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LOT 286

c.1951 Norton 490cc 500T Trials Registration no. not registered Frame no. 36220 Engine no. 37728 F3T

Sold for £6,900 inc. premium
Lot 286

c.1951 Norton 490cc 500T Trials
Registration no. not registered Frame no. 36220 Engine no. 37728 F3T

c.1951 Norton 490cc 500T Trials
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. 36220
Engine no. 37728 F3T

Following a season of extensive modification and experimentation, begun during the winter of 1947/48 by the legendary McCandless brothers - designers of Norton's peerless 'Featherbed' racing frame - resulted in the first appearance late in 1948 of an entirely new trials model: the 500T. The shorter and lighter WD 16H frame was used for the newcomer, which featured an ingeniously modified lower fork yoke that reduced the wheelbase to a more manageable 53". In its original, 'all-iron' engined form the 500T tipped the scales at 320lbs, while the subsequent adoption of an alloy cylinder head and (later) a Wellworthy alloy barrel brought that down to 300lbs. The 500T was announced as a 1949 model at the 1948 Motor Cycle Show, by which time a young Geoff Duke had already won that year's Allan Jefferies Trial riding a 350cc-engined prototype. Numerous other works and privateer competition successes throughout the late 1940s and early 1950s confirmed that Norton had produced a machine as good as, if not better than, any other rigid-framed trials iron. Sadly, there would be no sprung-frame development to carry on the line, and the 500T disappeared from the Norton line-up in 1954.

Little is known of the history of this example, which has been displayed at the London Motorcycle Museum for the last few years.

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.

Saleroom notices

The frame number is F3T 37728. The engine number is F7728 F3T.

Additional information

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