Hello! With the sump plug out and a new sump reed valve in hand I'm excited for the next chapter. Jim from JS Motorsports has been great. But to do this right I need access to the top of my oil tank which is hampered by the ignition panel. I thought it would be straightforward to remove, and I found a bolt with a spacer under the seat. I can move the panel, but it's not coming out. I had a word with my impatient side about using force to solve this and came back here.
Does something need to be detached on the other side to pull this out? On the right side of the ignition case there are the two posts it slides into. I can get it off the bottom one but not the top one, and I've run out of room to move the panel left even more. The panel feels heavy, like there's .something attached but I thought it could stay attached (I assumed wires) while I moved the panel out of the way.
Thanks for your continued help!
--Alec
That looks a lot like the…
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Well it seems it's a hybrid…
Well it seems it's a hybrid of sorts. 1970 Norton Commando (Roadster, I think) purchased new by Paul Dunstall and then modified. Has the 1969/70 style oil tank but the gearbox cover uses the "1971 Interrim" screws sold by Andover Norton. And then Paul's fairings, double disk brakes, etc.
I'm fairly certain there's nothing else holding it, uless something is mounted on the inside cover. Will see if I can add a video....
Thanks!
--Alec
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Hardened grommets
Mine is the same as yours. The grommets go hard after a while which makes the panel hard to get off. The normal way is to remove the bolt, push the panel to the right hard against the grommets and then turn it out from the left side as if it was hinged on the right at the same time working the end of the metal arm around the frame. Once the grommets are hardened its a pig to get off. Maybe a squirt of WD 40. The metal arm is well laminated into the fibreglass panel so you don't need to worry too much about breaking it. Good luck!
p.s. Maybe unbolt the recifier too if you still have one as the inner edge of the panel can get stuck behind it when you turn it out.
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Ahh, I've just worked out…
Ahh, I've just worked out why you called it the 'ignition panel' - 'cos the ignition switch is in the left side panel on the early Roadster. Anyway, follow Graham's advice, maybe lift the back of the fuel tank a tad, and you'll be fine.
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Thanks All
Success....sorta. I gave a bit more of a tug and off it came. But what had been holding it in place were three ignition wires. I stared at them, and at the four possible plug ports they could go in.
The cable was a bit short because it wrapped around the oil tower. I did what I set out to do with the oil tower and looked again at the three wires. They were stiff with time and formed a row, so I put them back on in that order, leaving the fourth port blank. Turning the key made the ignition light bright (as before) so seemed good enough for Government work. ;-)
I did get the engine to start after some blind luck resetting the timing. All good! Thanks as always for the tips and encouragement.
Cheers,
Alec
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That looks a lot like the gusset plate on a Commando frame and a bolt fixing the side panel where a dzus fastener would have originally been used. But there's a lot in your question I don't get. Is this an original Commando or a 961?