Norton Motorcycles Manx 30m 1962
In 1946, Norton produced new road-racing machines in time for the Manx Grand Prix of that year.
They were closely based on the pre-war road race bikes but were the first to be known as Manx Nortons. The 348cc 40M and 498cc 30M singles featured a bevel-driven overhead camshaft with an Amal carburettor and a magneto. The frame was a cradle type with plunger rear suspension and Norton Roadholder front forks.
By 1950, the legendary Featherbed frame in its early form with a bolted-on rear sub-frame was commercially available and privateer racers began using it with great success after Norton took the first three places in both the Senior and Junior TT at the Isle of Man. In 1951, the Featherbed became standard on production Manx models. In 1954, the engine was modified to the short-stroke form, the rear sub-frame was welded on and larger, twin leading-shoe front brakes were fitted. Modifications continued and by 1960 the Manx was approaching the peak of its design and its production ended in 1962 when Norton’s Bracebridge Street, Birmingham, works was closed by AMC, which had acquired Norton in 1956.
This 1962 Norton Manx 30M 500cc replica features a frame, Roadholder fork assembly and clutch manufactured by Ken McIntosh in New Zealand in 2010, an engine manufactured by Summerfield Engineering of Derbyshire, UK, a Norton Manx gearbox with a Quaife five-speed conversion from 1992 and brakes manufactured by Molnar in 2005. It runs on methanol fed by a 1962-specification Amal GP carburettor manufactured in 2009 and a 1953 Lucas SR1 magneto.
It was purchased for the NZ Classic Motorcycles collection from a private vendor in Auckland, New Zealand, in December, 2012.