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1938 WD Norton Model 18

Has anyone got any pictures of the WD Model 18 Norton they could send me please. I have a few but some are very small. You can send them to my e-mail address or post them here.
Thanks

 photo WDNortonModel181938withTommyGun_zpsefd7388c.jpg

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

A bike with a gun bolted to it?...I'm beginning to see why Horror likes it...All it needs now is a nice WRAC on the back... ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

what you mean is a nice rack on the WRAC?

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Yes, it does tick all the boxes for me Ian

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Is this the bike that was on the cover of "The War Illustrated"?

 photo TheWarIllustrated001_zpse2ca52d3.jpg

Regards,
Peter

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

That's the one Peter, thanks. I could do with a good picture of each side if these's any out there. I'm gathering bits to make a replica of it, unfortunately without the Tommy gun mount. I don't fancy losing my manhood if I hit something It would be good if I could make the mount to fix on when parked

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Hello Dave,

Here are some more pictures:

 photo 958_001.jpg

 photo A3325a.jpg

 photo A3325b.jpg

I know that this second picture is also available from the IWM (number H8827).

Cheers,
Jan

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

That's brilliant Jan, just what I'm looking for. I thought the bike would be the same as a civvie Model 18, but the forks fitted look to be WD forks, which is good as that's what I've got

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

There was a Model 18 in civilian trim at the last Kempton autojumble for sale for £6,500. However, there was a label on it saying that the Norton club archive had confirmed that it was original supplied to the War Department. I was very tempted except for the fact that I don't have £6.5 K to spend on another bike and if I did I would be quickly living an a bachelor pad again. Cheers JT

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Horror
That's brilliant Jan, just what I'm looking for. I thought the bike would be the same as a civvie Model 18, but the forks fitted look to be WD forks, which is good as that's what I've got


Horror, Where on earth are you going to find the "cows udder" silencer?
(only made for one year)

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Horror,

Why do you think there was a difference between a civy M18 fork and a military 16H one????

I hope you have not been looking for something else as it would be a very long search.

16H, B4, models 18,19,20,ES2,CS1,CJ,50 and 55 all had the same fork as used on the military machines.

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Horror

As far as I can see were these purely civil machines with a green colour.

I have no evidence that they were "made for" the military.

Its even uncertain how many were ever delivered and any date connected to them is around mid 1940.

These may have been machines still lingering at dealers. The 38 silencer was not very popular so that may have caused some delay is selling.

If anybody else has some more hard evidence I really like to know!

Cheers,

Rob


email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

I know the forks were basicaclly the same, but the civvie ones had rubber mounted handlebar clamp and an adjuster knob for the dampers. The picture shows no adjuster knob but it does look like it has the rubber mounted handlebars. Some civvie ones were on ebay recently for a reasonable price, but I've got WD16H forks that will look fine. I have most of the parts to build something that looks close to that bike. I see this picture was taken in 1941 and the bike has been messed about with etc. It has rubber pillion footrests and no pillion seat, but you can see the holes in the mudguard where one was fitted.
I don't know what I'm doing about the silencer Keith, not the nicest looking thing and finding all the bits to get the bike up together is the first job. I think I'm only missing an oil tank and battery carrier of the large parts, probably lots of small parts needed.

That Model 18 at Kempton sounds interesting John, I would have loved to see it. It surprising how much everything will have cost by the time I've built this bike, £6500 for a bike with all the original parts and proof it's a WD bike is probably not bad. I've been lucky as I've got most of the parts kicking about so haven't had to buy an engine or gearbox etc, just a rolling chassis. But by the time I've rebuilt everything I'm sure it will be close to that figure I could sell all the parts I have and buy that bike

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

If it's the bike at Kempton that I saw then it was one that I didn't even bother taking a photo of as it was such a horrible bitsa. It had a WD16H frame with a butchered about number (which is what the NOC would have advised upon, and they don't ask for photos / rubbings if no official dating letter is requested)

From memory it was a post-war OHV engine with altered numbers. I stood and looked at it and wondered if it was worth the money and then thought that nine out of ten investors / collectors / sunday riders would be happy to have a girder forked ohv Norton and wouldn't worry or would go into denial over the number stampings.

Don't worry too much about having missed it, Mr.H !

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Ah Horror,

That is where you got me confused.
In my opinion you were then mixing up "forks" and "Handle bars".

The pictures do show indeed the civic handlebar fixture but the military solution for the adjuster. They also added the bump stops!

CHeers,

Rob




email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

You could always build a replica of the Model 18 used by one of the 1939 Army ISDT teams....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Sorry Rob, I thought the rubber handlebar mount was part of the fork top yoke and this was different to the WD top yoke? Or are the top yokes the same?

Getting some bump stops will be a problem I'm sure

ISDT Norton would be nice, I've only got this picture of it.

 photo WDModel181939.jpg

Different frame than the one I've got, although I do have one of those frames that someone has done a poor swing arm conversion to.

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Ah Horror,

ISDT has cradle frame. Cradle frames were only used for the prewar ES2 or on special request like ISDT.
All other models had diamond frames.

The top yoke fitting the headstock is different for civil (From 1935) or military 16H.
Military B4 did have the civilian top yoke.
All other fork parts are identical apart from the front main spring that was stronger on the military B4 (not the civil B4!).

Bump stops can still be found but it took me many years. Lex helped me out in the end :-)

Cheers,

Rob



email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Norton Big 4 and 16H fork blades do have different part numbers, but I think we decided that the only difference is the slots for the wheel spindle (bigger on the B4)
My own B4 came to me with 16H bars and top yolk. I managed to buy the rubber mounted version from Jake Robbins and it was quite simple to change.

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: 1938 WD Norton Model 18

Thanks to everyone who have posted pictures here and e-mailed ones to me, a great help. Thanks

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

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