a couple of clips to hold the two panels together.
Again, thanks for the information and food for thought Ulrich.
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Styling panels
Hi John,
If you go back to the 2020 thread you started on the same subject, styling panels, there are some photos posted that show.
One wiring grommet in the LHS panel.
The H-section rubber trim that holds the LH and RH panels together under the carb.
The 5/16 top fixing for each panel on the double diameter top frame stud.
The half nut that goes on the swinging arm spindle to fix the lower part of each panel.
I have had three std lightweights and find this system very satisfactory.
Peter
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Thanks Peter
Had a look at the thread you mentioned, a great shame that idea didn't get off the ground. I'm convinced 3D printing rather than sheet metal fabrication would have been the way forward for the panels.
Anyway, patience off for me, found a pair. Not originals but okay, clearly hand made rather than production. Bothe of these panels are too wide, they overlap each other. Do I cut them to sort this and fit the rubber trim or use the overlap to for additional fixings?
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Hi John Now thats an…
Hi John
Now thats an interesting comment - mine has an overlap as well and are very close tolerance around the carb & fuel banjo (had to “adjust” that area of panel to give some clearance). The rubber strip won’t fit between the joining edges either. Does this make them a pair made up later in life or originals that were put in place by Plumstead I wonder - either way they work. Definitely a full “pressing” and not a made up (or panel beaten) pair. Also of interest would be the small angled “chain guard” that fits at the rear of the engine, this is a right angled guard but the form on the styling panel is for a round guard - it does fit but not quite “right”.
And as a further point of interest - they don’t flex or move so I didn’t need any additional fixings over the 2 outside ones either side, they’re quite rigid.
photo, you can just see the overlap and how close to the banjo the LH one comes to it.
Bruce
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Fitting
Hi John,
My first Navigator came from Dorset police in 1969 without the central rubber section. The edges of the two panels just met, nearly, and I was none the wiser about the missing rubber for the time I had the bike. As Bruce says, you can manage without it if the fixing holes are sound.
On my Electra I bought pattern panels (Metal Magic) from the club in 2008 and by then knew how they should fit. Of course they didn't. I'm fairly handy and was able to cut and reshape for more carb clearance, clearance for the later clutch cable entry, clearance for the starter cables, and clearance for the Electra frame reinforcing plates. I restored the rolled edges on the new profile. The hole centres and diameters needed adjusting with a round file. A bit of shape adjusting got the two edges of the panels looking at each other with 2-3 mm between.
On a 1962 Navigator basket case in 2020, the original panels fitted perfectly. The bike had been in a front end shunt in 1965 and stored dry since then as an insurance write-off.
It just takes a bit of patience. The panels from Metal Magic are not one pressing as the originals. There is sign of cut and weld inside the main corner.
Sounds like you are getting ready for the Easter launch.
Peter
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Fitting fun!
I wonder if my panels are from "Metal Magic". Clear evidence of fabrication and tin bashing.
A little more clearance around the carb was needed. I am altering the alternator/ignition cable routing so am filling in the rather large slot for theses wires. Also, I want to fill in the space to the rear of the inner primary chain case, first thought is a strip of steel attached to the L/H panel. Any thoughts on that.
As for the wide panels, think I will cut them so the rubber strip will fit.
Peter, launching at easter, or possibly sooner, is the plan. Just need to fit the oil tank and finish the re-wire.
I've made a lot of modifications to the engine and gearbox, hoping they will work!
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John, have a look at 23172…
John, have a look at 23172 chain guard extension in the shop, it’s meant for the area you want to fill in I think.
Cheers - Bruce
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Grommet hole or slot.
John,
You may live to regret ditching the slot for cables. It is difficult often to reach the 3 lucar connectors from the alternator. And inevitably one bullet won't move or breaks off.
With a slot you can remove the LHS styling panel without breaking the alternator connectors.
You can protect the cables from the slot edges with a larger grommet that engages the slot edges or the linear grommet.
Peter
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23172
Thanks for the info Bruce. Had a look, would do nicely. Problem is that the panel has far to much clearance around that area, the "chain guard extension" wouldn't be doing very much! I need to add more metal to improve the fit, may just add a more metal to the panel to fill the space. Never simple is it?
Peter, I am going to route the generator and ignition cables under the panel on the opposite side. Plenty of room, although not sure there should be!
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Styling Panels....
Hello fans - been a while, and as usual lots of chatter for me to catch up with. When I was first told about a H-section rubber between the panels, I didn't get it. How would it fit??...as mine overlapped. See first two pictures.
(But then I see Uli's picture above - & its obvious a H-section rubber will fit!). Please explain....
Mine are originals, for the later (post 106838) gearbox, as the clutch cable entry point point would foul, unless there was a specific cut-out - which I have. Also note how tight to the engine - and chain guard extension - they are, so I would not run any cables underneath.
There are two more pictures - (depends if I'm allowed on this post - maybe there will be a 2nd posting??) which show an original L/Hand panel with a hole for the cables - the rusty one with a broken off top bracket, versus a more recent version made by the NOC, showing a slot, manufacture from 2 pieces, and improperly formed scallop for the carb banjo bolt.
All these things are sent to try us.
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Hello John,
here is a pic of my Navigator with styling panles after the first longer ride.
Apparently the panels protect the rear of the bike from a leaking head gasket, haha.
The lower nut goes on the swingarm, the middle one to the lower bolt holding the oil tank and the upper one to the frame cross rod. I fitted no grommets .
Greetings
Uli