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I was fortunate to acquire this 1975 Norton Commando 850. I should have it road worthy by the end of the month. New tires, new carburetors, ect.

Not to get political, but times were different back then. Depression era and people worked harder to keep their jobs. Same issue with oil pumps too

Adding an electric pump would be cheap insurance. I use one for priming after sitting and to combat fuel percolation on hot days. Or simply replace the mechanical pump with electric.

enjoyed a great day with the picnic tour. super nice cars, and an even better group of people. will post pics once i’ve loaded them to the computer. perfect weather, too.

Yesterday I drove the P15 to brunch to meet several people I used to work with. One of the guys wanted to drive the car and I was happy to let him do that. After he tried several times to start the car he gave up and we thought it might be flooded. I had my friend get out and I scooted over and the car started right away for me. That's when I realized I was using a combination to start the car. Been doing it so long I didn't notice I was doing it. Choke cable in the correct position, throttle cable in the correct position and tap the foot feed at the correct time while the engine was turning over. When the car is warm it will start by just hitting the starter button but the car had cooled down while we were visiting and needed the combination to start. Brings back memories from my teenage years - I was the only one that could start the 61 Comet when it was cold.

It's unfortunate to see so many people break down with this same issue, after replacing their new fuel pump. The people who manufacture or sell these pumps seem to not care. This has been going on for years. Maybe the folks who own the largest tow truck company in North America also own the fuel pump manufacturing plant. Lol. There are so called Mopar supplier "specialists" selling these crappy pumps. One wonders if they cannot get a message back to the factory to do something about this. They got it right in 1930. Why cant someone get it right 100 years later? Like so many others, this happened to me 2 years ago as well. I quickly ran the lines to a 6V pump, while on the side of the road. Then drove my car home. Then I took the pump off and hit the pin ends with JB weld. Multiple applications over 3 nights. It has been problem free since. I also permanently mounted my 6V electric pump. It serves me well also. Under a couple of occasions it has pushed through vapor lock. Also great for priming the carb when the car has sat unused for several weeks.

I used an allen screw with a diameter the same as the pin and a shoulder that was the length of the pin. I put a locknut on the the screw , I think it was 10-32. I got this at a local hardware.

It would be my choice to stick with older vehicles. But my wife came from a family where they generally traded in for new or barely used every few years. (My Father-in-law was Amish until he was 43, so he never worked on cars at all, and not on other types of powered equipment, either. And nor had his father, grandfather, way on back - none of them had ever done that sort of work. So it was "Trade it in before it starts making trouble." He was a general contractor, so he made enough to live like that. So that's what I'm up against. But he could repair any kind of saw, sharpen circular saw blades like new, planer blades, etc. And he had worked as a blacksmith, then as a cabinet builder, back before WW II. He had supervised building barns the old way, with mortise & tennon joints, no nails in the whole frame work.)

Modern chinese VR's are absolute junk...don't waste your time with them. Find a good NOS Autolite or equivalent...sad to say this is the only long lasting way.

Reminds me - funny thing: A friend from Tyler, Texas was visiting us, and he had a tire go bad. We found a full-size wheel the right size (3rd Gen MoPar minivan) in a salvage, and he left his 16 inch "doughnut spare" here with me. The funny thing is that it actually has the holes for the guide pin like on our cars.

McMaster-Carr has a large variety of pins, some with cotter pins and some with circlips. Washers can be used to adjust the length of a pin that is a little long. https://www.mcmaster.com/pins/clevis-pins-with-retaining-ring-groove-6/

I wonder if a grade 5 bolt of the correct diameter with a shoulder long enough to reach needed depth ... then two nuts to lock it down with .... Would look like a fix from a old Hog farmer .... but it would be a good fix. Just thinking a pin .... if you could find one, or even cut the head & threads off of a grade 5 bolt & used the shoulder .... You would need a drill press & a machinist vice to drill holes in the pin for cotter pins to hold it. ..... It would look more professional. Not technically better then the hog farmer fix above.. Choices.

Replace pin with a longer piece that can be either a nut bolt or something you can use clips on.

I am running 17" rims off a 2005-2009 Charger, 300 or Magnum on my 51.

Marc, That Broadcloth was done 20 years ago from old stock. The wood grain I did on some of the Interior trims. Thanks for the compliments! As with anything woodgraining is easy - it just takes practice - it is just like OUTFXD said if your not happy with it, wipe it clean and start over. Actualy for window trim a wide flat short bristle fan brush like the ones you use to paint clouds with works best. Got to get the artistic feelings stirring do this. A little spirits never hurt, when one is feeling particularly well disposed, time to grab the brushes. Tom

I will agree with Plymouthy. ?