Andover Norton News

Andover Norton has reprinted Paul Dunstall's "Norton Tuning", available from us under part# PD001. A faithful reproduction of the original with a new foreword kindly written by Paul Dunstall for us.

We have also aquired the publishing rights and all remaining stock of Roy Bacon's "Restoration" series of books- AJS/Matchless Restoration, BSA Singles Restoration, BSA Twin Restoration, Norton Twin Restoration and Triumph Twin Restoration.

Earlier in the month we aquired an "elephant's grave" of NOS parts left over from production times. Richard Negus kindly sorted them for us and as of today we should have a fair idea what is there. Watch the "New Items Just In" page to see what we found that has not been available before.

Norton Motors Ltd holds a sale of secondhand and shop soiled rotary parts at their premises at Unit 3 Arcadia Park, Towers Business Park,
Rugeley, Staffs. WS15 1UZ, which they vacate towards the end of the month.
The new office of Norton Motors Ltd is no longer open to the public. All rotary spares orders are being processed by Andover Norton International Ltd.

All rotary spares are now in Hungerford. The rotary spares will be integrated in our price list on the net shortly. All rotary spares orders will be shipped out of Hungerford from now on, but we will not decline combined shipments of rotary spares with a spares orders for the piston-engined models!

Filtered oil is very important for the life of a Norton engine. This important job should not be left to any common filter purchased from the local accessory store- or would you have a heart transplant done by your local butchers?. A real Norton enthusiast knows what is good for his motorcycle and demonstrates it by using this high-quality oil filter, now available from Andover Norton under part# 06-3371!
And should he need vital liquids himself, he goes "partner look" with his coffee mug (part# 13-9950).

The International Norton Owners Club Rallye- sponsored by the Norton Motors Group- started its International Rallye at the Oldtimer Grand Prix on the Salzburgring in Austria.
This was THE meeting to attend for all Norton enthusiasts, with more Nortons of historical importance than at any other gathering this year, with over 25 Norton Manxes starting together (more than ever seen on one starting grid since the 1960s), genuine racers from pre-war to Rotary, Norton works bikes and prototypes from the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Andover and Shenstone Norton factories.

Andover Norton was there with a marquee, showing our products, and the "Norton Motors Works Team" parading bikes from the works collection- a genuine 1960 30M Manx, ex-Rudi Glaeser (German 500cc Champion 1960); a genuine Commando production racer (vulgo: "Norvil"- beware of imitations!), bought new from Gus Kuhn and since a legend in the Munich area, and our Rotary Racer, P55 frame#1, campaigned in the German Battle of Twins championship in the early nineties.

Richard Negus, Managing Director of Norton Motors Ltd, retires. Norton Motors Ltd therefore no longer continues to provide a full-time service backup. Spares for Norton Rotaries can now be ordered from Andover Norton International Ltd, where the spares stock has been relocated.

Andover Norton has reprinted three lists from the JRTechnical Publications portfolio that had not been available for quite a while:
99-0823 Triumph Parts List all 650cc/1966, 99-0901 Triumph Parts List 650cc T120/TR6 Home & General Export, 99-0902 Triumph Parts List 500cc Twins Home & General Export Edition.

Andover Norton now stock all Norton Commando seats for the various Roadster and Interstate, as well as for Fastback and "S" models. we have had these seats made to the original drawings, with the correct chrome band at the bottom, the correct golden "Norton" logos at the rear, and with pillion straps where these were original fitment. As Fastback seats never fitted in the last 30 years, we have taken the seat of our "works" Fastback and supplied it as a pattern. See "Service Information-Seats"
On the book front, further original parts lists are being reprinted, as well as some good books on Norton and Triumph restocked- see "Technical Publications"

29.04.2008
Ever wondered, why Norton never offered a tool for the primary chaincase inspection caps? They did it on purpose, so all Norton owners make a massacre with unsuitable screwdrivers, then buy new inspection caps. Andover Norton, totally selflessly, now had a first batch of tools made in stainless steel, part# 06-7245, for only 10.90 Pounds plus VAT:

15.04.2008
Andover Norton stocks King Dick Quality British Made Tools for General Workshop Use- see Service Information on Tools.

01.04.2008
Andover Norton aquires the stock, files, tooling and goodwill of J.R.Publications Ltd, Warwick.

JR Publications, founded by John Nelson, Triumph and later Norton Service Manager as well as, at one time, Managing Director of the Meriden Cooperative, in 1982, and later sold to L.P.Williams Ltd, the Warwick Triumph Parts Specialist, stocked and reproduced in original format the post-war Triumph technical literature, i.e. Workshop Manuals, Parts Lists, Riders Handbooks, Tuning Notes and Technical Wall Charts. Andover Norton will continue to produce and distribute these alongside the Norton technical literature we produce and sell already.

J.R.Technical Publications was a supplier to Joe Seifert's Norton Motors GmbH for Triumph and BSA publications right from its instigation in 1982- shown here is an invoice from John Nelson dated 29th January 1996. In fact, when John planned to retire and put the company up for sale, Joe was one of the bidders. Trevor Gleadall of L.P.Williams eventually bought the company.

29.02.2008
Bob Reynolds retires. The ties to the old Norton factory are getting scarcer......

22.02.2008
Open Day, Dealers & Press only. Robert M. Reynolds farewell ceremony.

Some of the dealers present, including the "farest travelled" Mark Appleton from Canada.

18.12.2007
All individual Parts for AMAL Mk1 Concentrics are back in stock after an absence of many years- see "New Items Just In" page.

06.12.2007
The "Accessories" page goes online, offering accessories and technical improvements for Nortons.

01.11.2007
Robert M. Reynolds moves his office from east of Birmingham to Rugeley, where he now operates the buying office out of Norton Motors Ltd. All tooling, raw materials, and work in progress are stored there.

15.10.2007
Genuine Norton Factory Parts are being shipped out of Hungerford by Andover Norton again to a Genuine Parts starved world!

18.09.2007
The last shipments of parts to customers leave the old premises in Southampton. The next day the move to Hungerford begins.

10.09.2007
The new address is published, and the move to the new premises imminent.

13.08.2007
The aquisition of Andover Norton International made public. For a number of reasons it was not possible to announce this change of ownership until now. Nick Hopkins, who has been with Andover Norton since it was founded in 1977, becomes the Managing Director, with Phil Albutt as Company Secretary and Robert M. Reynolds as Chief Buyer.

02.04.2007
Andover Nortons stock and business including tooling and technical drawings is sold to Norton Motors Ltd. The business continues to trade from BSA Regals premises in Southampton, trading as Andover Norton International Ltd, until new premises are found and the company moves.