The rolling frame was put on the lift and I began to strip the remaining parts in preparation for cleaning and then painting. It seems to have a early commando stanchion and leg slider setup. The stanchions are junk after sitting outside for years. New parts have been ordered from the Norton Owners Club spare department (they had a lot of what I needed, brand new and good prices). The front end came apart pretty easily and the Triple Tree/Yoke which is an Atlas type came out with it's bearings no problems. The plan is to replace this with a 750 Commando triple tree/yoke. Why? Because I like the look and setup this.

The rear came apart no problems. The swing arm bolt came out with no dramas also which was good. Obviously both the tyres are straight for the bin. The chain guard is rusty but I will paint this and use again. The shocks..bin. Overall the frame is is excellent condition especially considering it's past.

The rims are pretty rusty so I am formulating a plan to have them Cermakromed. It's not Chrome but more of an enamelling process. I've had it done on parts before and Tim at Procoat reckons he can do a decent job with them.


When I took them apart, I discovered that a bearing in the rear wheel was broken—definitely a potential disaster waiting to happen. I'll need to replace it after I've made everything look nice.


The front fork springs are in good shape, so I'm going to reuse them. I'm getting some '71 Commando lower fork sliders and stanchions and will be adding a '71 twin leading shoe brake for both looks and because I've always been a fan of that setup.

As for the rear brake and swing arm, I'm sticking with the original Atlas setup. I'll give everything a nice overhaul with new brake pads, although they seem to be in good condition.

Next on the list is some high-pressure water blasting.