Greetings all,

I've been a bit quiet over the last 6 months but hope to have some time to participate in the fun of this Forum again over the coming weeks.

The research into my WD16H has continued, borne fruit and below (if the links work) are some photos of a WD16H (C9031) that was in the same Government contract as mine, and is very close in engine number and army rego number to my bike. The rider (Sergeant Jack Conquest) was a despatch rider instructor at Fort Largs, South Australia. Looks like Jack had excellent pre-war riding skill qualifications! The bike still exists in mostly original fettle and I was lucky enough to find it resides locally and photograph it. More information later ........

email (option): robert.g.elliott@gmail.com

......so now that I have good references for the restoration of my Norton, there are some parts I need to source to make it correct. I've bought a genuine Vokes air cleaner from Cornucopia (thanks Peter), but I need the two piece elbow that connects the flexible metal tubing to the carburettor (as below). Does anyone have these fittings for sale, or are willing to lend them to me to get some cast? I could also make some spares if anyone else out there wants some. Also, does anyone know of a good supplier of the flexible metal hose and clamps?

email (option): robert.g.elliott@gmail.com

Rob, I must do as I had promised and collate what images I have of Nortons in Australian service.

I'm not actually certain that you need one of the 'universal' Vokes elbows which seem to have been part of a kit to allow them to be fitted to various machines. My interpretation of the early Australian contract images is that they had a more straightforward one-piece elbow. Certainly an easier thing to fabricate.


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Well in that case, I have a plumbers elbow that I had modified with a thread soldered in to fit a 276 carb and Vokes tube. Fitted to my M20 until I acquired an original 3 part elbow. Don't hold your breath waiting for a proper Vokes elbow or a repro casting. £20 plus post for this one if interested. Ron


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email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Rik,

You're absolutely correct! Looking at the early Aussie contract bikes they all seem to have the single piece "bent pipe" type elbows. The Vokes fittings are different to the later ones too - they have a a one piece strap bolted directly between the filter and the kneepad hole with no adjusting bolt. They also appear not to have the brass Vokes ID plate on top of the filter.

And thanks, I'd really appreciate the images. Dropbox might be the best method, let's discuss this further via email.

Any clues as to a source of the flexible metal hose?

email (option): robert.g.elliott@gmail.com

Thanks for the offer Ron, but from your photo it looks like the angle of the bend in the elbow is different to that of the elbows fitted to the Nortons? Looks like I might have to fabricate one myself.

email (option): robert.g.elliott@gmail.com

This could be the type of parts you need.

Good picture Steve.
No problem Robert. What I did is, bought a copper elbow from a plumbers supplier, I cut the threaded part from a bell mouth and took it to my tube guy who swaged up the end of the elbow to take the threaded ring which he then soldered in. Screw it on as far as it will go and upright. I'll see what lengths of tube I've got left....Others might have some though. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Steve, where does that illustration come from ? Is it a Norton Spare parts List ?

Hi Rik,

I have that same page here: Early version Vokes India contract spare parts list. This is however the name of the photo itself.

Henk

email (option): ahum@quicknet.nl

Thanks for the parts photo Steve - they look exactly like the Vokes fittings that were supplied with the 1940 Australian contract too.

email (option): robert.g.elliott@gmail.com

61.NN 12917 BAR TENSION QTY.1,this air filter spare part looks slightly different to the one in the above picture,maybe from a later type filter.

The Australian Vokes filters can be recognised by their Serial Number, which was 13895. The Vokes filters that were used on the WD motorcycles in 1945 had higher serial numbers.

Jan

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

Jan,

Here is one I picked up here in Australia some years ago - the serial number printing is pretty rough but the prefix appears to match 13895.

Ray

The interesting thing about the Vokes filters fitted to the 1940 Aussie contract Nortons is that the photos show that the filters weren’t fitted with ID plates!

email (option): robert.g.elliott@gmail.com

The interesting thing about the Vokes filters fitted to the 1940 Aussie contract Nortons is that the photos show that the filters weren’t fitted with ID plates.

email (option): robert.g.elliott@gmail.com