Hi. I’m a new member from Australia.
Can anyone please tell me how many complete and original Works Manx Norton machines survive from the 1950 to 1954 team years. My father told me they were usually broken down to parts at the end of the racing season . . . for technical security.
From photographs I have seen, there seemed to be about 5 x 350s and 5 x 500s built for the team season around 1953, but I am uncertain about other years. Is this type of information readily available anywhere.
I noted someone searching for 1953 works timing information on another forum thread. I remember my dad showing me the very old tuning data sheets that accompanied the 350 and 500 Works Nortons in 1953 and remember one of the short term works riders telling us about his instructions to rev his bike to 8,000 rpm. He had briefly joined the team to replace an injured rider in '53. We are having a search to locate the documents if we can. I am sure that there are several original factory photos of the 1953 works machines among dad’s books and letters.
Anyway, I would appreciate any information regarding my queries if anyone knows.
Thank you,
Best wishes from Oz,
Stephen Baggs.
Only 1 1950 machine survives…
Yes Dan,
I do know of Ken's 1950 works bike. I wouldn't want to take on a project like that. Tracking down as many genuine parts from a given year as you can find is a truly daunting task. Even having an understanding of how parts were reused from year to year by the team kind of blurs the line on what is a completely genuine nineteen fifty (add what ever year you want here) machine . . . Anyone finding a complete bike with an established provenance is at a real advantage if you plan a preservation or restoration of the bike. Dad and Ken McIntosh visited each other a number of times and spoke on the phone often. We have always lived in the south east of Australia, so New Zealand is very close at hand to us.
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Only 1 1950 machine survives, was restored by Mcintosh (see photo attached).
There are a few 53'/54' bikes out there along with a few replica's
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