c1958 Norvin 500cc Racer Motorcycle

Description

To most old bike aficionados, a “Norvin” is generally thought of as being a Vincent V-Twin engine stuffed into a Norton frame. That’s not the case here, however, because what we have is a hand-built one-off that utilises a single-cylinder, highly modified Vincent Comet engine in a new frame that replicates but not copies a Norton Featherbed. This 2020 Norvin is the handiwork work of life-long bike enthusiast Mick McCrudden, proprietor of Glenlyon Motors, well known for its classic, restomod and special interest car builds. Mick created the Norvin from scratch, with a huge amount of custom building in it, a project that took 10 years! The Norvin’s frame is a one-off, created with the help of notable Brit classic bike builder Bob Johnson. The former Repco and Ansett engineer guided Mick through the frame build, which was finished with nickel-bronzed joints, before a Vincent Comet engine was sourced from local enthusiast Phil Pilgram of Union Jack Motorcycles. Mick upped the Comet’s capacity from its standard 499cc to something around 620cc with the aid of a Yamaha piston fitted with Jawa rings, matched to a Carillo rod originally intended for a small-block Chevrolet engine! It also has big valves, a performance cam and the bottom end was re-engineered to run on ball race bearings rather than bushes. What’s more the modded Vincent runs on alcohol, fed by a hand-made remote reservoir carburettor, and is said to be producing around 75 horses. The unique engine drives through an equally unique transmission, a five-speed built by Mick along the lines of an Albion unit, within an original case. It also has a custom belt-driven diaphragm clutch. The wheels are Akront rims, while the Norvin uses Norton Roadholder front forks and Max rear shocks. The bronze-finish leading shoe front drum brake is also custom, again done locally including the casting and machining, and even features an integrated cooling scoop. The rear is a Triumph twin-leading shoe conical hub unit. Finally, the period-looking tank and bodywork were in fact hand-laid in fibreglass and finished in metallic silver, with period ‘Norvin’ badging and pinstriping.