NOTE: This article by Jack Manning first appeared in The Source, June 2025 edition, published by Andover Norton. Jack contributes an “On the Lift at CBE” article each month.
There is a children’s book called If you Give a Mouse a Cookie.
Author Laura Numeroff tells the story of a mouse who is offered a cookie, then asks for some milk, then asks for a story, then asks for… you get it. So it is in our shop, especially with our weekly Guild members who walk by all sorts of bikes with pristine castings, stainless rocker lines, new paint, and various chrome bits. The restoration siren song is addictive.
Mark B. arrived in our group nearly two years ago telling the tale of his latest in the winter months. A Triumph Spitfire traded for a Norton Commando in “running” condition. Like many, he had very good mechanical skills but little experience with British bikes, so our Guild was a perfect fit. The idea was to get it running for the summer and then “do more” in the winter months.
First up was repairing a ghastly leak in the small sump plug. Well, one thing led to another and next thing you know, the motor was out of the frame and its entrails strewn across the bench. The bodged sump plug casting threads were the easy part. Someone had been in that motor well before him and it was, uh, unsightly to say the least. So, out came ALL the figurative cookies, the milk, and the rest.
And now, one year later, he has a properly sorted Norton that looks great and goes like stink. If you give a lad a barn-find Norton, he’s going to want a repair shop to go with it… just sayin’.