PLEASE HELP IDENTIFY THIS NORTON

[Sonia83]

Many years ago my Dad purchased an old Norton Motorcycle from a gentleman with a vast collection of motorcycles.
He informed my Dad that it was specially made during the war for sidecar attachment, and that there were only a few thousand ever made and that it is a Norton Blitz 633cc 1944.
I have attached a photo of the Motorcycle which is need of restoration. It is 90% complete.
It has matching engine an barrel numbers.
Engine number S.2796
Barrel number 82x120

Also these numbers were found on the frame.
34169
10293 N4

We have contacted a number of different people about this, none are sure what this bike is, some say 16H, others say 633cc.

I was just wondering if anyone has any information about it, such as what type of Norton, the year model and it's value?

[L.A.B.]

it was specially made during the war for sidecar attachment, and that there were only a few thousand ever made and that it is a Norton Blitz 633cc 1944.

The 633cc Norton military sidecar bike was the WD 'Big 4'
82 Bore x 120 stroke = 633cc

http://home.tiscali.nl/wd16h/Contents_page.htm
http://www.nortonownersclub.org/models/sngle-cylinder/side-valve
http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=65651&start=0

[R]

Its hard to see from the pic, but yes, Nortons did make Big4 sidecar outfits during the war, with a driven sidecar wheel.

The story told in history books is that the driven sidecar wheel was for dirt use only. On tar roads, if engaged, the outfit was impossible to steer around corners - it wanted to go straight ahead. So when these machines were sold off after the war, the drive to the sidecar wheel was cut off. To prevent accidental use on the road...

You sometimes see pics of the other side of your bike, with about a 1" diameter axle sticking out of the back axle - roughly sliced off.

Reportedly, a few have survived. ?

If you have ever tried to drive a vehicle on a tar road with the diff lock engaged, its easy to believe this story...

[Sonia83]

Thanks, i will post a pic of the otherside when i get a chance

[RichP]

The engine is indeed from a Norton 633cc 'Big 4' War Department sidecar wheel drive combination, as is the fuel tank with the large cutaway to facilitate spark plug removal from the tall engine (it is usually hidden by the knee grip).

S2796 was despatched in early 1941 in a frame with the same number and was originally fitted with an 'AA Type' box body sidecar (These were used for things like temporary road signage by the military police).

82x120 is the bore x stroke of the engine and was usually stamped by Norton next to the engine number.

The frame of this bike however is not the original 'Big 4' item but is from a 500cc WD 16H solo - It does not have the live rear axle and the saddle is mounted on the stays, rather than the rear sub-frame. The numbers that you have quoted are probably casting numbers for the lugs. Certainly the 'N4' number is. The frame number will be stamped on the left hand front fuel tank mounting lug and I'd expect it to begin with a 'W'

Value for such a 'bitsa' is difficult. If it had the original frame and sidecar chassis then probably £4000 - £5000 as a restoration project, maybe more. A 16H in this condition might make £1500. The Big 4 engine will make it more desirable to some buyers and less to others but obviously nearer to the 16H price than the Big 4 value. To a non military bike enthusiast, it could just make a nice 633cc solo but the high ground clearance military frame will make it less desirable to a knowledgable buyer looking for the style of a pre-war Norton.

There is a fairly active community of WD motorcycle restorers and they watch eBay like hawks. If you're intending to sell then eBay is probably the best way to find the value. It's well worth putting a plug on the Norton WD forum that LAB has linked to and also on the BSA WD20 site which is a very active one. You don't have to register to post on either.