LOT 615 N
1926 Norton 490cc Model 18 Registration no. not registered Frame no. 15353 Engine no. 34018
Sold for £18,400 inc. premium
Lot 615N
1926 Norton 490cc Model 18Registration no. not registered Frame no. 15353 Engine no. 34018
1926 Norton 490cc Model 18
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. 15353
Engine no. 34018
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. 15353
Engine no. 34018
• An older restoration
• Offered from a private collection
• Described by the vendor as in working order
Like the majority of their contemporaries, Norton relied on the sidevalve engine until the 1920s, when the existing and well-tried 490cc unit was used as the basis for the firm's first overhead-valve design. Penned by James Lansdowne Norton himself and first seen in prototype form in 1922, the overhead-valve Norton made little impact in that year's Senior TT, though at Brooklands D R O'Donovan raised the world 500cc kilometre record to over 89mph using the new motor. A road-going version - the Model 18 - was catalogued for 1923, quickly establishing a reputation for both speed and reliability when a standard engine assembled from parts was used to set a host of records, including a new 12 hours mark. Alec Bennett won the Senior TT for Norton in 1924 and, demonstrating that racing really did improve the breed, the Model 18 gaining Webb forks and better brakes for 1925 as a direct result of the works team's experiences.
The Model 18 retained its essentially Vintage characteristics until 1931 when the range was extensively redesigned, dry-sump lubrication and rear-mounted magneto being standardised. The most obvious external alteration in its appearance before then had been the adoption of a 'saddle' tank for 1929. There were numerous improvements made to the engine throughout the 1930s, including enclosure of the valve gear, while Norton's own four-speed foot-change gearbox replaced the old Sturmey Archer in 1935. Production of an essentially unchanged 1939 model resumed after WW2 and then for 1947 the Model 18 was up-dated with Roadholder telescopic forks in common with the rest of the Norton range. Production ceased in 1954.
An older restoration, this Vintage-era Model 18 was purchased for the vendor's private collection in 2009 and is described by the vendor as in working order, having been cared for by the owner's in-house mechanic. There are no documents with this Lot.
• Offered from a private collection
• Described by the vendor as in working order
Like the majority of their contemporaries, Norton relied on the sidevalve engine until the 1920s, when the existing and well-tried 490cc unit was used as the basis for the firm's first overhead-valve design. Penned by James Lansdowne Norton himself and first seen in prototype form in 1922, the overhead-valve Norton made little impact in that year's Senior TT, though at Brooklands D R O'Donovan raised the world 500cc kilometre record to over 89mph using the new motor. A road-going version - the Model 18 - was catalogued for 1923, quickly establishing a reputation for both speed and reliability when a standard engine assembled from parts was used to set a host of records, including a new 12 hours mark. Alec Bennett won the Senior TT for Norton in 1924 and, demonstrating that racing really did improve the breed, the Model 18 gaining Webb forks and better brakes for 1925 as a direct result of the works team's experiences.
The Model 18 retained its essentially Vintage characteristics until 1931 when the range was extensively redesigned, dry-sump lubrication and rear-mounted magneto being standardised. The most obvious external alteration in its appearance before then had been the adoption of a 'saddle' tank for 1929. There were numerous improvements made to the engine throughout the 1930s, including enclosure of the valve gear, while Norton's own four-speed foot-change gearbox replaced the old Sturmey Archer in 1935. Production of an essentially unchanged 1939 model resumed after WW2 and then for 1947 the Model 18 was up-dated with Roadholder telescopic forks in common with the rest of the Norton range. Production ceased in 1954.
An older restoration, this Vintage-era Model 18 was purchased for the vendor's private collection in 2009 and is described by the vendor as in working order, having been cared for by the owner's in-house mechanic. There are no documents with this Lot.
Footnotes
As with all Lots in the Sale, this Lot is sold 'as is/where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding.
Additional information
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Auction Viewings
- 28 April 2001, 09:00 - 17:00 BST
- 27 April 2019, 09:00 - 18:00 BST
Lot symbols
| N | NOVA declaration |
| If purchased by a UK resident, this machine is subject to a NOVA declaration, whilst the responsibility of submitting the NOVA rests with the Buyer to do so, Bonhams will facilitate the process by engaging an agent (SHIPPIO) to undertake the NOVA and C88 (customs) application if applicable on the Buyer's behalf. A fee of £350 + VAT to do so will be added to the Buyer's invoice. |
