I have just got my 1934 international on the road! But letâs start at the beginning.

About 2 years ago I inherited some money and decided it was best invested in another old bike. After some research I settled on a Norton (donât ask me why, I have no idea!) So the hunting began, all I knew was that I wanted a 500 single and not a side valve. Preferably a pre-war rigid/girder for model, but I was open to the idea of a plunger/tele one.

Just before Christmas 2011 I saw a 1930âs international on eBay. It was considerably less complete than I had been looking for, but that was OK because it was a âcammyâ. So, knowing very little about cammy Nortons, and having no idea what I was letting myself in for, I waited until the last minute and put in my bid. It was mine!

A few days after the end of the auction Chris Streather phoned me up to say he had heard I had bought the bike on eBay and talk to me about it. He recommended I got the factory records and hinted at the fact that it was âsomething a bit specialâ. What had I stumbled upon here? The records showed that the frame was 1934 and the engine was 1936 and left the factory âto full Manx specification race tuned by the factory.â Exciting stuff, and I still hadnât even seen the bike yet!

I was away at uni at the time and it was fairly close to home, so my dad went and picked it up for me and brought the pile of bits back in the boot of the car. About a week later I got home for my Christmas holidays and saw it for the first time. That first couple of weeks was spent visiting people who I knew to have inters to look at theirs and try and get some idea of what I was aiming for, hours trawling the internet looking at pictures and reading everything I could find on these bikes, and convincing mum that I hadnât wasted my money on a pile of junk!

The next couple of months where spent acquiring the missing parts and doing research on what I needed to do. I spent all the time I wasnât at uni out in the workshop, and most of the time I was at uni reading about these bikes.

This story could go on for a while, so I will attach some pictures and let you see for yourself. Die hard Norton enthusiasts look away, I have made this bike to be ridden by me and look good to me. I have tried to stay faithful to what they looked like originally but have made some changes to make it useable! I have also attached a list of the work I carried out. I am sure I have missed a few things off, and theunderlinedbits where done by other people. The rest was done in the workshop at home.

The one other thing I canât say enough about is this website and the NOC. Huge source of information and made the project so much easier!

Work Carried Out

Chassis

Repairs to frame mounting points

Check frame for straightness

Bore and bush bottom gearbox mounts in frame

Manufacture gearbox mounting bolts

Manufacture gearbox adjuster

Manufacture engine plates, head steadies, studs and bolts

Bore out and bush girder forks

Manufacture new fork spindles

Reverse brake plate to make it fit RHS brake

Manufacture wheel spindles, spacers, nuts etc

Manufacture hub to brake drum bolts

Manufacture petrol and oil tank mounting brackets and fittings

Manufacture oil tanks fixing inserts and carry out repairs to tanks, including preasure testing to check for leaks

Manufacture chain âoilerâ tap

Bend and fit handle bar bracket

Recondition Andre steering damper

Manufacture Andre damper bracket

Manufacture mudguard stays and brackets

Manufacture bracket and mounting points for oval number plates

Manufacture number plate bracket

Manufacture bum pad base and foam insert

Make and fit leatherette cover to bum pad

Manufacture rear brake rod, trunnion and adjusting screw

Manufacture primary chain guard

Manufacture footrests

Manufacture exhaust pipe and brooklands can brackets and fittings

Make cables

Engine

Strip and inspect engine

Blast clean all aluminium cases

Rebuild broken fins with weld

Fit new main and big end bearings

Balance flywheels to 70% balance factor

Assemble and line up flywheel assembly

Fit new small end bush

Fit new piston, rings and bore and line barrel

Recondition oil pump

Re-assemble bottom end of engine and mesh bevel gears

Machine head and barrel to fit without use of head gasket

Fit new valve guides, cut seats and lap new valves in

Fit new valves and hair pin springs

Fit barrel and head to engine

Overhaul BTH TT magneto including manufacture of new end to take an oil seal

Manufacture and fit new cambox tunnel

Machine gasket faces to ensure good seal and deepen rockers recesses to allow for later type rocker sealing

Machine cambox to allow for addition of breather

Recoat magnesium bevel cover

Grind rockers to ensure concentric and smooth finish for wipers to act on

Assemble cambox, mesh bevels and fit to engine to check vertical drive free play

Carry out valve and ignition timing (new cams and shaft where fitted to as old vernier holes where badly work and didnât allow for accurate timing)

Fit wipers and oil seals in cambox and fit to engine with vertical drive tube in place

Manufacture oil pipes and fittings

Gearbox

Strip clean and inspect case and internals

Bore and bush bottom and top gearbox mounting points on gearbox

Fit new bearings and reassemble gearbox

Manufacture new external gear change linkages

Manufacture kick start

Machine ES2 clutch drum to convert to Manx style 3 plate clutch

Manufacture clutch pushrod and plate to spread load and improve clutch operation

Attachments
before-jpg